Perennial: Pop star My Tam will perform in a special music and dance programme broadcast by HTV9 on Sunday. — File Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City Television (HTV) will broadcast a special four-hour programme live on Lunar New Year's Eve on Sunday showing celebrations around the city and in neighbouring provinces.

The programme, to begin at 7pm on HTV9, will also show celebrations in remote areas as well as a report called Den Voi Bien Dao Mua Xuan (Visiting the Sea and Islands in Spring) showcasing the lives of civilians and soldiers on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands.

It will be followed by a music and dance programme in which renowned singers like Thanh Thuy and My Tam will participate.

Several skilled comedians like Minh Hoang, Anh Vu, Minh Nhi, and Viet kieu (overseas Vietnamese) artists Hoai Linh and Chi Tai will appear in Tao Quan (The God of Kitchen) – a comedy skit directed by Hong Van.

Between January 23 and February 2, the channel will broadcast cultural and art programmes and films every day from 5am until late.

These will include cai luong (reformed opera) performances featuring veteran and young actors like Vu Luan, Le Thuy, Tu Suong, and Trinh Trinh.

There will also be live broadcasts of festivities like the Flower Street on Nguyen Hue Boulevard in District 1.

HTV officials have reached agreements with television channels based in surrounding provinces to enable live broadcasts of Tet celebrations in these localities.

HTV deputy director Nguyen Quy Hoa said that his station's staff would try their best to connect people living in different places during the festival.

Meanwhile, Viet Nam Television's four channels – VTV1, VTV2, VTV3 and VTV4 – will broadcast its usual review of last year's hottest cultural and art events on Sunday.

The show will feature cultural researchers Hoang Son, To Ngoc Thanh, and traditional performers from the Mong, Dao, E De, Gia Rai, and Thai ethnic minority groups.

Also on Sunday, VTV will air a concert called Gala Spring 2012 in which 300 performers from professional art troupes will sing and dance in praise of spring, the country and soldiers.

The gala will be broadcast at 10.30pm.

VTV4 and VTV1 will broadcast the Ngay Tro Ve-Chung Toi La Nguoi Viet (Homecoming Day-We're Vietnamese) programme that introduces the works and lives of Viet kieu (overseas Vietnamese) who have contributed significantly to the country's development.

The contributions of 2010 Fields Medal winner, Professor Ngo Bao Chau, France's Andre Caplet Award winner, composer Nguyen Thien Dao, and American singer Phi Nhung will be highlighted.

VTV3 will premiere new TV comedy films like Tet Sieu Tiet Kiem (Super Savings on Tet) and Tim Noi Don Tet (Finding a Place for Tet) starring famous artists like Tien Dat, Nhu Quynh and Chi Trung.

The shows will begin airing today.

During the week of Tet, the Dong Nai Province Television and Radio DN1 will air a special programme of reports and documentaries featuring the province's economy, tourism and culture.

The Ba Ria-Vung Tau Television's BRT will broadcast a series of Vietnamese films produced in 1980s, portraying Vietnamese revolutionists like Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Van Troi. — VNS