"Dream of the Red Chamber" and "Little Mermaid" make their debut, and celebrity dancers embark on the Shanghai summer performance season of Chinese ballet. Group Dance | Two | Shanghai
"I want to see everyone's neck lines fall down..." On June 29th, director Tong Ruirui guided the group of dancers to polish "Dream of the Red Chamber" in one move. From June 30th to July 5th, the "Performing Arts World · 2023 Chinese Ballet Shanghai Summer Performance Season" jointly created by Shanghai Wenguang Performing Arts Group and the Central Ballet was held at the Shanghai Grand Theatre, bringing two plays, "Dream of the Red Chamber" and "Little Mermaid".
The original dance drama "Dream of the Red Chamber" was created by Zhongba Lishi for three years and premiered in Beijing in February. Just over three months later, this brand new work arrived on the stage in Shanghai. "Dream of the Red Chamber" gathered industry elites such as director Tong Ruirui, composer Ye Xiaogang, screenwriter Feng Li, stage beauty Liu Xinglin, and fashion designer Yang Donglin.
Rehearsal of Dream of the Red Chamber
The red fine lines and squares at the front of the stage outline the scene like pages of ancient books, interspersed with calligraphic lines from the Red Chamber poetry: "Where is a famous garden built? A fairyland is different from the mortal world." "Joy and glory are just right, but hatred and impermanence come again.". The audience seemed to penetrate through the back of the paper, seeing the foreign and hundred thousand words in the original work of "Dream of the Red Chamber" transformed into moving dances on stage. This round of performance is jointly performed by talented Chinese ballet actors such as Qiu Yunting, Sun Ruichen, Li Wentao, Xu Yan, Fang Mengying, and Chen Zhuoming. With exquisite ballet techniques and delicate performances rich in classical imagery, it reproduces classic characters in the Grand View Garden.
Tong Ruirui introduced that the ballet "Dream of the Red Chamber" starts with Baoyu's retirement, and classic passages such as Baodai's first encounter, reading the Western Chamber, and burning manuscripts are all reflected in the play. There are also relatively rare scenes such as Baoyu being beaten and Yihong's birthday banquet. The former reflects Baoyu's infidelity, while the latter is a turning point in the story. After the grand view garden crowd celebrates Baoyu's birthday, the situation rapidly changes, and the Jia family goes from prosperity to decline.
Dream of the Red Chamber
The ballet "The Little Mermaid" created by choreographer John Neumer, performed by the Central Ballet, has received rave reviews since its premiere in 2012. In 2022, Zhongba also held a special commemorative performance for the 10th anniversary of its debut, once again presenting a rare and enthusiastic scene. This classic work is once again presented on the stage of the Shanghai Grand Theatre, bringing a touch of blue romance to the summer. The dance drama "Little Mermaid" can be said to be the most showcasing the artistic production ability of Chinese ballet in its history. Many outstanding ballet dancers have excelled in shaping their characters in the performance of "The Little Mermaid". In this round of performances, the stars starred in roles such as Wang Qimin, Ma Xiaodong, Qiu Yunting, Wang Ye, Xu Yan, Zhan Xilu, Fang Mengying, Sun Ruichen, Li Wentao, Wu Sicong, Chen Zhuming, Wang Jiyu, etc., playing the roles of Little Mermaid, Prince Edward, Princess Helveti, Sea Demon, and poet.
"Ten years ago, when I danced 'Little Mermaid', there was pressure and tension. Now, I think dancing is a kind of enjoyment, treating each scene as the first or last dance, and enjoying it on stage to the fullest." Wang Qimin, the character of Little Mermaid, said that this is a fairy tale suitable for adults to watch. In 2012, Wang Qimin was selected by John Neumeier to star in "The Little Mermaid". "Afterwards, I suffered a serious knee injury. When I could get off the ground, the feeling of touching the ground was like a little mermaid's tail turning into a human foot, and the pain felt like a knife cutting. In 2014, I returned to the stage to perform" The Little Mermaid "again, and I had a strong sense of empathy and empathy."
The Little Mermaid
Live ballet accompaniment is an ancient tradition. Live accompaniment can provide dancers with maximum room for performance and enable timely adjustments based on the actor's performance on the spot. For over 20 years, Zhang Yi, the artistic director and music director of Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, has been coaching several classic works such as Swan Lake and Onegin. During the Shanghai performance, the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra collaborated with the Central Ballet to provide live accompaniment for two works. Zhang Yi explained, "You need to first understand the general speed of this version. Actors from different groups have differences, and changes in their bodies can also affect the music. These are difficult to express in language and require years of stage practice to understand."
