Valletta to warm up to Chinese Spring Festival
Year of the Rabbit signals harmonious times
Valletta will once again warm up to the joyful parade heralding the Chinese Spring Festival, a melting pot of dance, music, magic and acrobatics.
Chinese musicians and dancers will give a performance at St George’s Square in Valletta on Sunday at 10.30 a.m. after which they will parade along Republic and Merchants streets up to the Upper Barrakka Gardens.
Then, on Monday, members of the Heilongjiang Art Troupe will present a show at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, in Valletta at 8 p.m. The programme will include Nessun Dorma, the famous aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera, Turandot.
A Chinese handicrafts fair will be held at the China Culture Centre in 173, Melita Street Valletta today between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Proceeds will be in aid of the Community Chest Fund. A Chinese New Year Dinner will be held at the Grand Hotel Excelsior, in Floriana on February 2 at 8 p.m. (for more information call on 2125 0520).
Gu Hongxing, director of the China Cultural Centre, said he was extremely grateful for the cooperation of the Valletta local council and the Parliamentary Secretariat for Tourism, the Environment and Culture in the organisation of the festival.
“We hope the Spring Festival will again be a great experience for the Maltese people. This year being the Year of the Rabbit we expect these 12 months to be a harmonious time that will bring greater happiness to the people,” Mr Gu said.
The Spring Festival or the Chinese New Year is the most important event for the Chinese like Christmas is for the west. The arrival of spring heralds the melting of the ice and snow and the time for seeding. The festival symbolises the best wishes of the Chinese people. During this time, families, relatives and friends visit each other and go to the theatre to enjoy concerts, acrobatics, drama and other art forms. A series of activities such as the lion dance, the dragon dance, lantern festivals and temple fairs are also held.
According to the Chinese Zodiac, this is the Year of the Rabbit, which begins on February 3 and ends next January 22. The rabbit is the fourth sign of the Chinese Zodiac. Rabbits are private individuals and make good teachers, counsellors and communicators but need their own space.
People born in the Year of the Rabbit are kind, talented and like painting and music. They love hunting for antiques, arts and crafts and will tend to make sound investments in these areas.
More information on the Heilongjiang Art Troupe performance is available by calling 2559 5750/1 on via www.mcc.com.mt.