国内英语新闻:Chinese leaders watch traditional operas for new year

BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Top Chinese leaders watched a New Year gala featuring traditional operas on Saturday evening in Beijing.

Leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan, joined an audience of nearly a thousand at the National Center for the Performing Arts.

The program included classic opera excerpts featuring historical stories, martial heroes and love stories, as well as modern excerpts featuring stalwart CPC members, life on a small island, the Long March, among others.

An opera piece named "Towards the Future" expressed the strong faith of the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, to fight for a decisive victory in finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and for the realization of the Chinese dream of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The show featured various forms of traditional operas, including Peking Opera, Kunqu opera and Cantonese Opera.