Press ReleaseTHE CHINESE ACROBATIC SWAN LAKE
Guangdong Acrobatic Troupe of China
turns ballet on its head
Victor Hochhauser presents first ever UK tour
July 30 – August 16, 2008
July 30 – August 2: The Lowry, Salford
August 5-10: Royal Opera House, London
August 13 – 16: Theatre Royal, Nottingham
Swan Lake gets a radical makeover from a unique Chinese company
combining classical ballet and traditional acrobatics to create a
spectacular new interpretation of the greatest classical ballet of
all time.
The Guandong Acrobatic Troupe of China’s extraordinary Chinese
Acrobatic Swan Lake – in which Black Swans dance on high wires and
the Swan Princess dances en pointe on her partner’s head - has
created a worldwide sensation.
The impresario Victor Hochhauser will bring the company to Salford,
London and Nottingham for a three-week tour in the summer of 2008,
including one week at the Royal Opera House (August 5- 10) where the
performances are part of a special China Season, which also includes
a visit by the National Ballet of China (July 28 – August 2).
In this fresh and original adaptation of Swan Lake, a European prince
falls in love with a Chinese swan, and performers use acrobatics and
their very considerable talents as classical dancers to tell the story.
Pole balancing, jumping through fire hoops, rope walking, ball
walking and jujitsu are all seamlessly woven into the story, and
there is constant blurring of performance styles, including not only
ballet and acrobatics but also elements of Peking Opera.
Directed by Guangzhou Acrobatic Company’s director Ning Genfu and
choreographed by former Hong Kong Ballet principal dancer Zhao Ming,
the production grew out of a desire to bring the traditional
performing art out of the circus tent and onto the stage. It was
created as a co-production with Shanghai City Dance Company
The Chinese Acrobatic Swan Lake includes scenes in which the White
Swan dances en pointe on top of the Prince’s head and shoulders and
another in which the famous dance
of four little swans is transformed into a performance of four little
frogs, played by men - who do the entire dance on their arms.
The incredible pas de deux between Wei Baohua's Prince and Wu
Zhengdan's White Swan has made the couple – husband and wife in real
life – into international stars. The production proved a hit at its
Premiere in Beijing in 2006 and has since thrilled audiences
worldwide, from Moscow to New York.
GUANGDONG ACROBATIC TROUPE OF CHINA - Acrobatic swan lake
PERFORMANCE CALENDAR & BOOKING DETAILS
The Lowry
Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ
Wed 30 Jul 7.30pm
Thu 31 Jul 7.30pm
Fri 1 Aug 7.30pm
Sat 2 Aug 2pm
Sat 2 Aug 7.30pm
Box Office: 0870 111 2000
Online booking www.thelowry.com
Tickets: £25 - £43
Royal Opera House
Bow Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD
Tue 5 Aug 7.30pm
Wed 6 Aug 7.30pm
Thu 7 Aug 7.30pm
Fri 8 Aug 7.30pm
Sat 9 Aug 2pm
Sat 9 Aug 7.30pm
Sun 10 Aug 3pm
Box Office: 020 7304 4000
Online booking: www.roh.org.uk
Tickets: £7 - £65
Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
Theatre Square, Nottingham NG1 5ND
Wed 13 Aug 7.30pm
Thu 14 Aug 7.30pm
Fri 15 Aug 7.30pm
Sat 16 Aug 2.30pm
Sat 16 Aug 7.30pm
Box Office: 0115 989 5555
Online booking: www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk
Tickets: £14 - £32.50
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