2014 North America Happy Chinese New Year - Chinese New Year Gala

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2014 North America Happy Chinese New Year - Chinese New Year Gala has successfully brought down the curtain at the world famous Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Jan. 18, 2014. The 2014 Chinese New Year Gala is the very first spectacular in worldwide celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year to be held overseas with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China. The event is a vivid celebration of the Year of the Horse and an integration of Sino-foreign cultural exchanges for all our friends at home and abroad.

The 2014 Chinese New Year Gala is hosted by the People's Daily Media Advertising Co., Ltd., Beauty Media Inc., and ICN TV Network, co-organized by Tencent Weibo, China Southern Airlines Company Limited, TCL Corporation, MSM Luxury Estates, Hanhai Zhiye Investment Management Group, and South Coast Plaza, with the strong support of the Ministry of Culture of the PRC, the People's Daily, the Consulate-General of the PRC in Los Angeles, Press Office of Zhejiang Provincial Government, and Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture. The Gala has presented the audiences who came to see the event in person as well as viewers around the world who enjoyed the event online with spectacular acts and performances.

The Gala was broadcast live on ICN's 16 television channels across North America, ICN's official website of the Gala, ICN's Chinese and English websites, and through the ICN app as well as on Tencent and Youku's networks. At 5:00 PM Pacific time, the New Year Greetings on the red carpet were broadcast live, followed by the dinner party at which dignitaries and celebrities gave congratulatory speeches. Later on began the real spectacular: the 120-minute Gala. This is the first time that the large-scale overseas Chinese New Year Gala event has been broadcast live on three networks and covered live by major media. Audiences around the world can easily enjoy the wonderful performances through TV (North America), online, or via the ICN mobile app. The Gala has also provided Chinese communities around the globe with a glorious platform to send their New Year wishes to their fellow countrymen at home, and invited friends everywhere to join the very first overseas Spring Festival Gala in 2014.

The show was preceded by a star-studded red carpet event in which Chinese and American dignitaries, politicians and celebrities offered their New Year greetings to their Chinese friends, and relatives and friends in foreign lands.

The Gala was specially held at the world famous Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Audiences marveled at the world class stage, lighting, audio and sound equipment. The great event in celebration of Chinese New Year aims to show the world the vigorous spirit of the Year of the Horse and showcase the richness and splendor of Chinese culture at the entertainment capital of the world – Hollywood.

The event embodied the perfect combination of world class arts. A song and dance act presented by Zhejiang Song & Dance Theater opened the show. With the best wishes for the 2014 Chinese New Year, The Red Dowry rang out the Old and rang in the New to the accompaniment of gongs and drums.

The performances that followed, at the recommendation of the Consulate-General of the PRC in Los Angeles, were highly varied in style, while, at the same time, magnificent, distinctive, and enchanting: the exotic Indian dance Bollywood Delicious, Mexican dance Mexican Fiesta, Korean classical music and instrumental performance Chenonnyeonmanse, and the gentle, elegant, and romantic Hawaiian dance Love Song of Tahiti.

Highly popular "Crazy Violinist" Zhang Shaobo from China played the Legend of the Dragon to voice the Chinese people's pride in being the descendants of the dragon.

The talented jinghu artist Lucy Wu rocked the international stage with the one and only Jinghu Rock with a combination of Chinese and Western elements.

Award-winning solo singer Jiang Mingming's interpretation of Fantastic Motherland beautifully evoked the yearning of returning to one's home.

Celebrated operatic artist Oscar Zhang and the notable calligrapher Wang Hanguang presented a fascinating performance combining Chinese cursive style calligraphy with Italian opera aria.

The grand climax of the Gala was the happy chorus of My Motherland China, sung by the all those present to express their longing for home. Audiences ate dumplings and watched the Gala together, while the fusion eastern and western culture showcased at the event expressed the cheerful and glorious harmony. 

At the Gala, the top 3 awards of the variety show American Stars in 2013 were announced as winners of the American Stars Photography Award, "Best T-shirt Design" Award, and "Audience's Favorite Judge" Award winner were invited to the podium and presented with prizes. The Gala, with an all-star cast, was meticulously and uniquely programmed without precedent. The event, broadcast live via TV, the internet and the ICN app, received enthusiastic praise from the audience present at the event itself as well as congratulatory wishes from viewers around the world.

During the 2014 North America Happy Chinese New Year Celebration, the ICN TV Network will also bring you even more entertainment with celebrations at locations across Southern California. Performances will be held on:

• Jan. 18, 2014, 10:00AM – 2:00PM, at the Pacific Asia Museum
• Jan. 19, 2014, at Universal Studios Hollywood
• Jan. 23 and Jan. 24, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, at South Coast Plaza
• Jan. 25 and Jan. 26, 11:00AM – 4:00PM, at Huntington Library

Top artists from China will present jaw-dropping performances of Peking Opera, acrobatics, folk dance, magic, and showcase exquisite handcrafted goods from Zhejiang Province. Each performance is distinctive, exciting, and exhilarating. Anyone from around the Los Angeles area should not miss out!

SOURCE ICN TV Network