National Ballet Of China 2014-2015 Season

[yudi]

Show Time : Program

Location

08/30-31, 2014 : Raise the Red Lantern

The Opera House at National Centre for the Performing Arts,

Beijing

08/31, 2014 : Open the Artistic Door - A Journey Into the World of Ballet (Afternoon & Evening)

The Music Hall at Zhongshan Park,

Beijing

09/11-14, 2014 : Premiere of La Chauve Souris

Tianqiao Theater,

Beijing

09/21, 2014 : Flying Dreams - by New Choreographers

Tianqiao Theater,

Beijing

09/26, 2014 : Red Detachment of Women

Great Hall of the People,

Beijing

09/29, 2014 : Red Detachment of Women

The Grand Hall of Wulumuqi,

Xinjiang

10/02, 2014 : A Journey Into the World of Ballet

Shihezi - Wujiaqu,

Xinjiang

10/07-08, 2014 : Red Detachment of Women

Tianqiao Theater,

Beijing

10/16, 2014 : Symphony Concert

The Music Hall at National Centre for the Performing Arts,

Beijing

10/18-19, 2014 : Red Detachment of Women

The Grand Theater of Yangzhou,

Jiangsu

10/22-23, 2014 : The Little Mermaid

The Theater at Culture Square,

Shanghai

10/25-26, 2014 : Red Detachment of Women

The Grand Hall of Nanjing,

Jiangsu

10/28, 2014 : Red Detachment of Women

Suqian,

Jiangsu

10/30, 2014 : Red Detachment of Women

Xuzhou,

Jiangsu

Dec. 2014 - Jan. 2015 : Performance Series for Celebrating

the 50 Anniversary of National Ballet of China

• 12/02-03, 2014 : Raise the Red Lantern

Tianqiao Theater,

Beijing

• 12/06-07, 2014 : The Little Mermaid

The Opera House at National Centre for the Performing Arts,

Beijing

• 12/12-13, 2014 : Don Quixote

The New Qinghua School Hall of Qinghua University;

Beijing

• 12/23-25, 2014 : Celebrate the New Year (Nutcracker)

Tianqiao Theater,

Beijing

• 12/28-29, 2014 : La Chauve Souris

Tianqiao Theater,

Beijing

12/31, 2014 - 01/01, 2015 : A LEGEND OF FASHION

The Opera House at National Centre for the Performing Arts,

Beijing

01/01-02, 2015 : New Year's Concert of Ballet Music

The 100 Anniversary Memorial Lecture Hall of Beijing University,

Beijing

01/09-10, 2015 : Giselle

Tianqiao Theater,

Beijing

01/16-17, 2015 : The Peony Pavilion

Tianqiao Theater,

Beijing

02/10-11, 2015 : Celebrate the New Year (Nutcracker)

The Opera House at National Centre for the Performing Arts,

Beijing

02/14, 2015 : Symphony Concert

The Music Hall at National Centre for the Performing Arts,

Beijing

03/06-08, 2015 : Red Detachment of Women

Tianqiao Theater,

Beijing

References:

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_473f97a00102uzd7.html

[yudi]

Raise the Red Lantern
By the National Ballet of China
August 30th, 2014, Evening 7:30
In The Opera House at National Centre for the Performing Arts,
Beijing

Casting:

The Third Wife - Zhang Jian
Peking Opera Actor - Sheng Shidong
The Second Wife - Lu Na
The First Wife - Lu Di
The Lord (Husband) - Cui Kai
Peking Opera Actress - Jia Pengfei

Photographer: Wang Chongwei (王崇玮)

[yudi]

Flying Dreams - by New Choreographers

In the evening of September 18 of 2014, at the TianQiao Theater, the National Ballet of China present a special dedication "Flying Dreams - A galaxy of new works". In this mixed-repertory program all works are choreographed by young artists who are encouraged to pursue artistic dreams, challenge themselves with creative passion for new essence of works.

The first half of this evening's program consists of six short ballets.

Canon In D Major by Czech choreographer Jiří Bubeníček.

Sacrifice (祭) by Fei Bo, the recipient of the Choreography Prize at the 2005 Helsinki International Ballet Competition.

Journey with Hoisting Dreams (扬梦远行) by Zhang Zhenxin, a young choreographer and dancer with the National Ballet of China.

Crash, Lift the Fallen and French Twist, three works created by Chinese-American choreographer Ma Cong, who is with Tulsa Ballet in Oklahoma.

The second half of the performances was Fei Bo's new ballet, an adaptation based on the famous Shakespeare literature Hamlet. This is an outstanding choreography from the 2014 creative workshop at the NB of China. "Living or dying" is a proposition of choices that puzzled many people. Such thought initiated Fei Bo's inquiring about the meaning of life. In his new ballet, Fei Bo tried to puzzle out this classic from a new perspective, and to find a new way to interpret the characters, as Fei Bo said, "What I did today is to put my drama in another drama, to read the classic work with all of you together."







Photographer: Wang Chongwei

References:
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_473f97a00102v2eu.html

http://www.ballet.org.cn/news_detail/newsId=853.html

[yudi]

The National Ballet of China participated in the New York City Center’s 11th annual Fall for Dance Festival to perform the Chinese ballet The Peony Pavilion.

The National Ballet of China’s production of “The Peony Pavilion” was a puzzle. The original “Peony Pavilion” play, by Tang Xianzu, was first performed in 1598. It has been adapted in many different stage productions. (I remember getting the giggles disgracefully at the supertitle translation “Timid lest night breeze stir my belt ornaments” in a Peter Sellars staging.) This version was produced by Zhao Ruheng, adapted and directed by Li Liuyi and choreographed by Fei Bo, to Guo Wenjing’s collage of pieces by himself, Debussy, Ravel, Respighi, Holst and Prokofiev. I only read the ballet’s synopsis after the performance, and found I had been totally wrong in my deduction of the narrative depicted by the action onstage.

from

Eclectic Quadruple Bill That Spans the Globe
Vuyani Dance Theater and Trisha Brown at Fall for Dance
By ALASTAIR MACAULAY
OCT. 15, 2014
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/16/arts/vuyani-dance-theater-and-trisha-brown-at-fall-for-dance.html?_r=0

Photographer: Jiang Shan

About this ballet:

The National Ballet of China's The Peony Pavilion is a deeply romantic tale of the power of love over death that dates back to the Ming Dynasty.

Directed by Li Liuyi (Beijing People’s Art Theatre)
Original Music by Guo Wenjing
Choreography by Fei Bo
Costumes designed by Academy Award winning Emi Wada

First performed in 1598, The Peony Pavilion is one of the most famous Chinese love stories; a deeply romantic tale of the power of love over death. This modern dance drama is presented with visually stunning scenes, through complex choreography, in elaborate costumes, with each scene pieced poetically together. The Peony Pavilion breaks new ground through its innovative presentation of an ancient tale, creating an entirely new theatrical art form.

from

http://www.ticketmaster.com/The-Peony-Pavilion-tickets/artist/1800925?list_view=1

THE STORY (on the same web-page of ticketmaster):

In the early days of the Southern Song Dynasty, Du Liniang, the sixteen-year old daughter of the magistrate Du of Nan’an, is dozing off at the Peony Pavilion in the back garden of Du’s. She comes across in her dream a gallant young scholar Liu Mengmei with a willow twig in his hand. They deeply fall in love at first sight. She wakes up to find herself desperate in love and is pining away thereafter. Neither medicine nor a husband chosen by her parents can cure her of her lovesickness. Dying, Liniang draws a self-portrait to leave her beauty to the living world.

As if destined, the portrait turns up in a marketplace only to be bought by Liu Mengmei who is on his way to the imperial tests. The roaming soul of Liniang spots Liu’s buying and rushes to get reunited with him. They swear ever-lasting love to each other. Taken to Hell by the Messengers of Death Liniang is tortured ruthlessly but not repentant. The Gods and Spirits are deeply moved by her persistence in love. The Infernal Judge makes the ruling of opening the gate of Hell to send her back to the living world. The two beloved, Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei, break the boundary of life and death and get married at last.

[yudi]

In year 2011 The NB of China had a tour in Scotland for the Edinburgh International Festival.

By The Guardia

The centre-piece of the international festival's opening weekend has been the National Ballet of China, performing a sumptuous adaptation of The Peony Pavilion -- a classic Chinese tale of love lost, then mystically regained.

Adaptor and director Li Liuyi, choreographer Fei Bo and producer Zhao Ruheng talk to Andrew Dickson about the piece and the company's tumultuous history, and describe their hopes for the future of dance in China.

[Jayne]

wow, some exceptional costuming!

[yudi]

Last weekend the National Ballet of China gave two performances of The Peony Pavilion, one of their original Chinese ballets, in Beijing to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the NB of China. On their website, some news was quietly leaked that the NB of China would participate in Lincoln Center Festival and present The Peony Pavilion to New York's audiences in July of 2015.

Since a successful premiere in 2008, The Peony Pavilion has been further improved and polished for romantic and ethereal sense of artistry. The NB of China has performed this ballet in Hong Kong Arts Festival 2009, the Edinburgh International Festival 2011 and the Melbourne Victorian Arts Centre in 2012. So far so good, The Peony Pavilion has got good reviews and won applause from critics and audiences. The NB of China expects a successful North American debut of a complete version of The Peony Pavilion for Lincoln Center Festival and hopes New York's ballet audiences would find real enjoyment in this Chinese ballet, a combination of the Chinese traditional culture and modern ballet style.

As long as I get more detailed information on dates, programs, dancers, and etc., about their visiting New York this coming summer, I will open a new topic for more reports and discussions.

Photographer: Shi Ren（时任）

News References:

http://www.ballet.org.cn/news_detailn/newsId=1111.html

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_473f97a00102vc3p.html

[Natalia]

Great news, yudi! I love the NB of China.

[mussel]

Lincoln Center Festival announced with NB China's Peony Pavilion & Red Detachment of Women: http://www.lincolncenterfestival.org/

[yudi]

On February 6th and 7th, 2015, the Nationa Ballet of China presented a cheerful performance of ballet the Nutcracker (Chinese Version) at the Tianqiao theater as a Happy New Year's gift to Beijing residents.

The Nutcracker is one of best ballets in the world. The Nutcracker has gorgeous and spectacular scenes, as well as humorous and strong appealing dances by Tchaikovsky's music, which make the show an the exciting production for the New Year and Christmas holidaies for the Western. It is also regarded as "the Christmas ballet" in the world, without exception .

The Nutcracker is a masterpiece of performing arts in the west, that has strong western culture and ballet arts background.

The story line of ballet The Nutcracker of Chinese Version is essentially following Tschaikovsky's music for classical ballet the Nutcracker. However, the artists in the National Ballet of China intergrated many traditions and habitudes in celebration activities for Chinese New Year into the coreography to make the Nutcracker have different look.

The main roles in this ballet, a girl and a boy, both have Chinese names - Yuan Yuan and Tuan Tuan. The mices become monsters. The nutcracker solders are under tigers' masks. The dancing of snow flakes, many ballet lovers' favorite scene, is replaced by dancing of The Red-crowned cranes in snow.

The charecter dances in the fantasy world are all compositions of 12 Zodiac costumes performances; as well as dances of candied fruits, chic and elegant fans, silk ribbons, kites, spinning tops and gold ingots, ... and etc. Finally, the fireworks cannot be missed!

Photographer: Shi Ren

References:

1. National Ballet of China - New Chinese Nutcracker

http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/32985-national-ballet-of-china-new-chinese-nutcracker/

2. Ballet: The Nutcracker

http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/Elementals/performancecalendar/t1151922.htm

3. Value-Added Service of Art from Bank of China - Ballet Appreciation at "Art Lectures"

http://www.bankofchina.com/en/aboutboc/boccsr/201102/t20110223_1306193.html

4. 中芭邀您喜气“羊羊”来《过年》

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_473f97a00102vf6e.html

5. 年终岁末贺新春 剧美舞精送祝福——记中央芭蕾舞团贺岁舞剧《过年》倾情上演

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_473f97a00102vfn8.html

[yudi]

BTW, it would not be easy for me to chase the National Ballet of China.

When I learned that the NB of China was going to perform the Nutcracker(Chinese Version) on Feburary 10th and 11th, 2015, at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), I was very pleased to have a chance to see this ballet again, because I was planning to visit Bejing before the Chinese New Year holiday in early Feburary of 2015.

However, when I checked the online box-office of NCPA, I found no information about NB of China's The Nutcracker, although the performance schedule "2015 Feburary 10/11th, at NCPA, The Nutcracker (in Chinese: 2015年2月10／11日 国家大剧院歌剧院《过年》)" is still posted on the NB of China's web blog. So, I called the ballet theater on 10th of Feb. to see what is going on. I was told that the show was over, there would be no more performances before the Chinese New Year's day (Feb, 19th, 2015).

Why and How did the NB of China canceld the performances at the NCPA? I have no clue, and there is no any way I could ask for an explaination.

[yudi]

Prima Ballerina Zhu Yan won the Best Actress for Shanghai Magnolia Award

The ceremony for the 25th Shanghai Magnolia Award for Drama Performing Arts was held at the Shanghai Grand Theater in the evening of March 31, 2015. There are totally more than 100 candidates coming from 49 performing troupes around the country to compete for the prizes of best dramatic performance. Zhu Yan (朱妍), Prima Ballerina of the National Ballet of China, has won the Best Actress prize and Zhou Zhaohui (周兆晖), Principle of NB of China, won the Best Supporting Actor nomination for their outstanding performances in ballet The Little Mermaid,

During the Shanghai International Arts Festival 2014, the juries of Magnolia Award watched ballet The Little Mermaid, in which Zhu Yan danced as the Little Mermaid and Zhou Zhaohui as poet Hans Christian Andersen. Zhu and Zhou's soulful dance, superb technical skills and theatrical expression impressed and conquered the juries. The National Ballet of China is very proud of their winning. They also won the honor for ballet art.







References：
http://www.ballet.org.cn/news_detailn/newsId=1178.html
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_473f97a00102vn0s.html

[yudi]

"They also won the honor for ballet art" - that is what the National Ballet of China said in their post. (In Chinese: 为芭蕾艺术赢得了荣誉.)

Assumed that the ballet was just about jumping and turning in the opinion of most Chinese people, so the NB of China thought we finally made them understand ballet IS drama, but not sport!

[KarenAG]

National Ballet of China will perform at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY July 21 & 22 for 3 performances. I think they're doing Peony Pavilion. Visit spac.org for further info.

[mussel]

They will be in Purchase Westchester next Sat. 7/18 with Giselle Act II, DQ PdD, and other excerpts: https://tickets.artscenter.org/single/eventDetail.aspx?p=5560