The Shanghai Ballet will present “The Lady of the Camellias” at the Macao Cultural Centre’s (CCM) Grand Auditorium in two shows on 9 and 10 June. Travelling back to 19th century France, this production is an exuberant choreographic display, brimming with physical prowess, featuring a refined scenography and coloured with elegant costumes. Created by British celebrity dancer and Shanghai ballet’s artistic director Derek Deane, this romantic tragedy revives Alexandre Dumas fils’ novel, hailed as one of the greatest love stories of all time. Danced to the sound of a soothing score by American composer Carl Davis, the piece involves the audience in the intimate circle of Marguerite, a woman whose life reflects the social and moral crisis of a decaying Parisian aristocracy. The ballet floats retrospectively from the heroine’s terminal moments through her glamorous lifestyle and passionate romance with Armand, a young and handsome bourgeois.
On this revamped version, the company’s skilled dancers breathe new life into a classic that has been frequently adapted by major international ballets, into operatic pieces and even to cinema and musical productions, since the 1800s. Among others, this timeless story inspired Giuseppe Verdi’s well-known opera La Traviata and, more recently, the great Broadway hit musical Moulin Rouge.
Founded 40 years ago, the Shanghai Ballet has since produced and staged an eclectic parade of programmes, from classic masterpieces like Giselle and The Nutcracker, to contemporary ballets as The Last Mission of Marco Polo, besides a string of Chinese historical dance recreations.
Tickets will be available from 16 April at CCM’s box office and Macao Ticketing network outlets at various prices and discounts. For further information and ticketing visit the cultural centre’s website or contact 2840 0555.
Source and Photos: Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC)
COMMENTS