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Chinese New year fete brings top performers to Gallo CenterFeb 11, 2011 (The Modesto Bee - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- New year fete brings top performers to Gallo CenterTop Chinese performers who normally visit only major cities are performing a variety show Wednesday at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto. The 2011 Chinese Spring Festival Gala features artists from China Central TV's New Year's Eve program. The group's other tour stops are San Francisco, San Jose, Reno, Los Angeles and San Diego. "They select the best out of the best," said Chong Yih Li, who owns Modesto's Orient House restaurants and is helping publicize the performance. "I will guarantee the quality of this show." The show features a cast of 100, including acrobats, singers, dancers and musicians who are from all parts of China. Cast members are well known in China and include Lin Cheng, Asigen, Huaixiu Li, Huaifu Li, Yueying Zhang and the Shanxi Song and Dance Theatre. Among the numbers planned are: --"Somewhere Far Way" and "Lamb Song," performed by an ethnic instrumental ensemble made up of tribal descendents of Tibet, Manchu, Uygur, Mongolia and Chuang. --"Lovely Female Lead," acrobatics and dance inspired by the Peking Opera. Choreographed with elements of Chinese folk dance and the comic character Female Lead, this number won the French Republic President Award at the Tomorrow Circus Festival in France. --"Chinese Golden Drums." The drums are coated with a golden color representing a dragon and a cloud, symbols of China. Light and water are used for special effects. Li said the group is coming to Modesto because of the efforts of her father, 84-year-old Wele Chen, a former children's television show star and film actor in Taiwan. Excited when the Gallo Center opened in 2007, he began working to bring in professional Chinese groups. While Li has been promoting the show heavily in Modesto's Chinese community, she hopes non-Chinese will attend, too. The show is designed to be a good introduction to Chinese culture for all Americans. To see more of The Modesto Bee, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.modbee.com/. Copyright (c) 2011, The Modesto Bee, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. |