09-10.06.2023
Fri-Sat.   20:00
Grand Auditorium

BLUEflower

Please kindly switch off your mobile phones and beeping devices during the performance, and refrain from smoking, eating and drinking in the auditorium.  Unauthorized recording, filming, photographing are prohibited. Thank you for your cooperation.

Programme length is approximately 120 minutes including one 20-minute intermission. Latecomers will only be admitted at a proper timing to avoid programme’s disruption.
The organizer reserves the right to alter the programme and/or performers.

Shanghai Ballet

Choreographer
Derek Deane

Composer
Carl Davis

Set & Costume Designer
Adam Nee

Lighting Designer
Fridthjofur Thorsteinsson

Assistant to Choreographer
Ivan Gil-Ortega

Cast List

Marguerite Gautier：Qi Bingxue
Armand Duval：Wu Husheng
Prudence：Fan Xiaofeng
Armand Duval’s Father：Wu Bin
Olympe：Zhao Meici
Gaston：Zhang Wenjun
Baron：Tu Hanbin
Duke：Li Yang
Nanny：Xu Jia
Doctor：Gao Jie
Marguerite’s Protector：Zhou Haibo

Female Dancers:
He Linyi, Yu Qiao’er, Guo Wenjin,
Zhu Qian, Gao Zhizi, Yan Wentong, Chen Xi,
Guo Fan, Yang Zheyan, Chen Ruoxuan,
Xu Jingyi, Li Xinyi

Male Dancers:
Gong Liwei, Xu Jingkun, Miao Siyun, Ge Yimeng,
Yang Tianzhen, Xue Li, Tang Jingqi, Qi Yamin,
Yang Chiyuan, Zhan Weiyuan, Chen Zhuo, Xu Zhou,
Qi Yuxun, Yan Qingchen, Xu Mingjie,
Zhang Yiyan, Chen Weihan, Yu Xinmo

About “The Lady of the Camellias”

Shanghai Ballet version of  The Lady of the Camellias made its debut on November 2019 as part of the closing series of the Shanghai International Arts Festival. Based on the novel written by the French writer Alexandre Dumas fils, the production reflects the glory of human nature while revealing social phenomena. The ballet is created by Derek Deane, artistic director of Shanghai Ballet and former Artistic Director of English National Ballet, together with the renowned composer Carl Davis. The story begins as Marguerite approaches the end of life, and tells the circuitous journey of love between the young Armand and Marguerite.


Synopsis

Act I

The French courtesan Marguerite Gautier is almost at the end of her life. Being at the final stage of her illness, she is visited by the ghosts of her past, as her doctor and her faithful maid Nanine try desperately to pacify her. She hallucinates her own funeral procession, with antagonists from her life, and the return of her lover Armand Duval. In her mind, an angel appears to take her away but she refuses to go. She is not ready, yet…

Brought back to life by the ever fortune-seeking Prudence and by Nanine, she returns to being the toast of Paris society, being courted by a Duke, a Baron and the ever-faithful Gaston, three of the many men overwhelmed by her beauty. Every night is a swirl of entertainment, parties, theatre and the opera. One evening at a ballet performance, she meets and encourages the attentions of Armand Duval, a handsome young man who instantly falls for her beauty and charms. She toys with his affections when presented with a bag of sugared almonds. She humiliates him in front of her friends and leaves him in bewilderment. Albeit treated with such unkindness, Armand falls heavily in love, unable to think of anyone else but his beautiful Marguerite.

Armand is seen night after night outside the house where Marguerite lives. He stands in the rain and through her window he sees the truth. Her illness. A woman gravely hiding her condition from the world. His love and adoration of her increases.

On meeting again at yet another of the endless rounds of parties, as she dances with Armand, Marguerite realises that she is starting to have deeper feelings for him. The two fall passionately in love. Armand persuades Marguerite to leave Paris and start a new life in the countryside for the good of her health. She agrees but is cautious about giving up her past life. After some time, life becomes difficult, and Marguerite has to sell her jewellery. Armand leaves, promising her that he will use his inheritance to support their lives.

Whilst Armand is away Marguerite is visited by his father, Mr. Duval, who pleads with Marguerite to give up his son. He persuades her to write him a letter to end their relationship. Finally agreeing to do as asked, Marguerite is left alone bereft and desperately unhappy with what she has done…



Intermission

Act II

Paris is in full swing. With Marguerite in disgrace Olympe is the queen of Paris, or so she thinks. At a grand party Marguerite suddenly reappears on the arm of a rich benefactor. Society is shocked by her return. Seeing that Armand is there, Marguerite tries desperately to ignore him.  Olympe, furious at Marguerite’s return, dances together with Armand, indicating she and Armand are now together, to provoke Marguerite’s jealousy. As everyone retires to another room to play cards, Marguerite is left alone, inconsolable. Armand returns and she begs him to forgive her for writing the letter and leaving him. Armand is not so forgiving and tricks her into believing that if she gives up all her wealth and changes her life they can be together again. She readily agrees. In front of the entire Paris society he takes his revenge. Knocking her down and throwing money at her, he then gives back the letter that she had written to him. She is betrayed and becomes the laughing stock of Paris with her reputation in tatters.

Armand decides to leave Paris. Desperately ill, Marguerite comes after him in the hope of one last chance of forgiveness, but it is not to be… Armand leaves.

As Marguerite’s own death approaches, all the ghosts of her past reappear to haunt her. The angel appears to welcome her into his arms, she is ready to die… she surrenders herself to the inevitable. Heaven and peace await.

20191111-1257

Shanghai Ballet

Founded in 1979, Shanghai Ballet is a top-ranking ballet in China, upholding international vision, professional standards, and market-oriented operation. Its current director is Ms. Xin Lili.

Shanghai Ballet has obtained remarkable achievements in original works, performances, and talent cultivation. To date, the company has achieved 58 medals in international ballet competitions as well as nearly one hundred national professional awards.

Shanghai Ballet has created 176 productions, including The White-haired Girl, Butterfly Lovers (Xin Lili), Swan Lake (Grand version, Derek Deane), Romeo and Juliet (Derek Deane), Giselle (adapted by Xin Lili), The Nutcracker (Shanghai Grand Theatre’s version, Derek Deane) and so on. Recently, it has launched major productions like Echoes of Eternity (Patrick de Bana), The Last Mission of Marco Polo (José Martinez), Hamlet (Derek Deane), Jane Eyre (Patrick de Bana), The Lady of the Camellias (Derek Deane), The Sleeping Beauty (Derek Deane), Bright Red Star (Zhao Ming), The Burning Youth (Liu Ligong), as well as the contemporary ballet series Inspire which is choreographed by Shanghai Ballet’s own creative team. All of these have entitled the company a delicate and elegant style of art.

Striving to promote the “Shanghai Cultural Brand”, the company extends its footprints from home to international stages like the United States, The United Kingdom, Canada, France, Spain, Netherlands, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, North Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Finland, Poland, Korea, etc.

Derek Deane

Derek Deane   Choreographer
Artistic Director of Shanghai Ballet
Former Artistic Director of English National Ballet and ENB School

Derek Deane’s choreographies around the world include classics like Giselle, Alice in Wonderland, Romeo and Juliet and The Sleeping Beauty. His Swan Lake version received two nominations for the Laurence Olivier Awards, while Hamlet and The Lady of the Camellias, both created for Shanghai Ballet received the Lotus Award of China and Shanghai Magnolia Drama Award. The internationally reputed ballet master was also awarded an OBE in Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Carl Davis   Composer

Carl Davis has made an astonishing impact on music. Having written the scores to some of the most loved and remembered British television dramas, he is an American conductor and composer of symphonic works, as well as a notable writer for the ballet. He has written or reconstructed scores for over 50 silent films, ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton. Film soundtracks include the award winning The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981), Champions (1983), Scandal (1989), Frankenstein Unbound (1990) and The Great Gatsby (2000). For ballet, Carl has written scores for the London Contemporary Dance Theatre, the Birmingham Royal Ballet, amongst many others.

Carl Davis 2
Alexandre Dumas filho

Alexandre Dumas, fils   Writer
(1824 -1895)

French playwright and novelist, one of the founders of the “problem play”, a type of drama developed to deal with controversial social issues in a realistic manner, exposing the middle-classe ills and offering suggestions for its remedy. He was the son (fils) of the dramatist and novelist Alexandre Dumas, known as Dumas père. La Dame aux Camélias (1848) was his first successful novel, but he found his true vocation when he adapted the story into a play, known in English as Camille and first performed in 1852.  Unlike his father, Dumas fils wrote mostly about his own historical time. The unhappy witness of the ruin brought on his father by illicit love affairs, Dumas fils—himself the child of one of these affairs—devoted his plays to sermons on the sanctity of the family and of marriage. He was admitted to the Académie Française in 1875.

image image

Wu Husheng  
Vice Director of Shanghai Ballet
First Principal Dancer of Shanghai Ballet
National First-class Dancer

Wu Husheng’s repertoire includes principal roles in nearly 20 large-scale productions such as The White-haired Girl, Swan Lake (grand version, Derek Deane), Hamlet (Derek Deane), The Lady of the Camellias (Derek Deane). He also choreographed Lost Star, Blackthorn, Three Shades of Blue, A Dream of Floating Life, and Follow the Light. Selected award credits include Silver Medal and Igor Youskevitch Award in the 9th New York International Ballet Competition, Gold Medal in the 4th Shanghai International Ballet Competition, Best Male Dancer of the 9th and 10th China Dance Lotus Award, among others.

Qi Bingxue
Principal dancer of Shanghai Ballet
National First-class Dancer

Qi Bingxue’s main repertoire includes principal roles in The White-haired Girl, Swan Lake (grand version, Derek Deane), The Lady of the Camellias (Derek Deane), among others. Bingxue’s selected awards include Best Female Dancer of the 10th China Dance Lotus Award, Rising Leading Dancer of the 30th Shanghai White Magnolia Stage Performance Award, Gold Award in the 5th Shanghai International Ballet Competition, First Award in the 3rd Beijing International Ballet and Choreographer Competition, among others.

Production Team

Producer: Zhang Songhua
Production Director: Xin Lili
General Coordinators: Wang Mingyu, Gao Dongming

Rehearsal Coordinator: Zhang Yao
Rehearsal Teachers: Fan Xiaofeng, Chen Zhenrong, Xu Wenjie, Zhong Min (Guest)
General Administrator: Li Li

Project Coordinators: Ye Lihong, Zhou Yiwei
Publicity: Lu Jiashi
Text Editor: Shi Dai

Stage Manager: Gao Dongming
Set Supervisor: Huang Jiajie
Costume Supervisor: Shi Yunzhi
Hair Decor & Make-up Supervisor:
Min Xiaomei (Guest)

Tech Crew

Set: Cao Canlin, Lu Jinhua
Lighting: Zhu Xiachen, Tan Rongqing, Zhang Pengpeng
Costumes: Liu Li
Props: Cao Haitao
Multimedia: Wu Guangxin
Sound: Dai Haichun
Make-up: Wu Wenting
Shoes: Cai Chengang

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CAMELLIA375Port
BLUEflower

09-10.06.2023
Fri-Sat.   20:00
Grand Auditorium

Please kindly switch off your mobile phones and beeping devices during the performance, and refrain from smoking, eating and drinking in the auditorium.  Unauthorized recording, filming, photographing are prohibited. Thank you for your cooperation.

Programme length is approximately 120 minutes including one 20-minute intermission. Latecomers will only be admitted at a proper timing to avoid programme’s disruption.
The organizer reserves the right to alter the programme and/or performers.

Shanghai Ballet

Choreographer
Derek Deane

Composer
Carl Davis

Set & Costume Designer
Adam Nee

Lighting Designer
Fridthjofur Thorsteinsson

Assistant to Choreographer
Ivan Gil-Ortega

Cast List

Marguerite Gautier：Qi Bingxue
Armand Duval：Wu Husheng
Prudence：Fan Xiaofeng
Armand Duval’s Father：Wu Bin
Olympe：Zhao Meici
Gaston：Zhang Wenjun
Baron：Tu Hanbin
Duke：Li Yang
Nanny：Xu Jia
Doctor：Gao Jie
Marguerite’s Protector：Zhou Haibo

Female Dancers:
He Linyi, Yu Qiao’er, Guo Wenjin,
Zhu Qian, Gao Zhizi, Yan Wentong, Chen Xi,
Guo Fan, Yang Zheyan, Chen Ruoxuan,
Xu Jingyi, Li Xinyi

Male Dancers:
Gong Liwei, Xu Jingkun, Miao Siyun, Ge Yimeng,
Yang Tianzhen, Xue Li, Tang Jingqi, Qi Yamin,
Yang Chiyuan, Zhan Weiyuan, Chen Zhuo, Xu Zhou,
Qi Yuxun, Yan Qingchen, Xu Mingjie,
Zhang Yiyan, Chen Weihan, Yu Xinmo

About “The Lady of the Camellias”

Shanghai Ballet version of  The Lady of the Camellias made its debut on November 2019 as part of the closing series of the Shanghai International Arts Festival. Based on the novel written by the French writer Alexandre Dumas fils, the production reflects the glory of human nature while revealing social phenomena. The ballet is created by Derek Deane, artistic director of Shanghai Ballet and former Artistic Director of English National Ballet, together with the renowned composer Carl Davis. The story begins as Marguerite approaches the end of life, and tells the circuitous journey of love between the young Armand and Marguerite.


Synopsis

Act I

The French courtesan Marguerite Gautier is almost at the end of her life. Being at the final stage of her illness, she is visited by the ghosts of her past, as her doctor and her faithful maid Nanine try desperately to pacify her. She hallucinates her own funeral procession, with antagonists from her life, and the return of her lover Armand Duval. In her mind, an angel appears to take her away but she refuses to go. She is not ready, yet…

Brought back to life by the ever fortune-seeking Prudence and by Nanine, she returns to being the toast of Paris society, being courted by a Duke, a Baron and the ever-faithful Gaston, three of the many men overwhelmed by her beauty. Every night is a swirl of entertainment, parties, theatre and the opera. One evening at a ballet performance, she meets and encourages the attentions of Armand Duval, a handsome young man who instantly falls for her beauty and charms. She toys with his affections when presented with a bag of sugared almonds. She humiliates him in front of her friends and leaves him in bewilderment. Albeit treated with such unkindness, Armand falls heavily in love, unable to think of anyone else but his beautiful Marguerite.

Armand is seen night after night outside the house where Marguerite lives. He stands in the rain and through her window he sees the truth. Her illness. A woman gravely hiding her condition from the world. His love and adoration of her increases.

On meeting again at yet another of the endless rounds of parties, as she dances with Armand, Marguerite realises that she is starting to have deeper feelings for him. The two fall passionately in love. Armand persuades Marguerite to leave Paris and start a new life in the countryside for the good of her health. She agrees but is cautious about giving up her past life. After some time, life becomes difficult, and Marguerite has to sell her jewellery. Armand leaves, promising her that he will use his inheritance to support their lives.

Whilst Armand is away Marguerite is visited by his father, Mr. Duval, who pleads with Marguerite to give up his son. He persuades her to write him a letter to end their relationship. Finally agreeing to do as asked, Marguerite is left alone bereft and desperately unhappy with what she has done…



Intermission

Act II

Paris is in full swing. With Marguerite in disgrace Olympe is the queen of Paris, or so she thinks. At a grand party Marguerite suddenly reappears on the arm of a rich benefactor. Society is shocked by her return. Seeing that Armand is there, Marguerite tries desperately to ignore him.  Olympe, furious at Marguerite’s return, dances together with Armand, indicating she and Armand are now together, to provoke Marguerite’s jealousy. As everyone retires to another room to play cards, Marguerite is left alone, inconsolable. Armand returns and she begs him to forgive her for writing the letter and leaving him. Armand is not so forgiving and tricks her into believing that if she gives up all her wealth and changes her life they can be together again. She readily agrees. In front of the entire Paris society he takes his revenge. Knocking her down and throwing money at her, he then gives back the letter that she had written to him. She is betrayed and becomes the laughing stock of Paris with her reputation in tatters.

Armand decides to leave Paris. Desperately ill, Marguerite comes after him in the hope of one last chance of forgiveness, but it is not to be… Armand leaves.

As Marguerite’s own death approaches, all the ghosts of her past reappear to haunt her. The angel appears to welcome her into his arms, she is ready to die… she surrenders herself to the inevitable. Heaven and peace await.

20191111-12MOBIL

Shanghai Ballet

Founded in 1979, Shanghai Ballet is a top-ranking ballet in China, upholding international vision, professional standards, and market-oriented operation. Its current director is Ms. Xin Lili.

Shanghai Ballet has obtained remarkable achievements in original works, performances, and talent cultivation. To date, the company has achieved 58 medals in international ballet competitions as well as nearly one hundred national professional awards.

Shanghai Ballet has created 176 productions, including The White-haired Girl, Butterfly Lovers (Xin Lili), Swan Lake (Grand version, Derek Deane), Romeo and Juliet (Derek Deane), Giselle (adapted by Xin Lili), The Nutcracker (Shanghai Grand Theatre’s version, Derek Deane) and so on. Recently, it has launched major productions like Echoes of Eternity (Patrick de Bana), The Last Mission of Marco Polo (José Martinez), Hamlet (Derek Deane), Jane Eyre (Patrick de Bana), The Lady of the Camellias (Derek Deane), The Sleeping Beauty (Derek Deane), Bright Red Star (Zhao Ming), The Burning Youth (Liu Ligong), as well as the contemporary ballet series Inspire which is choreographed by Shanghai Ballet’s own creative team. All of these have entitled the company a delicate and elegant style of art.

Striving to promote the “Shanghai Cultural Brand”, the company extends its footprints from home to international stages like the United States, The United Kingdom, Canada, France, Spain, Netherlands, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, North Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Finland, Poland, Korea, etc.

Derek Deane

Derek Deane   Choreographer
Artistic Director of Shanghai Ballet
Former Artistic Director of English National Ballet and ENB School

Derek Deane’s choreographies around the world include classics like Giselle, Alice in Wonderland, Romeo and Juliet and The Sleeping Beauty. His Swan Lake version received two nominations for the Laurence Olivier Awards, while Hamlet and The Lady of the Camellias, both created for Shanghai Ballet received the Lotus Award of China and Shanghai Magnolia Drama Award. The internationally reputed ballet master was also awarded an OBE in Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Carl Davis 2

Carl Davis   Composer

Carl Davis has made an astonishing impact on music. Having written the scores to some of the most loved and remembered British television dramas, he is an American conductor and composer of symphonic works, as well as a notable writer for the ballet. He has written or reconstructed scores for over 50 silent films, ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton. Film soundtracks include the award winning The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981), Champions (1983), Scandal (1989), Frankenstein Unbound (1990) and The Great Gatsby (2000). For ballet, Carl has written scores for the London Contemporary Dance Theatre, the Birmingham Royal Ballet, amongst many others.

Alexandre Dumas filho

Alexandre Dumas, fils   Writer
(1824 -1895)

French playwright and novelist, one of the founders of the “problem play”, a type of drama developed to deal with controversial social issues in a realistic manner, exposing the middle-classe ills and offering suggestions for its remedy. He was the son (fils) of the dramatist and novelist Alexandre Dumas, known as Dumas père. La Dame aux Camélias (1848) was his first successful novel, but he found his true vocation when he adapted the story into a play, known in English as Camille and first performed in 1852.  Unlike his father, Dumas fils wrote mostly about his own historical time. The unhappy witness of the ruin brought on his father by illicit love affairs, Dumas fils—himself the child of one of these affairs—devoted his plays to sermons on the sanctity of the family and of marriage. He was admitted to the Académie Française in 1875.

image 191112MOBILE

Production Team

Producer: Zhang Songhua
Production Director: Xin Lili
General Coordinators: Wang Mingyu, Gao Dongming

Rehearsal Coordinator: Zhang Yao
Rehearsal Teachers: Fan Xiaofeng, Chen Zhenrong, Xu Wenjie, Zhong Min (Guest)
General Administrator: Li Li

Project Coordinators: Ye Lihong, Zhou Yiwei
Publicity: Lu Jiashi
Text Editor: Shi Dai

Stage Manager: Gao Dongming
Set Supervisor: Huang Jiajie
Costume Supervisor: Shi Yunzhi
Hair Decor & Make-up Supervisor:
Min Xiaomei (Guest)

Tech Crew

Set: Cao Canlin, Lu Jinhua
Lighting: Zhu Xiachen, Tan Rongqing, Zhang Pengpeng
Costumes: Liu Li
Props: Cao Haitao
Multimedia: Wu Guangxin
Sound: Dai Haichun
Make-up: Wu Wenting
Shoes: Cai Chengang

image

Wu Husheng  
Vice Director of Shanghai Ballet
First Principal Dancer of Shanghai Ballet
National First-class Dancer

Wu Husheng’s repertoire includes principal roles in nearly 20 large-scale productions such as The White-haired Girl, Swan Lake (grand version, Derek Deane), Hamlet (Derek Deane), The Lady of the Camellias (Derek Deane). He also choreographed Lost Star, Blackthorn, Three Shades of Blue, A Dream of Floating Life, and Follow the Light. Selected award credits include Silver Medal and Igor Youskevitch Award in the 9th New York International Ballet Competition, Gold Medal in the 4th Shanghai International Ballet Competition, Best Male Dancer of the 9th and 10th China Dance Lotus Award, among others.

Qi Bingxue
Principal dancer of Shanghai Ballet
National First-class Dancer

Qi Bingxue’s main repertoire includes principal roles in The White-haired Girl, Swan Lake (grand version, Derek Deane), The Lady of the Camellias (Derek Deane), among others. Bingxue’s selected awards include Best Female Dancer of the 10th China Dance Lotus Award, Rising Leading Dancer of the 30th Shanghai White Magnolia Stage Performance Award, Gold Award in the 5th Shanghai International Ballet Competition, First Award in the 3rd Beijing International Ballet and Choreographer Competition, among others.

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