Singers rehearse for the 2013 CCTV Spring Festival Gala. The event has become an integral part of New Year celebrations. Provided to China Daily

Soprano Song Zuying will team up with Celine Dion to shine at the New Year gala. Provided to China Daily

Canadian diva to sing popular folksong in Spring Festival gala

Celine Dion has spent hours rehearsing a popular folksong to help China bring in a new year with a landmark gala performance.

The global star, with a little help from her friends, has mastered the intricacies of Jasmine Flower, or Mo Li Hua.

World-famous Chinese soprano Song Zuying was one of those friends. Dion will perform with Song at the 2013 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, which will be held on Saturday. It's the first time an international star has been invited to the event.

The singer will also sing her signature tune, My Heart Will Go On, from the blockbuster film, Titanic.

The CCTV Spring Festival Gala has been held every year since 1983 and is broadcast live to the world on the Lunar New Year's Eve.

A billion people are expected to tune in for what has become a well-established tradition.

The gala attracts the world's largest TV audience for a show of its type.

For more than four hours, a variety of acts, including singing, acrobatics, magic and comedy sketches, will provide family entertainment.

However, the tradition is facing challenges as younger viewers are increasingly losing interest in the show. During the past few years, some of China's most popular entertainers, such as veteran comedian Zhao Benshan, have withdrawn from the show, and audiences have registered their disappointment.

Bringing international artists like Dion onto the stage is a possible way of winning back younger viewers.

The people responsible for Dion's gala appearance are veteran music producer Song Ke and renowned songwriter Gao Xiaosong.

The duo took charge of Evergrande Music in June, which was launched by the Evergrande Real Estate Group, one of the country's largest developers. This year, Evergrande Music contributed to CCTV's gala planning.