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‘Banquet’ ballet tops theater’s holiday lineup
Print Edition
Director Feng Xiaogang’s 2006 film “The Banquet” will be recast as a modern ballet at Shanghai City Theater next month. In the stage version, the loose cross between Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and Ibsen’s “Ghosts” will adhere more to “Hamlet” as it unfolds a tale of revenge and fate.
The ballet, which had its debut in Beijing, will be part of a gala of performances heralding the New Year holiday season. The illustrious line-up includes a concert featuring the Italian Philharmonic Orchestra and three Italian tenors, Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” by the St Petersburg Ballet Dance Troup, and a concert by the Austrian Philharmonic Orchestra.
Chinese productions will also be on the billboard, including the popular Shaoxing opera “Legend of Zhen Huan” and a local theater performance of the drama “Peerless in Elegance and Talent,” directed by Tian Qinxin and starting celebrated theater legend, actress Liu Xiaoqing.
The Shanghai City Theater on Dushi Road in Minhang first opened to the public in 2009. The series of New Year’s holiday performance will lead into 5th anniversary celebrations in 2014.
“From classical music concerts and modern ballet to traditional Chinese theater and opera, our holiday season will be a treat for audiences,” said Aimee Gu, the theater’s marketing manager.
“It’s a fitting way to lead into our anniversary celebrations. The theater is making efforts to stage great shows every month in the upcoming year.”
The theater is planning to expand into Chinese folk music and has plans to build an exhibition hall displaying traditional folk instruments.
‘Hamlet’ (‘The Banquet’)
“The initial inspiration to create this ballet came from Feng’s film ‘The Banquet,’ which is a complicated story of revenge set in the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC),” said producer Han Jiang.
“Our show blends Eastern and Western themes, based on ‘Hamlet.’”
The ballet features 18 dancers, and the setting is a palace rife with life, death, love and revenge.
“The most difficult part is to present the deepest thoughts and desires of human beings through elegant, beautiful but simple dance,” Han said.
Oscar winner Tan Dun is musical director.
This production is the first collaboration between Feng and Wang Yuanhuan, artistic supervisor and choreographer from the Beijing Dance Theater.
Wang’s Beijing dance troupe, founded in 2008, has won wide praise for the artistry of its performances.
Wang is no stranger to adapting film to ballet. He previously collaborated with internationally famous director Zhang Yimou in adapting the classic “Raise the Red Lantern.”
Feng said the idea of recasting “The Banquet” as stage dance came to him after the film was released. As artistic supervisor, Feng has assisted in scriptwriting, stage design and other production steps.
Italian Philharmonic Orchestra
The Rome-based Italian Philharmonic Orchestra held their Chinese debut last year in a New Year’s concert, in a tour that included Chengdu and Taipei. They will be back this year to help ring in 2014.
The orchestra will be conducted by Alfredo Sorichetti, and the performance will also feature appearances by tenors Domenico Stasi, Cornella Andrea Cesare and Juan Pablo Depre.
The concert will feature works by Verdi, Puccini, Shostakovich, Rossini and Strauss. The orchestra will also present Chinese works, including “Butterflies Love,” “I Love You China” and “In the Far Way.”
Yue opera
The “Legend of Zhen Huan” is an adaptation of a novel by Liu Lianzi. Aired in TV format last year, it was a big hit. The show will be performed by the Shanghai Yue Opera Troupe, directed by Yang Xiaoqing
The main protagonist, Zhen Huan, is a concubine of the fourth Qing emperor Yongzheng (1678-1735). The story is a fictionalized account of actual events during 13 years of Yongzheng’s reign. The tale follows Zhen’s life in the Forbidden City, where she finds herself surrounded by court treachery, jealously and murderous powerbrokers.
The cast features Yue Opera actresses Li Xudan, Shi Yanbin, Chen Huidi, Yang Tingna, ZhangYufeng, Wang Rousang, Qiu Danli, Wang Jie, Yuan Dandan and Zhang Qingqing. The billboardYue opera ‘Legend of Zhen Huan’
Date: December 14-15, 7:15pm
Tickets: 80-180 yuan
Italian Philharmonic Orchestra
Date: December 20, 7:30pm
Tickets: 80-680 yuan
Ballet ‘Hamlet’ (‘The Banquet’)
Date: December 21, 7:30pm
Tickets: 80-380 yuan
Theater drama ‘Peerless in Elegance and Talent’
Date: December 24-25, 7:30pm
Tickets: 180-880 yuan
Ballet ‘Swan Lake’
Date: December 31, 7:30pm
Tickets: 100-580 yuan
Austrian Klassik Philharmonic Orchestra (SFK)
Date: January 3, 7:30pm
Tickets: 100-680 yuan
Hotline: 5415-8976
Venue: Shanghai City Theater
Address: 4889 Dushi Rd
Greetings from Vienna Palace Orchestra
Date: January 5, 7:30pm
Tickets: 80-880 yuan
Tel: 6854-1234, 5108-5050
Venue: Shanghai Oriental Art Center
Address: 425 Dingxiang Rd
‘The Phantom of the Opera’
Date: December 24-January 26, 2pm or 7:15pm
Tickets: 80-1280 yuan
Tel: 962-388
Venue: Shanghai Culture Square
Address: 597 Fuxing Rd M.
Dance ‘Heartbeat of Home’
Date: December 6-7, 7:30pm
Tickets: 180-1280 yuan
Tel: 962-388
Venue: Shanghai Grand Stage
Address: 1111 Caoxi Rd N.
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