Migrant workers will premier an original song they wrote at the televised national Spring Festival performance.

"This is the first time that migrant workers have stepped onto the national stage and presented their own artistic creation," said Liu Zhongjun, a senior official with the Ministry of Culture and also chief producer of the performance.

He said that inviting migrant workers to the performance means that everyone in society will have an equal opportunity to show their talent, an important factor in a harmonious society.

Young migrant worker Sun Heng and his compatriots will sing a song they wrote themselves in a programme called "People on the Road."

The migrant workers will perform alongside well-known Chinese singers, performing a dozen songs that express longings for their hometown and love for families and friends.

"People's strong feelings for their country will be highlighted by the performance," said Wen Zhongjia, musical director of the performance.

"Our country needs this kind of patriotic emotion."

Liu said the performance will be innovative with singers from different minority groups invited to perform ethnic songs.

Street dancing and skate boarding, which is very popular with young people, will be staged with acrobatics.

There will be two songs written by Culture Minister Sun Jiazheng and Vice-Culture Minister Chen Xiaoguang.

According to Liu, the artists will try out new artistic styles during the performance, such as having ballet dancers accompany Chinese folk music and having Kunqu opera artists sing a popular song through poetic language.

Source: China Daily