The roster of musicals and theater for Shanghai’s spring 2017 art program is an impressive one, but the city’s dance theaters are also making a splash with a few statement-making performances. The most notable of these is the Lithuanian Ballet’s interpretation of Anna Karenina, the classic story created by Russian literary master Leo Tolstoy in the 19th century. The ballet is set to stage this month at Shanghai Oriental Art Center.
One of the greatest tragedies ever told, Anna Karenina is the story of an unhappy family torn apart by forbidden love. The problems begin with an unexpected encounter at a train station between Count Vronsky and the beautiful princess Anna Karenina, who is the wife of senior statesman Count Karenin. The young Vronsky and Anna fall passionately in love, and Vronsky convinces Anna to elope despite the scandal it causes in their polite society. The love affair, however, causes Anna to lose everything, culminating in a tragic end at the same train station where the lovers first met.
The ballet adaption, first choreographed by Boris Eifman, premiered in St. Petersburg in 2005. Five years later, acclaimed Lithuanian choreographer Anzelika Cholina, known for her work in Carmen, reinterpreted the show with a more contemporary touch. In contrast to the grandeur of Eifman’s rendition, Cholina produced a modern masterpiece with a handful of chairs and a vivid range of original ballet movements that still manages to capture the essence of 19th century Russian aristocracy.
Performed by Lithuania’s most prominent ballet dancers, Cholina’s star-studded ballet first wowed her home nation in 2010. As a result, her adaption of Anna Karenina went on a European tour, and her sensational, unique choreography won the Russian National Theater Golden Stage Award.
Music-wise, the ballet largely adopted works from one of the greatest Russian composers, Alfred Schnittke, who has been hailed as a "contemporary Shostakovich," as well as selected pieces from Tchaikovsky, Mahler and West End musical maestro, Andrew Lloyd Webber. The carefully designed scores and music arrangements have resonated with audiences all over Europe, and are expected to evoke a similar response here in China.
The production focuses on the love triangle that unfolds between Anna, Karenin and Vronsky. Nevertheless, the choreographer makes sure that each character develops a distinctive personality through unique dance moves. This allows them to imbue the performance with all of the rational and irrational emotions – hypocrisy, jealousy, faith and loyalty – that arise when two people fall in love.
May 26-27, 7.15pm, RMB80-880. Shanghai Oriental Art Center, see event listing.
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