CCTV puts new spin on its Spring Festival Gala

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Actress Zhang Ziyi sings at China Central Television's  Spring Festival Gala on Wednesday, February 6, 2008.  [Photo: cnsphoto]

For a gala held for more than twenty years, there's no shortage of experience. One valuable guide for producers is that they have opened the doors to pool ideas from all over the country.

Letters have poured in to CCTV, since the program went into preparation in August. Many letters come from steadfast fans, eager to offer suggestions. One particular program on the Gala, the "Bus Concerto" performed by Feng Gong and the screen newcomer Wang Baoqiang, is adapted from a script submitted on line..

This and other language programs-- often the biggest draw of the Gala--are polished productions with social impact. The topics of conversation in 2007--stock market values, housing prices, transportation--all fuel artistic inspiration for thought-provoking dialogue.

An impressive production often requires constant revision right up to the last minute.