SLEEPLESS TONIGHT 2023 LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA

A Multicultural Gala

"SLEEPLESS TONIGHT- 2023 LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA"

Successfully concluded!

A grand cultural evening that brought laughter and joy to over 2000 live audience members – "SLEEPLESS TONIGHT - 2023 LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA" took place on Friday, January 20th, at Sydney's Star Harbor City. This event was jointly organized by the Swan Cultural Media Group and the Alice in Wendyland Charity Foundation, with Wendy Mao as the Artistic Director and Alice Gu as the Chief Planner. Co-hosted by the Yellow River Performing Arts Agency, the Australia-China Business Council, the Australia-China Cultural and Economic Promotion Association, the Australian Chinese Northeastern Association, Swan Wine Group, Horizon Capital Group, Australia China Weekly, Australia China Research Center, Homart Pharmaceuticals, and the Australia China Photographer Exchange Association, the Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA was organized by the Australia Spring Festival Organizing Committee, presenting a spectacular artistic feast for the Sydney audience.

Hosted by Da Chao, Angelina Liu, Sam Hayden Smith and Nicole He, the event featured a diverse array of 28 unique performances, including traditional Hanfu displays, fashion shows, martial arts, face changing, traditional Chinese opera, Western opera, skits, ventriloquism, dance, magic and singing. The cultural extravaganza celebrated the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit with audiences.

The spectacular performance received strong support from nine companies, including ACY Securities, Yancoal Australia, Melbar Aged Care, AUSWAN CREEK Swan Winery, LINKMAX, Mai Capital, Dream Clean Bedding, Good Kitchen and Australia Pharmaceutical Group, who co-sponsored the event. In addition, more than three dozen organizations sponsored the event.

The entire event lasted five and a half hours, beginning with a guest socializing session at 5:00 p.m. Seven hundred guests attended the event, including diplomatic envoys and representatives from 12 countries and regions, such as the United States, Russia, India, Turkey, the Philippines, Malta, Pakistan, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Chile, Turkey, China, and Hong Kong. The attendees also comprised diplomats from various foreign missions in Australia, including the Australian Federal Department of Defence, the Department of Veterans' Affairs, and the Deputy Minister of the Republic. The Hon Matt Thistlethwaite, a Federal Member of Parliament, was actively involved in the proceedings, along with 15 current and former members of Parliament and government officials, as well as numerous entrepreneurs, artists and members of the social elite.

The organizers specially arranged members of the table tennis delegation that visited China in 1971 as part of the "Ping Pong Diplomacy" initiative, invited by Premier Zhou Enlai, to perform a table tennis exhibition for the guests.

At 6:00 pm, the 2022 Annual Corporate and Entrepreneur Awards Ceremony and Charity Dinner officially kicked off. The event began with a welcome address from the representative of the organizers, Wendy Mao, the Artistic Director of "Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA." She expressed her gratitude to all the participants from all sectors and extended her appreciation to the entire cast and crew.

Wendy Mao invited other core members of the organizing team, including Alice Gu, Helaine Sun, Dong Ning, and Joanne Guth. Also joining them on stage were the honorary advisor of the organizing committee of the "Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA," Venerable Master Banruo, honorary chairman Xinfeng Sun, committee chairman Shangze Cui, executive chairman Mingxing Shi, and vice chairman Zhiwu Zheng, to extend New Year's greetings and offer Lunar New Year blessings to everyone!

Australian Prime Minister Albanese sent a congratulatory letter to "Tonight Together" Australian Spring Festival, expressing that while celebrating the Lunar New Year, the joyful and harmonious festival adds the traditional cultural characteristics of the Chinese culture to Australia. He praised the significant contribution that the heritage of this culture has made to Australian society over the past two centuries.

The Australian Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, as well as the Minister for Federal Finance, Women, and Public Service, also sent congratulatory letters, extending their wishes for the Lunar New Year to the audience attending the evening event. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marise Payne, specifically dispatched her special representative, Luke Coates, the Chairman of the Australia-China Foundation Committee of the Department of Foreign Affairs, to attend the Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA.

Former Australian prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott also sent congratulatory videos, extending their Lunar New Year wishes.

New Year Greeting Video from Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd

New Year Greeting Video from Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott

Renowned tenor singer Wang Hongwei, Professor of Vocal Music at the China Conservatory of Music, Wang Lida, famous soprano singer Li Danyang, and well-known cross-talk performer Zhou Wei recorded special videos to send New Year's greetings to the Australian audience and wish success for the Australian Spring Festival.

Renowned tenor singer Wang Hongwei

Professor of Vocal Music at the China Conservatory of Music, Wang Lida

Renowned soprano singer Li Danyang

Renowned cross-talk performer Zhou Wei

The second segment of the evening was the 2022 Annual Excellence in Business and Entrepreneur Awards Ceremony, jointly hosted by the Australia-China Research Center and Australia Finance and Economics News. The judging committee, composed of Ms. Alison Airey, CEO of the New South Wales Branch of the Australia China Business Council (ACBC), Mr. Michael Xie, Senior Multicultural Commissioner for Business Liaison at the New South Wales Government, and Mr. David Han, Founder of Australia Finance and Economics News, rigorously selected the winners. Eventually, nine companies and five entrepreneurs emerged victorious.

The annual business award winners are Melbar Home Care Provider, ACY Securities, Artemis Winery & Distillery, Changjiang Group, Good Kitchen & Bathroom, Linden Wise Pty Ltd, MoreMore Finance, Pacific Frameworks Pty Ltd, and Yancoal Australia.

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award went to Lynn Yeh, Chairman of Homart Group; Wei Li, Chairman of Swan Wine Group; David Dai, Chairman of MD Group; Linda Chen, Chairman of Maxmillian Asia Pacific Pty Ltd; and Michelle Chen, Chairman of International Trade Master. 

Distinguished guests included The Hon Matt Thistlethwaite, Federal Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister for Defence, Veterans Affairs and the Republic; The Hon Philip Ruddock AO, former federal parliamentarian and mayor of Hornsby; The Hon Andrew Robb AO, former Federal Member of Parliament, Minister for Trade and Investment, and Cabinet Minister; Mr. Jerome Laxdale MP, Federal Member of Parliament and former Mayor of Ryde; Mrs. Dai Le, federal parliamentarian and current mayor of Fairfield; and Mr. Jason Li, Member of the New South Wales Parliament, presented awards to outstanding businesses and entrepreneurs. Each awardee expressed their gratitude during the ceremony.

Following the conclusion of the awards ceremony, a charity auction segment kicked off, highlighting support for charitable causes as one of the key purposes of this Spring Festival Gala. 

The charity auction featured three items. The first item, generously donated by the renowned Chinese-Australian artist Mr. Guan Wei, was a lithograph titled "Come On!  ", created 25 years ago for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. A lady, who chose to remain anonymous, successfully bid AUD $11,000 for the item. In addition, Ms. Josaphine Lin made a personal contribution of AUD $1,000. In total, the charity auction raised AUD $12,000. The event was facilitated by the Alice in Wonderland Charitable Foundation, one of the organizers, which donated the entire proceeds to the Ability Kids Association. Dr. Helen Sham Ho, the Honorary Chairman of the Ability Kid's Association, accepted the donation on behalf of the organization and presented a thank-you letter to the Alice in Wendyland Charity Foundation.

Through Wendy Mao's solo concert at the Sydney Opera House on 4 May 2022, the Alice in Wonderland Charitable Foundation contributed a total of AUD $22,000 to the Ability Kids Association, which supports children with disabilities, via two events.

The second item to be auctioned is a pair of paintings by renowned artists Li Gang and Li Songshi, depicting the completed construction of the Preah Vihear Temple. Organisers arranged for the two paintings to be auctioned together, with a starting bid of AUD $30,000. In the end, Sun Xinfeng, chairman of the Australia-China Business Council, managed to secure a high bid of AUD $100,000 for the precious artwork. In the presence of Cui Shangze, the Chairman of the Australian Spring Festival Gala Organizing Committee, and Shi Mingxing, the Executive Chairman, Chairman Sun presented a check to Venerable Master Banruo of the "Nantian Buddha Country Boree Temple." This gesture reflects the selfless generosity of this business leader.

The third item up for auction was a limited edition of two bottles of Swan Wine Group's Diplomat 50-Year-Old Vine Wine, donated by Chairman Li Wei. This special edition featured signatures from the current Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Deputy Minister of Defence Matt Thistlethwaite, current Minister for Finance and former Prime Minister Whitlam's son, coach Noel Shorter, team member Paul Pinekewick from the 1971 "Ping Pong Diplomacy" delegation, and the famous singer Wen Zhang. The auction aimed to support the return of the Australian delegation to China, commemorating the 52nd anniversary of the "Ping Pong Diplomacy" and contributing to the normalization of Australia-China relations. Dai Bingfan, Chairman of the Australian Satisfy Group, made an active bid and generously donated AUD 12,000. The hope is for more people to contribute actively, ensuring the prompt departure of the "Ping Pong Diplomacy" delegation for the new year, making a valuable contribution to Australia-China friendship.

The generous donations from successful entrepreneurs Dai Bingfan and Li Wei reflect the heartfelt dedication of Australian-Chinese business leaders to the friendship between Australia and China. The esteemed presence of Australian federal parliamentarians, ministers and diplomatic representatives from twelve countries highly commended their contributions.

"The banquet specially prepared traditional dumplings for everyone, featuring not only lobster filling but also paired with truffle chicken soup, making it very festive. Each course of the feast was carefully selected and tasted for suggestions of improvement, in order to secure the best enjoyment for the esteemed guests. During the banquet, the organizers arranged seven exciting performances to enhance the award ceremony and charity auction.

The first performance was the ventriloquism act 'Indigenous Music and the Australian National Anthem' by Liu Mengqi;"

"The second performance was the English theme song of the Spring Festival Gala, 'We Call Australia Home,' led by Wendy Mao, Luky Chen, and Sam Hayden Smith. Composed and written specifically for this Spring Festival Gala by Wendy Mao, the song reflects the multicultural essence of Australia. This grand and majestic song with a European and American flair resonated strongly with the live audience!"

Click to watch the music video for《We Call Australia Home》

Amidst the drumbeats of the dance 《Prosperous and Graceful Era》 presented by the Sydney Dream of the Sea Art Troupe, the award ceremony officially began.

Sydney's lyrebird Dong Ning passionately presented a vibrant rendition of 《Qing Zang Gao Yuan》adding liveliness to the atmosphere of the banquet.

The dance 《Hui'an Women》 presented by the Melbar Aged Care Association of Australia, was a direct-entry program from the Spring Festival Gala auditions. The show, featuring a group of senior citizens aged between 70 and 80, not only showcased the youthful energy of Australia's elderly, but also drew attention to issues related to elderly care. This reflects the philanthropic purpose of the event.

During the charity auction segment, Wendy Mao, the founder of the Alice in Wendyland Charity Foundation, expressed her gratitude to generous donors by singing 《My Heart Will Go On》 a magnificent performance. Her headpiece, made from 3,000 paper clips, added to the spectacle.

After the conclusion of the charity auction, Jaewoo Kim, the Korean chief tenor of the Sydney Opera House, Adelaide Chinese soprano Liang Ling, Sydney Chinese singers Fang Yuan and Miao Jiali, along with Australian drag performer Robert Adam, engaged in a remote duet with the Chinese tenor Zhang Jun in Perth. Together, they presented a special rendition of the 《Toast Song》, marking a perfect end to the 2022 Excellence in Business and Entrepreneurship Awards Ceremony and Charity Dinner.

At 8:00 PM, the 《2023 Spring Festival Gala Promo》authorized by the China Central Radio and Television Station set the stage for the "SLEEPLESS TONIGHT" Australian Spring Festival Gala. The meticulously produced event featured more than 600 performers, setting a new record for the number of performers at a Sydney performing arts event. The cast includes talented actors from Australia and overseas, creating a dazzling constellation of stars. Henan TV specially selected the program 《Luoshen Shui Fu》 as the centerpiece to convey New Year's blessings to the Australian audience.

The China Central Television News Channel also covered the "SLEEPLESS TONIGHT" Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA.

Renowned singing performers such as Yu Jiayi, Fang Yuan, Dong Ning, Huang Mei and others active on the Sydney stage made appearances. The first Chinese-Australian parliamentarian, Dr. Shenhuixia He, even took on the role of a mother in the situational drama "Mother's Ode." These well-known personalities from Sydney presented a fresh artistic image for the audience on the stage of the "Tonight Together" Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA.

Following the lively atmosphere created by the dances "Decorating with Lanterns to Welcome the New Year" and "Peach Blossom Smile," the chief director Wendy Mao, along with several outstanding women, presented the audience with the powerful and dazzling performance "Priceless Sisters." This marked the first climax of the LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA, with elegant demeanour, singing and dancing.

Renowned Korean-Australian tenor Jaewoo Kim from the Sydney Opera House once again took the stage, singing the famous aria "Nessun Dorma." His professionally powerful and soaring voice brought the gala to another climax.

After enjoying Western opera, the gala took the audience back to represent the Eastern civilization of China. Renowned Chinese opera artists from Sydney, Wu Yan, Qin Zhu, and Zheng Yebo, presented a medley of Peking Opera, Yue Opera, and Huangmei Opera. Their precise and resonant performances captivated the audience and left them spellbound.

Renowned singers Yu Jiayi and Teacher Fang Yuan, a top-notch pop and bel canto duo, specially composed a female duet titled "Besame Mucho & Siboney" for the gala. Accompanied by a live band, Zheng Lili, the leader of the Oriental Song and Dance Troupe, joined as a guest to dance alongside them, making the performance even more vibrant.

Sydney's piano prodigy, Gavin Lee, presented a piano rendition of "Confession Balloon" for the audience. Personally choreographed by him, the performance featured a unique blend of dance and everyday scenes to interpret the song, providing the audience with a distinctive auditory and visual experience. This showcased the solid artistic foundation of the new generation idol, impressing the directors from China Central Television. His moving voice has even featured in news reports devoted to Australia ʼ s Lunar New Year.

The Peony Chinese Martial Arts Association and the master of face-changing performances, Xiao Jianguo, joined forces to showcase Chinese kung fu and Sichuan opera face-changing for the audience. This large-scale performance, featuring over fifty actors from different ethnic groups, received enthusiastic applause from the audience and was prominently featured in news coverage by China Central Television.

The song "Hearts in Concern," with lyrics by Sydney's renowned music composer Dong Ning and composed by the famous composer Shi Yan, is the second original song of the LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA. Led by New Zealand-based singer Gloria Zeng and a group of emerging Sydney singers, including Kaye He, Wu Haiyang, Wu Tianyi, Jeffrey Liu Mengqi, Dong Chensiyuan and Harry Sun, the performance evoked a sense of homesickness in the audience, which moved some to tears.

Arranged by Teacher Fang Yuan, the mixed choir led by the Yellow River Vocal Ensemble presented a medley of folk songs from Thailand, Romania, Indonesia, and North Korea. The performance was vivid and lifelike, giving the audience a taste of an exotic culture.

Indonesian singer Putrika was invited to represent the Indonesian community at the event. She performed with her own band, using a looper to create accompaniment, and presented the audience with a unique rendition of "WHISPER."

The Latin dance "No Moriré & Despacito," led by dancers Jason Shi and Everton Medeiros de Freitas, was passionately performed, igniting the atmosphere. In the finale, both dancers went shirtless, once again elevating the show to a climax and pumping up the crowd.

Hailing from Queensland, Hong Yan, Victoria's Li Ruge, and Sydney's Jing Ru, three queens of folk songs, gathered in Sydney for the first time. They appeared in splendid costumes representing different ethnicities and passionately performed songs such as "Dragon Boat Tune," "Beautiful Taihu Lake," and "Flying Songs of the Earth."

Jiang Tao, Zhang Weiya, and Xie Di brought a beautiful girl group rendition of "Destined Bridge" and "As Wished," with their graceful voices radiating a fresh and youthful atmosphere.

Renowned singer Huang Mei brought us "I Love the Snow in the North," making us feel as if we were back in the snowy northern land, as if celebrating the Lunar New Year in our hometown.

Magician Cai Linhao brought a large-scale magic performance, "The Grand Transformation of a Living Person," leaving the audience amazed and astonished.

The Fujian Association Art Troupe's "Night on the Grassland," the Australia Ling Art Troupe's "The Glamorous Years," and the Maple Leaf Red Art Troupe's "Lotus Dance" presented a fantastic showcase of traditional ethnic dances from various regions of China.

Malaysian singer Feifei and Sydney's beach ballad prince Ethan Guo collaborated on the lively song "Green Light," delivering a dynamic and energetic performance.

Meanwhile, the Yellow River Chorus, Purple Wei Art Troupe, Sky Dance Studio, and other artistic groups, with their singing and dancing, added to the brilliance of the LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA.

As the event neared its conclusion, the gala finally revealed its mystery guest, none other than renowned Taiwanese singer Wu Bai, who had been flown in specially from Singapore. He took the stage and passionately performed his debut original song "Clouds of Hometown." Later, amid the enthusiastic applause from the audience, he joined them in singing "365 Miles," bringing the gala to its climax. Neither the singer nor the audience seemed willing to part, clamoring for Wu to sing one more song.

However, by 10:30 in the evening, the hosts, with a sense of reluctance, had to bring all the performers on stage to sing the original theme song of the Spring Festival Gala, "SLEEPLESS TONIGHT," composed by Zuo Lin and written by Cai Jiangning. The gala concluded successfully amid a rain of New Year's red envelopes presented by the organizers. The audience, unwilling to leave, lingered.

CCTV News Channel highly praised the "Together Tonight" Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA, recognizing its grand scale and the genuine experience it provided for Australian viewers to feel the charm of the Spring Festival.

"SLEEPLESS TONIGHT" Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA has captured the interest of Tencent, which has decided to broadcast a recording of the Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA in the near future, allowing viewers worldwide to appreciate this high-level multicultural celebration of the Chinese New Year, crafted and directed by overseas Chinese.

The "SLEEPLESS TONIGHT" 2023 Australian Spring Festival Gala not only provided the audience with a feast of auditory delights but also highly praised the entrepreneurial spirit and promoted the significance of charity. It can be described as a meaningful event, with many viewers referring to it as the inaugural "SLEEPLESS TONIGHT" LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA. They eagerly look forward to the second edition of the Australian Spring Gala next year for another joyous reunion!

"SLEEPLESS TONIGHT" 2023 Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA

List of Participating Organizations and Core Personnel

Thanks to the generous support of the sponsors for 'SLEEPLESS TONIGHT' 2023 Australian LUNAR NEW YEAR GALA