The Word: The Chinese New Year Spectacular (Canberra, Australia)

April, 2007

The NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular, which showed in Canberra Theatre on March 20 and 21, has completed its Australian tour for 12 shows in 5 cities but the interest in traditional Chinese culture is just beginning.

Produced by the New York based independent Chinese television network, New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV), the Spectacular combined dance, music and song to present popular myths and legends from ancient Chinese culture including those from Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.

Mr Zhong Lee, president of NTDTV, said China has a 4000 year history and NTDTV's aim in producing this show was to facilitate a renaissance of traditional Chinese culture through its art forms and folklore.

The interest for such culture is certainly there in Canberra as evident in the two full house shows in Canberra including an extra show added due to popular demand.

Despite the luxuriance of colour and splendid costuming in the dance scenes, the stage setting remained largely minimal with colour and variety provided by clever use of digitally animated backdrops. This was not a big budget operation but the excellent combination of beautiful traditional costumes and scenes, digitally mastered animation, stories that promote honesty, goodness and loyalty, and fascinating dancing has produced a memorable subtle entertainment of tremendous creativity and depth of feeling.

Helen Musa, arts editor of the Canberra Times, said she was captivated by the show and there was something in it for everyone. Ms Musa said you "can't go past the costuming and dancing in the show" but acknowledged that she found the Buddhist influence in the Spectacular "extremely interesting"/

Ms Musa said she understood that the show touched on many different levels and said for her it had been most effective. "Not just the eyes, not just the ears but on the heart and soul" she said.

However, the Spectacular met disspproval of the communist Chinese government. Its consulate in Sydney advised diplomats and federal and state politicians not to see the show as reported by ABC Lateline. What are they afraid of such a nice traditional culture show?