A romantic tragedy on tiptoe
The Macao Cultural Centre, under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, presents The lady of the Camellias, a dance adaptation of a literary classic brought by the Shanghai Ballet to the Grand Auditorium in two shows to be performed on the 9th and 10th June (Friday and Saturday).
Travelling back to France’s flamboyancy of the 19th Century, this production of The Lady of the Camellias 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 1800’s. 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 more than 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.
The Lady of the Camellias is poised to be staged at CCM, in a show that combines the finest tradition of both literature and the performing arts. Tickets will be available from April 16 (Sunday) at CCM’s box office and Macao Ticketing network outlets at various prices and discounts. For further information and ticketing, please visit www.ccm.gov.mo or call the credit card ticketing hotline on (853) 2840 0555.