Celebrate China’s magnificent heritage in a Spectacular way as we usher in the Year of the Pig. Each year NTDTV hosts an exhilarating Chinese New Year extravaganza worldwide where the best of Chinese theatre, music and dance come together, bringing to life the myths, legends, and the divine beauty of traditional Chinese culture for Western and Chinese audiences alike. This year the Spectacular will play at Radio City Music Hall from February 14 – 17.
The Spectacular has something for everyone. A world-class production of performing artists of excellence, it features outstanding vocalists and instrumentalists showcasing grand stage designs, hand-painted backdrops and authentic costuming from ancient Chinese Dynasties. Classical Chinese dance along with traditional dances of various ethnic styles help weave a tale that touches on the themes of compassion and virtue -- and the never-ending battle between good and evil
"The show takes you on a magical mystery tour" said a friend who saw the Spectacular in San Francisco. When asked what was his favorite part he said: "The Dunhuang caves--it’s just surreal!" I can understand why that is. It was said by the ancients that "dun" meant "great," and "huang" meant "to flourish." Dunhuang is the pride of the Chinese culture. The graceful feitian, or heavenly beauties, together with tranquil and elegant Buddha images, reflect the glory of the history of Chinese nationalities in the "Dunhuang Cave Dance."
A woman’s heart must be of such a size and no larger, else it must be pressed small, like chinese feet; her happiness is to be made as cakes are, by a fixed receipt.
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)
The Mogao Cave in Dunhuang, which is known as "Thousand-Buddha Cave," features fresco art narrating stories from Buddhism. Musical fairies, feitian, and heavenly kings are included in the images of the multiple heavenly beings. All the multiple heavenly beings are the guarding converts of the Buddha: the heavenly kings safeguard the Law of Buddhism with weapons in hand, feitian hold flowers and tributes, and the musical fairies dance festively and sing.
Feitian is called "goddess with fragrance and beautiful sound" in Buddhist art, and was named "Gandhanra" in Sanskrit, referring to a kind of beautiful fairy who is good at playing music and dancing. Feitian is able to fly airily and freely in the sky with all-over fragrance and fluttering ribbons on her body with flowers and colorful clouds in her hand. This artistic image from Indian Buddhism, once combined with the images of Chinese flying fairies and those who succeeded in cultivation, connotes an extremely rich sense of magic and fantasy.
"We can see that NTDTV is working at pains, and we can see new culture from the traditional roots. That is very valuable. We hope the NTDTV can stick it out and can truly turn all these into its tradition," said Ambassador Andrew Xia, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York after seeing the show.
The ramparts of Vienna are crumbling into the sand; no one wants to live so confined, however, the entire country is already surrounded by a chinese wall!
—Franz Grillparzer (1791–1872)
Last year’s production at New York’s world-famous Radio City Music Hall ranked the top 7th show internationally on Billboard magazine’s Box score in February 2006. In 2007 the Spectacular will play in 30 cities across four continents, including 15 major cities in North America.
Be part of the experience and treat yourself to a rich, meaningful and unforgettable cultural event—the NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular.
Xiqiao Su is a Performing Arts Teacher and works in her studio in Manhattan. For more info about the NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular in your area, please visit: http://shows.ntdtv.com http://www.com.