by Xinhua writer Jian Ping
CHICAGO, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- A 2021 virtual Lunar New Year Festival gala featuring performances by celebrity musicians and singers from both China and the United States brought festivity and joy to overseas Chinese on Friday night.
"Song of the Prairie," presented by famous Chinese singer Wang Hongwei, made many overseas Chinese homesick.
The virtual format enabled more vivid visuals of the vast Mongolian prairie to enhance the impact of the song.
Lang Lang's performance of Liszt's "Dream of Love" was powerful and captivating, and the "face changing" presented by Bai Zhonghua and his fellow actors from Sichuan was mesmerizing.
"Drunken Beauty," a Beijing Opera piece performed by Hu Wenge, a famous Peking Opera actor in China, was applauded by the audience not only for his singing, but also for a "visual feast."
Audiences across the United States watched the performance, which was sponsored by the U.S.-China Restaurant Alliance (UCRA).
In a congratulatory letter, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said that after bidding farewell to a difficult Year of the Rat, the world has embraced the Year of the Ox, full of hope.
While wishing everyone a happy new year, he expressed the hope for constructive China-U.S. relations.
"This event presents the opportunity to come together to celebrate the accomplishments of the past, while also looking towards the future," Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wrote in her congratulatory letter.
"Chicago is proud to have a vibrant and engaged community that continues to make significant contributions to the cultural and economic life in Chicago," she said.
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, and President of the non-profit tourism organization Choose Chicago David Whitaker attended the virtual gala and wished everyone a Happy Chinese New Year.
"The Lunar New Year is a special occasion for many Asian cultures, including the Chinese-American community here in Chicago," said Tony Hu, chairman of the UCRA.
By hosting the gala, UCRA aims to thank those who helped others amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Hu told Xinhua.
During the pandemic, member restaurants of UCRA donated over 100,000 meals valued at 1 million U.S. dollars to frontline and essential workers in the United States. Enditem
