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Shanghai Ballet in London

Stacey MacNaught |

ShanghaiThe critically acclaimed Shanghai Ballet will return to the London Coliseum this summer, presenting five performances from 17-21 August. It's new production, Echoes of Eternity, details one of China’s most popular legends and love stories: the romance between the powerful Emperor Ming and Lady Yang, which ended in tragedy and, legend has it, led to the downfall of the Tang Dynasty from its heights of economic and international powers. Echoes of Eternity is choreographed by Patrick de Bana and inspired by the ancient Chinese poem ‘Song of Everlasting Sorrow’, combining high drama and history. Shanghai Ballet brings this contemporary version of the 8th century story to the Coliseum with a cast of award-winning young principals, including Wu Husheng as the Emperor and Qi Bingxue as Lady Yang. The libretto is by celebrated French dramaturg Jean Francois Vazelle, costumes by former Paris Opera principal dancer Agnès Letestu and set design by the late Jaya Ibrahim. Echoes of Eternity is co-produced by the Shanghai Grand Theatre and Shanghai Ballet. De Bana began planning Echoes of Eternity when he was working on Jane Eyre, for which Shanghai Ballet made its UK debut at the London Coliseum in 2013. Shanghai Ballet Company is part of the Shanghai Grand Theatre Arts Group and performs a blend of traditional and Western dance styles. One of the company’s best known works is The White-Haired Girl, which won the Gold Medal for Best Classical Dance Works of the 20th century in China, which helped establish the company’s predominant position in China’s competitive ballet world. Driven by the company’s Artistic Director, Xin Lili, Shanghai Ballet has created and staged numerous productions which tour internationally. The company regularly collaborates with international dance practitioners and participates in cultural exchanges with other artists and companies through China and abroad.