National Ballet of China's Premiere of La Bayadere

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Interview with Ballet Maestro - Xu Gang

Ballet La Bayadere is one of the classical ballet masterpieces, a ballet requires perfect interpretation of a classical ballet drama, especially classical beauty of the grand classical. For the National Ballet of China, staging La Bayadere is a huge challenge!

 

 

The NB of China has begun rehearsals for the ballet La Bayadere, which will be staged in Natalia Makarova’s version. It is the first new ballet production of the upcoming season. For about a month, the dancers had been rehearsing under Assistant Choreographer Olga Yevreinoff. Rehearsing for the leading parts are the dancers Zhang Jian, Cao Shuci, Wang Ye, Xu Yan, Qiu Yunting, Fang Mengying, Ma Xiaodong, Xun Ruichen and Zhang Yao.

 

 

Under N. Makarova rehearsal guidance, we must follow the rules of the most basic elements in classical ballet - the five positions and etc.. Our dancers have excellent classical ballet training. During the rehearsal we have had high-intensity classes to learn the background of ballet La Bayadere, its story, the  characters, ballet technique, music  and etc.

The theater has started intense rehearsal schedule for La Bayadere from mid-July. We have invited the world-famous Ballet Maestro Natalia Makarova to attend our final rehearsal personally for her own adaptation of La Bayadere.

 

 

In her La Bayadere, N. Makarova concentrates her wisdom and experience in classical ballet masterpieces. There are few greater challenges in the classical ballet repertoire than La Bayadere. Although having difficulty and challenge, we will make this classical ballet exquisitely carved, perfectly rigorous presented in front of the audience.

This is the first time for us to stage the complete ballet La Bayadere. In 1996 and 2012 we had performed the most famous scene from this ballet, known as The Kingdom of the Shades.

During the rehearsal process, the young actors in our theater have shown their good classical ballet technique, especially some young dancers who are going to perform the major character roles: Xu Yan, Qiu Yunting, etc. We are expecting accomplished performances from them.

Assistant Choreographer, Olga Evreinoff, comes to class very day from 9:30am to 5:00pm for daily basic training courses in morning and rehearsals in afternoon, only taking one hour for lunch break. She endures knee pain, standing in the classroom to teach us every dance segment, each beat rhythm. She has won admiration  from every one in NB of China.

 

References:

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_473f97a00102wvk9.html
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_473f97a00102wvw7.html

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Composer Ludwig Minkus
Choreography Natalia Makarova

Premiere of this production: 17-21 September 2016

Performing by National Ballet of China

Location: Tian Qiao Theater, Beijing, China

 

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After the successful premiere: