Overseas troupes among performers at River Hongbao
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River Hongbao 2020 celebrations for Chinese New Year will include two overseas troupes from China and Taiwan. Chinese troupe Shandong Song and Dance Theatre (left) has prepared 14 performance items, while dance students from the University of Taipei will present five performances. River Hongbao 2020 runs from today to Feb 1.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
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In keeping with tradition, River Hongbao (RHB) 2020 celebrations for Chinese New Year will include overseas performers, with two troupes from China and Taiwan scheduled to perform.
The Shandong Song and Dance Theatre will perform a piece inspired by the Six Arts of Chinese philosopher Confucius, using folk dance to portray the disciplines of rites, music, archery, chariot racing, calligraphy and mathematics.
The troupe from China has prepared 14 performance items, including a piece featuring the Chinese wind instrument suona.
The Shandong Ensemble's head of Chinese orchestra, Mr Ma Hai Long, hopes that its cultural performances will evoke a sense of home for the Chinese nationals remaining in Singapore over the Chinese New Year.
Dance students from the University of Taipei will present five performances - including a traditional folk dance called Waltzing By The River conceptualised by Ms Hsiao Chiin-Ling, the university's director of dance.
Both troupes will perform on the first four nights of River Hongbao, which runs from today to Feb 1.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat will be the guest of honour at the opening ceremony.
Among the local performers will be Chinese orchestra group Reverberance and a capella group Micapella.
A million visitors are expected to attend the 10-day event at The Float @ Marina Bay which cost about $3 million to organise.
The carnival event held as part of RHB 2020 will include rides, games such as #HuntYourZodiac and street-food stalls, as well as an exhibition, Prosperity In Packets, which will put the spotlight on the Chinese custom of giving hongbao.
"Our challenge was to create something novel that differed from previous years, while retaining the traditional quality of River Hongbao," said Mr Perng Peck Seng, RHB 2020's programme chairman.
