Time and Date: 7:30 pm, daily, Sep. 15-16, 2011
Place: NCPA-Opera House, Beijing (Location)
Tel: 6417-7845, 400-610-3721
Tickets: 80/100/120/200/300/350/400/500
Booking at: http://en.piao.com.cn/beijing/ticket_4218.html

A stage photo of La Sylphide by Guangzhou Ballet. [File Photo]

One of the first romantic ballets, the first version of La Sylphide premiered in Paris in 1832. In 1836, it was choreographed by the Danish balletmaster August Bournonville. In La Sylphide, a Scottish farmer named James falls in love with a vision of a magical sylph on the morning of his wedding day. Then he abandons his wedding and wishes to catch her and keep her forever.

Presenter: The Guangzhou Ballet

The Guangzhou Ballet, established in January 1994, is headed by famous dancer Zhang Dandan who is also Artistic Director of the Ballet.

Since its establishment, the Guangzhou Ballet has staged quite a lot of ballet classics including Coppelia, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle etc., defining its performing style as rigorous and orthodox. Besides, it also embraces memorable works by modern choreographers, such as Anna Karenina, The Lady of the Camellias, symphonic ballet Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2, which demonstrates the great vitality and diversity of the Ballet.

The Guangzhou Ballet stands head and shoulders in following Chinese traditions. It rearranges and performs a series of Chinese ballets such as Lanhuahua, Goddess of the Luo River, Celestial Phoenix, Mei Lanfang, Dreaming Red Mansions, Turandot , and Chinese-style symphonic ballets including Yellow River, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai (The Butterfly Lovers), as well as Violin Concerto No.1, revealing its unique style of art and passion for creation.

Meanwhile, the Ballet has attached great importance to talent development. By inviting specialists and celebrated ballet tutors both at home and abroad for training and programming, the troupe has maintained its vigor and vitality, gradually formed a mature artistic style and fostered a good number of exceptional dancers, winning wide attention in the ballet circles both domestically and internationally.

As far as international exchange is concerned, Guangzhou Ballet has also done an excellent job. It has given extraordinary performances in countries and regions, such as Russia, UK, US, Canada, France, Australia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Finland, Peru, Cuba, Japan, South Korean, Mongolia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, enhancing the influence of Chinese ballet in the international arena.