Sunday 23 March 2008

Swan Lake Chinese Style

Many of us who know and love Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" will be interested to know there is a new version of this famous ballet - performed by the Chinese.

I watch the only English television station in China and his has many news items, information on touring China, and very much about culture in the country. I find it interesting and informative.

On Friday I was surprised to see footage of the Chinese version of "Swan Lake" which is being, or has been performed recently in Europe.

It certainly is spectacular with quite a lot of acrobatics through it. One snippet that they did show was to the music of the familiar "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" - which I well recall being done by some fathers of the students at a ballet school.

I now have two three visions of this dance in my memory - the "real" one, the one by the fathers and one which is hilarious if you know the dance and the music, performed by the amazing Chinese acrobats.

If it comes to a place near you - don't miss it. Spectacular, wonderful, and for the lovers of classical ballet - you too will enjoy it.

1 comment:

deedub said...

Yes, Di. I too saw the review of this show on CCTV (the only English TV channel in China). It was quite remarkable, and has been a sell out success in Hong Kong and Germany. To watch one of the swans gracefully flapping her wings to Tschaikovsky's wonderful music, upside down balancing on the head of another male dancer, is something to behold.