Recently, in order to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United Arab Emirates, at the invitation of the Abu Dhabi Music and Art Foundation in the United Arab Emirates, artists from the National Ballet of China, led by Director Feng Ying and Deputy Director Zhu Yan, performed with a cast and crew of 100 people Went to the United Arab Emirates to complete the first large-scale tour in the Middle East in the history of the group.
The National Ballet of China performed two Chinese New Year ballets "New Year" at the Emirates Palace Theater on January 26 and 27, marking the opening of the Abu Dhabi International Arts Festival, the most influential art event in the Middle East, and the start of 2024. The Abu Dhabi International Arts Festival's "China's Guest Country of Honor" series of events. And on January 30 and 31, she performed two "Ballet Boutique Galas" at the Dubai Opera House.
In this tour, powerful Chinese ballet stars Qiu Yunting, Ma Xiaodong, Xu Yan, Fang Mengying, Zhan Xinlu, Sun Ruichen, Li Wentao, Chen Zhuming, Wu Sicong, Liu Xuechen, etc. all appeared on the stage, and together with the outstanding cast team, they performed Chinese ballet at a high level. Show your style to the audience in the United Arab Emirates.
On the nights of January 26th and 27th, local time, in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, the ballet "New Year" presented by the Chinese Ballet Artists was performed at the Emirates Palace Theater, which is rich in Arab national style. This performance coincides with the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year. China Ballet's "New Year", a dance drama with a strong Chinese "New Year flavor", was brought to the Abu Dhabi International Arts Festival to present a colorful and full performance to the audience in the United Arab Emirates. While providing an interesting art feast, we also hope to use this "New Year gift" to send New Year blessings of beauty, happiness, peace and reunion from Chinese artists to the UAE audience.
"Novel, shocking and surprising", these complimentary words mentioned from time to time express the UAE audience's love for the Chinese ballet "New Year". At the curtain call, waves of applause sounded again. Following the traditional etiquette of local performances, at the sincere invitation of the Abu Dhabi International Arts Festival Organizing Committee, Feng Ying, the head and artistic director of China Ballet, walked onto the stage with the actors to express his gratitude to the enthusiastic Emirati audience. Feng Ying said in an interview with the media before the premiere, "On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the UAE, and on the eve of the Chinese New Year, we will bring this dance drama "New Year", which means reunion and happiness, to the audience in the United Arab Emirates for the first time. Friends, I hope that through the play, we can deepen our understanding of each other through exchanges and mutual learning between different cultures. We also hope that while presenting our art to everyone, we can express our friendship to the audience in the UAE."
local time On the evening of January 30th and 31st, at the Dubai Opera House, Dubai’s iconic world-class art performance destination, the Chinese Ballet artists brought a "Ballet Boutique Gala" that blended masterpieces of "ancient and modern Chinese and foreign" to the UAE tour. The second stop - audience friends in Dubai.
In the performance, China National Ballet carefully selected masterpieces of "ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign" that can fully demonstrate the troupe's artistic creation characteristics of "inheriting the classics, innovating the nation, and pioneering the modern and contemporary", including the second piece of "La Bayadere", which is known as the "touchstone" of classical ballet. Act selections include the most technically charming pas de deux of "Don Quixote", the modern work "Yesterday is Eternal" which won the Best Choreographer Award at international ballet competitions, and the second part of "New Year" that showcases Chinese culture and folk customs. Act excerpts and the inspiring symphonic ballet "Yellow River". At the curtain call, waves of applause resounded throughout the Dubai Opera House, and the stage curtains fell three times. The actors deeply paid tribute to the enthusiastic cheers of the audience, and paid tribute to this wonderful night on and off the stage.
There is a proverb in the United Arab Emirates, "Friendship is the sunshine of life." The arrival of China Ballet not only conveyed the sincere friendship to the people of the United Arab Emirates, but also established a bridge and bond for cultural and artistic exchanges between the two peoples. As Zhang Yiming, Chinese Ambassador to the UAE, said in an interview with the media, "The National Ballet of China's visit to the UAE will set off a new upsurge in people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and the UAE, continuously tighten the ties between the two peoples, and consolidate the foundation of the traditional friendship between China and the UAE."
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Tian Wanting
editor/Gong Lifang
