Published on Mar 5, 2018

Rating:

Genre: NCPA

Dates: April 29 - May 1, 2018

Times: 7:30pm

Venue: Opera House of NCPA

Prices: 100, 180, 280, 450, 500, 550, 600, 800

Features: The National Ballet of China will be presents audiences with the most popular version of Swan Lake at Opera House of NCPA from April 29th to May 1st during the NCPA Ballet Constellation 2018.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

In 1876, Tchaikovsky composed the score for his timeless ballet, Swan Lake, which premiered in 1895. The Imperial Ballet of the Mariinsky Theatre, and choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov had enjoyed tremendous success. Swan Lake has long been a must-perform piece for all the ballet company’s of the world, and is likewise the most performed ballet in the world each and every year.

In 1958, under the guidance of Soviet expert Pyotr Gusev, the National Ballet of China brought Swan Lake to a Chinese stage for the very first time, marking the ballet from the West first taking root in the East. More than 50 years later, Swan Lake is a household name in China. Meanwhile, the National Ballet of China had experimented, putting out two new versions of Swan Lake in a row, using mostly young dancers, and attracted so much attention. For many years, the National Ballet of China has presented their audiences with selected versions of Swan Lake and has ultimately chosen to stage the one of the ballet divas, Natalia Makarova.

Natalia Makarova is a legendary figure in the contemporary history of ballet and has been hailed one of “the ten greatest ballet dancers in the 20th century” (Classic FM). Her renditions of Swan Lake, based on Petipa and Ivanov’s version and staged using sections of, choreography of Sir Frederick Ashton, choreographor of the Royal Ballet Convent Garden, is one of the most popular versions worldwide. In May 2007, the National Ballet of China had witnessed such great success with their premiere of this version at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center.

SYNOPSIS
Prince Siegfried is fretting over the upcoming Queen Selection Ceremony, when he goes alone astray into the remoteness of a forest where a piece of mysterious lake lies with moonlight all over. He stops and sees a swan swimming past across the lake. Just as he is nocking, the swan changes all of a sudden into a beautiful girl. She comes up and tells the prince her mishaps. She had been a princess named Odette before she was cursed, with her partners, to become swans during the day and change back at night. Only love could break the spell. After hearing the story, the prince decides immediately to announce Odette as his bride in the Queen Selection Ball. However, the demon sends her daughter, the black swan in the disguise of Odette to the Ball. The prince finds him cheated and runs to the swan lake. Odette forgives the prince. Yet she knows death would be the only way to save them. Therefore, the swan lake becomes their Garden of Eden and the two young people stay together for ever. The devil's forces are eventually destroyed and Odette harvests eternal love with the prince...

National Ballet of China
Founded on December 31,1959, the National Ballet of China is China's only national ballet company. Its dancers and musicians are all graduates from professional dance academies and music conservatories across China. Since the day it was founded, the company has received continuous support from the Chinese government. In its early days, Russian ballet master Pyotr Gusev and other Russian teachers helped lay a solid foundation for the company using their experience in the Russian School of classical ballet. For the past five decades, the National Ballet of China has introduced many outstanding classical ballets and contemporary ballet works to the Chinese audience. At the same time, it has attached great importance to creating a unique fusion between western classical ballet and Chinese culture. They have achieved this by creating their own ballets, which represents the varied characteristics of the Chinese nation. Today, the company has a broad repertoire and has successfully trained many generations of outstanding artists. Through international cultural exchange, The National Ballet of China has attracted the attention of the international ballet world. Currently, FENG Ying, ballet mistress is the Director and Artistic Director.

Tickets for National Ballet of China Swan Lake are Available now!