China Media Group (CMG) held the first dress rehearsal for the 2024 Spring Festival Gala on Monday, honing the much-anticipated TV carnival amid prevailing festive mood for the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year.

The wide cast of performers gathered at a CMG studio for their inaugural appearance in the 2024 Spring Festival Gala. This year’s performance is expected to last four hours, with singing, dancing, opera and other exciting entertainment programs.

With the guiding principle of combining ideas with art and technology, the gala will focus on hot social topics and the daily life of common Chinese people, express their real emotions and share the joy of family in plain language, blending traditional elements and virtual-tech ingenuities, according to a CMG report on Monday.

During the first dress rehearsal, giant panda breeder Tan Jintao, who has become an internet sensation as « Grandpa Tan » for his special relationship with the rare animals under his care, was among the first guests invited to watch the show on-site. In the subsequent rehearsals, more representatives from various industries who have made outstanding contributions will continue to be invited as honored guests of the gala and they will convey New Year wishes to all ordinary people who strive for a better tomorrow, the CMG report said.

The gala, also known as « Chunwan, » has been broadcast live annually since 1983, and has been seen as a major cultural symbol for the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in China. This year’s event will be aired on February 9, the eve of the New Year.

CGTN