Hong Kong Ballet Presents
Serenade and More
2015/16 Season Finale
Tickets Available Now
[Hong Kong – 15th Apr 2016] As the curtain falls on Hong Kong Ballet’s 2015/16 season, the Company proudly presents Serenade and More, a diverse mixed bill programme featuring four ballets by a trio of choreographers – from the “father of American ballet” George Balanchine’s seminal work Serenade, to Chinese choreographer Fei Bo’s Over There and Shenren Chang (“Harmony between Gods and Men”) as well as Sacred Thread by Edwaard Liang, BalletMet’s Artistic Director. The latter two works were commissioned by Hong Kong Ballet specifically for this eclectic programme.
Set to a transcendent Tchaikovsky score, Serenade was the first ballet Balanchine choreographed in the USA, and it remains one of his most popular, widely danced works. In this hauntingly beautiful ballet, Guest Principal Dancer Tan Yuan Yuan will join forces with the ensemble. Other guest appearances include Zhan Xinlu and Wang Zhiyu from The National Ballet of China, performing in Fei Bo’s Over There. The two world premieres, Shenren Chang and Sacred Thread, choreographed by Fei Bo and Edwaard Liang, respectively, will take audiences on a captivating journey of ballets inspired by Chinese elements.
Serenade and More will run from 10th to 12st June 2016 (Friday to Sunday), at the Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets are available at URBTIX now.
About Serenade
Guest Appearance: Tan Yuan Yuan
The perfect showcase for ensemble of technically exceptional women, Serenade is a milestone in the history of dance. It is the first original ballet George Balanchine created in America and is one of the signature works of New York City Ballet’s repertoire. The ballet is performed by some 20 dancers in blue costumes in front of a blue background. Originating from a lesson in stage technique, Balanchine worked unexpected rehearsal events into the choreography. When one student fell, he incorporated it. Another day, a student arrived late, and this too became part of the ballet.
Notes courtesy of and adapted from New York City Ballet
Choreography: George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Costume Design: Barbara Karinska
Originally Staged by: Judith Fugate
Original Lighting Design: Ronald Bates
Adaptation of Original Lighting Design: Mak Kwok Fai
About Over There
Guest Appearances: Zhan Xinlu and Wang Jiyu (both of The National Ballet of China)
“There is a ballad echoing in my ears, carrying my drifting soul away. Looking once more, this was the place I deeply in love. I cannot return to this place, or the past. A new journey starts with lots of hope. Farewell to this unforgettable place, the place I once fell deeply in love.” Over There expresses one’s attachment to homeland and the mood of unwilling farewell through the repeated body movements and the contradiction between movement and stillness.
Choreography: Fei Bo
Music: Sainkho Namtchylak
Costume Design: He Xiaoxin
Lighting Design: Han Jiang
About Shenren Chang (“Harmony between Gods and Men”) (World Premiere)
Inspired by the ancient guqin music Shenren Chang (“Harmony between Gods and Men”), Fei Bo continues the dialogue between eastern perspectives and western ballet art. This new commission, through the dancer’s limbs, attempts to capture the rhythm of blood pumping, the movement of air from breathing, and the collision and integration of the five life elements – wood, fire, earth, metal and water which signifies the world's primordial essence and fundamental nature. This piece abstractly illustrates the Chinese concepts of yin and yang, five life elements, and spiritual realm uniting man and the universe.
Choreography: Fei Bo
Music: Wen Zi
Costume Design: Li Kun
About Sacred Thread (World Premiere)
Commissioned by Hong Kong Ballet, Edwaard Liang’s newest creation draws inspiration from Chinese weddings and touches upon uncertainty, sacrifice and freedom in relationships. Set to John Adams' driving tempo, Liang evokes ambivalence through vivid realism and athletic choreography. The flourishes in the piece reflect intense emotions.
Choreography: Edwaard Liang
Music: John Adams
Costume Design: Bridget Steis
Lighting Design: Mak Kwok Fai
Choreographers
George Balanchine
George Balanchine is regarded as the foremost contemporary choreographer in the world of ballet. St Petersburg-born Balanchine had both the music and dance of Russia in his blood. Extensive musical training put him on equal grounds in communicating with great composers and enabled him to reduce orchestral scores on the piano, which is an invaluable aid in translating music into dance. Balanchine’s style has been described as neo-classical, de-emphasising plot in ballets and preferring to let “dance be the star of the show”. In his lifetime, he created 465 works, including Serenade as one of the renowned pieces.
Fei Bo
Born into a family of Chinese opera performers and trained in Chinese traditional dance at an early age, Fei Bo started choreographing when he was 16 and then studied modern dance at Beijing Dance Academy. After graduation, he joined The National Ballet of China (NBC) in 2002 and has since created many pieces for the company, including the famous Chinese ballet The Peony Pavilion and full-length Hamlet. Fei strives to integrate eastern perspectives with western art forms and has collaborated with renowned artists like Philippe Decouflé, Akram Khan, Tamara Rojo, Li Liuyi and many more. Awarded China’s National Class One Choreographer and Asian Cultural Council Fellowship in 2011, Fei has also won choreography awards at Helsinki International Ballet Competitions in 2005 and 2012, Shanghai International Ballet Competitions in 2007, and Youth American Grand Prix in 2012. In 2014, he was nominated at Prix Benois de la Danse. He is currently NBC’s Resident Choreographer and Visiting Professor of the People’s Liberation Army Academy of Art.
Edwaard Liang
Born in Taipei, Taiwan, Edwaard Liang studied at the School of American Ballet before joining New York City Ballet in 1993. That same year, he was a medal winner at the Prix de Lausanne International Ballet Competition and won the Mae L. Wien Award. He was promoted to Soloist in 1998 and joined the Tony Award winning Broadway cast of Fosse in 2001. In 2002, Liang was invited by Jiří Kylián to become a member of the acclaimed Nederlands Dans Theater 1 (NDT1). During his time with NDT 1, Liang discovered his passion for choreography. He has since created works for ballet companies worldwide including Bolshoi Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Kirov Ballet, New York City Ballet, Shanghai Ballet and Singapore Dance Theatre. He has won numerous awards for his choreography including the 2006 National Choreographic Competition of Hubbard Street 2. He was named Artistic Director of BalletMet in 2013.
Guest Artists
Tan Yuan Yuan
Guest Principal Dancer, Hong Kong Ballet
Principal Dancer, San Francisco Ballet
Born in Shanghai, China, Tan Yuan Yuan trained at Shanghai Dancing School and Stuttgart’s John Cranko School. She joined San Francisco Ballet as a Soloist in 1995 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1997. Tan has danced major roles in Tomasson’s Giselle, The Nutcracker, Romeo & Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake, as well as lead roles in Tomasson/Possokhov’s Don Quixote, Cranko’s Onegin, and Lubovitch’s Othello. She has created many roles in numerous productions including, but not limited to, Tomasson’s 7 for Eight, Caprice, Chi-Lin, The Fifth Season, and Silver Ladders, Balanchine’s Agon, Apollo, Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet, Concerto Barocco, Diamonds, and more. A frequent guest artist, Tan has performed globally and has received many notable awards.
Zhan Xinlu
Soloist, The National Ballet of China
Born in Liaoning, China, Zhan Xinlu trained at Beijing Dance Academy, joined The National Ballet of China in 2009, and became Soloist in 2012. She has danced Kitri in Nureyev's Don Quixote, Xiao Yuanyuan in Chinese New Year, Peasant Pas de Deux in Giselle, as well as roles in Cranko's Onegin, Petit's Carmen and many others. Her accolades include gold medals in the 1st Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition in 2011 and 2nd Beijing International Ballet Invitational for Dance Schools in 2008, and 2nd and 1st prizes in CCTV National Dance Competition in 2009 and 2013, respectively. She performed Don Quixote Pas de Deux at Singapore Arts Festival 2010 and Gala of Kazakh Arts Festival 2012.
Wang Jiyu
Coryphée, The National Ballet of China
Born in Beijing, China, Wang Jiyu graduated from Beijing Dance Academy, joined The National Ballet of China in 2013, and was named Coryphée in 2015. His repertoire includes Gurn in La Sylphide, Peasant Pas de Deux in Giselle, as well as roles in Makarova's Swan Lake, Li Yang's The Girl in Black Eyes and Wang Sizheng's El Testamento de Amelia. He won 3rd Prize in the 10th Taoli Cup Dance Competition in 2012 and the Encouragement Award in the 2nd Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition in 2013. In 2012, he collaborated with the Rudra Béjart School, performing a Béjart piece in Beijng.
Performance Details
10-12.6.2016FRI 7:30pm | SAT 2:30pm & 7:30pm | SUN 2:30pm
4 performances
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$1,000 (Limited VIP Tickets)$680 $480 $280 $140 | * $340 $240 $140 $70
Tickets now available at URBTIX
* Available for full-time students, senior citizen aged 60 or above and people with disabilities
Ticketing Enquiries: 3761 6661
Credit Card Booking: 2111 5999
Internet Booking: www.urbtix.hk
Programme Enquiries: 2105 9724
Suitable for ages 6 and above
The presenter reserves the right to alter the programme and artists
The performance lasts approximately 2 hours including an intermission
Discounts
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50% off |
Full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and the minder (Limited tickets for students and senior citizens available on a first-come, first-served basis. This discount cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts.) |
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15% off |
Friends of Hong Kong Ballet |
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10% off (First two tickets) |
CCDC Dance Inspirations card holders, Members of Chung Ying Theatre’s Energy Fun Club Plus, Friends of HKCO, Friends of HKDC Prestige Members, HK Phil Club Bravo members, Members of HKRep Pals, Zuni’s Friends, Fringe Club Members, Hong Kong Dance Alliance members, Hong Kong Arts Administrators Association members and HKBU Foundation members |
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Group Booking |
10% off for every purchase of 10-19 tickets at regular price, 15% off for 20-40 tickets |
Patrons can enjoy only one of the above discounts for each purchase.
Discounts are not applicable to $1,000 VIP tickets.
$1,000 VIP ticket-holders Special Privilege
Present your ticket stub to Hong Kong Ballet’s reception counter (Level 2 Foyer, Hong Kong Cultural Centre) before the performance or during the intermission to receive a coupon for a free drink. Each ticket stub is valid for one free drink only.
15% off food and beverage at InterContinental Hong Kong
Ticket holders can enjoy 15% off food and beverage in all restaurants and bars at InterContinental Hong Kong before or after the performance upon presentation of their tickets on the performance date. For details, please call 2313 2323 or email to [email protected].
Programme Plus!
The Preview of Serenade and More
31.5.2016 (Tue) 7:30 – 8:45pm
Studio Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Get the inside scoop during this exciting and insightful preview! Featuring beautiful excerpts from two brand new world première works from renowned choreographers Edwaard Liang and Fei Bo, and information of George Balanchine’s Serenade, this evening will be about a powerful blend of classical and contemporary ballet. Hong Kong Ballet dancers, choreographers, designers, and/or other special guests will engage in an insightful discussion to give you an up close and personal look inside the creative process of a production by a professional ballet company. Don’t miss out on this opportunity – come early to grab your seat!
Pre-performance Talks
10.6.2016 (Fri) 6:50-7:10pm [In Cantonese]
11.6.2016 (Sat) 6:50-7:10pm [In English]
Level 2 Foyer, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Foyer
Enrich your experience of George Balanchine’s timeless ballet Serenade and two world premiere works from renowned choreographers Edwaard Liang and Fei Bo, as well as guest performance by guests from The National Ballet of China, by joining us for an engaging 20-minute introduction to the performances, which may include discussions of choreography, music, history, design, and the process of bringing these works to life. Enhance your evening at the ballet by learning more about the pieces in the show from the people behind the scenes and on the stage!
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The Hong Kong Ballet Guild Event Sponsor |
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Champagne Partner |
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Make-Up Partner |
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Hotel Partner |
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DOWNLOAD PRESS PHOTOS
[Click on the photo to download full image]
Photo 1: Dancers: Chen Zhiyao and Lucas Jerkander | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 2: Dancers: Chen Zhiyao and Lucas Jerkander | Photographer: Tim Wong
Photo 3: Serenade | Hong Kong Ballet Dancers | Photographer: Cheung Wai Lok
Photo 4: Serenade | Hong Kong Ballet Dancers | Photographer: Cheung Wai Lok
Photo 5: George Balanchine | Photographer: George Platt Lynes
Photo 6: Fei Bo
Photo 7: Edwaard Liang | Photographer: Chiun-Kai Shih
Photo 8: Tan Yuan Yuan, Guest Principal Dancer of Hong Kong Ballet | Photographer: Chris Hardy
Photo 9: Zhan Xinlu, Soloist of The National Ballet of China
Photo 10: Wang Zhiyu, Coryphée of The National Ballet of China
About Hong Kong Ballet
An eclectic mix of talent, a balance of classical and contemporary works, and a unique repertoire are the trademarks of Hong Kong Ballet, Asia’s premier ballet company. Internationally recognised and acclaimed for its creativity, talent and artistry, the Company, led by Artistic Director Madeleine Onne, is committed to providing captivating experiences that delight and inspire audiences from all walks of life, both at home and abroad.
For further information, please contact:
Nick Chan
Director of Marketing
T: 2105 9716
M: 9728 1777
[email protected]
