Chinese New Year celebrations kick off in Rome with engaging performance

Chinese New Year celebrations in Italy kicked off on Thursday with an engaging and colorful show at the Rome's multi-functional Auditorium Parco della Musica.

The event was promoted by the Chinese Embassy in Italy, and anticipated the main street parade that will take place on Saturday in the heart of the capital's historic centre to mark the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival falling on Feb. 19.

A large audience of both Chinese and Italians gathered in the spacious Sinopoli Hall of the complex to enjoy a most various exhibition of music, dance, and acrobatics staged by artists belonging to the best tradition of China's performing arts.

"Cultural and social exchanges represent a most vital part of Italian-Chinese relationship, which build a bridge to promote our mutual friendship," Ambassador to Italy Li Ruiyu said in his opening speech to welcome spectators and guests.

The evening offered indeed remarkable examples of grace, balance, and agility, as artists from the Chinese provinces of Hunan and Shaanxi alternated on the stage to perform traditional folk music, traditional dances, and pieces of acrobatic arts.

The brightly colored dresses, the elegant costumes, and the engaging rhythms featured on the stage seemed fascinating the audience as much as the skills of the performers engaged in the show.

The artists offered short versions of music and dances as they had been conceived in ancient China, such as the Rainbow and Feather Garment Dance and the White Linen Dance.

Yet, Italian culture also had its moments within the spectacular show.

Eight Chinese opera students with the renowned Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome were invited to perform selected pieces from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata, as a tribute to the tradition of Italian opera. Endit