Swan Lake

Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts - Opera House

Dates: Aug. 29, 2013-Aug. 30, 2013

Duration: approximate 135 mins (intermission included)

Price: VIP/480/430/380/300/180/120/80 RMB

About

The classical ballet Swan Lake is a bright pearl on the art crown of ballet and wins the most favor from world's ballet lovers. In 1876, Tchaikovsky created the immortal music for Swan Lake. In 1895, performed by Imperial Russian Ballet and co-directed by Petipa and Ivanovo, the ballet was successfully debuted at Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. Today, Swan Lake has become a universally and meanwhile the most frequently played ballet around the world.

In 1958, the ballet was first performed and brought onto stage in China by National Ballet of China (NBC) under the guidance of former Soviet Union expert Gusev, marking the ancient oriental country's recognition of western ballet art. 50 years later, Swan Lake has become a household name in China. For the period in-between, in the spirit of brave innovation and with the commitment to show our audience the best, NBC has launched two versions of the ballet successively, mostly casted by young dancers and having received positive response. It ultimately finalized the version starred by Natalya Makarova the ballet genius.

For the contemporary ballet history, Natalya Makarova is a legendary figure enjoying the reputation of 'the best ballet star within latest 50 years'. Her version of Swan Lake, based on the original creation of Petipa and Ivanovo and adoption of partial paragraphs by Sir Ashton, director of the British Royal Ballet, is one of the most popular versions in the international ballet world. In May 2007, NBC brought the premiere of this version to Tianqiao Theater in Beijing with great success.

Presenter

National Ballet of China

Founded on 31 December 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 52 years, 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.

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...