The Chinese Lunar New Year is two weeks away, but it has come early to CCTV. Top artists and performers are getting together to rehearse for the biggest annual Spring Festival Gala.

20 lovely "monkeys" will be the curtain￡-raiser at this year's Spring Festival Gala. According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2004 is the year of the Monkey and, in keeping with tradition, the stage is designed like a lantern. Like always, New Year is a time of good wishes. But, in a departure from the past, more guests will be invited to address the audience.

Meanwhile, performers and viewers have also been counting down the days until the Spring Festival Local Opera Gala. More than 300 performers from across the nation have moved into the final rehearsal and recording phase. This year features 19 classics selected from hundreds of local operas across China. The event is a chance for established artists, new rising stars as well as amateurs to show their stuff.

(CCTV January 10, 2004)