Ancient tale travels thousands of years into future
Print Edition
A classic love story is converted into soft science fiction in the contemporary ballet “White Snake • Revelations,” which the Beijing Dance Theater will present in November at the Shanghai International Dance Center.
The original love story dates back to the late Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). Scholar Xu Xian saves the life of the White Snake Lady, who, in gratitude, turns herself into a beautiful mortal, falls in love with Xu and marries him. The couple lives happily by Hangzhou’s West Lake until the monk Fahai arrives, who insists that humans and immortals cannot marry and splits the couple apart.
In this contemporary version, Xu and the White Snake meet in an artificial intelligence world thousands of years in the future. Xu is no longer a human being, but a bionic android developed by an advanced system Fahai.
The White Snake, however, maintains her memory about their romance that has lasted for cycles of life. She tries to awaken Xu’s soul, which is naturally against Fahai’s will, as the supreme system once again stands in their way.
According to choreographer and director Wang Yuanyuan, the production aims to examine the search for classical humanism in a world driven by cold technology and sophisticated calculations.
“Everything we have in this current world is already beyond my imagination as a child,” said Wang. “So I can’t help thinking what the future will be like… In a world dominated by overwhelming technology, can human beings still maintain their memories and all the softness in their hearts?”
People are invited to the dance center to find out whether the White Snake can win back her lover from Fahai in the future world.
Dates: November 5-6, 7:30pm
Tickets: 80-680 yuan
Venue: Shanghai International Dance Center, Grand Theater
Address: 1650 Hongqiao Road
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
