Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), co-organised by the Department of Publicity and Culture of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Government of the Macao SAR, and executed by China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd., the ballet Yimeng by the National Ballet of China will be staged at the Venetian Theatre in Macao on 18 and 19 February (Saturday and Sunday), at 8pm. All are welcome to enjoy the performance.
The ballet Yimeng is an absorbing Chinese story in an elegant and eloquent presentation of western ballet. In the years of the war, many women in Yimeng mountain area gave up their lives for the great cause, supporting the army and its fight in the front, making military uniforms and shoes, carrying stretchers, pushing carts, rescuing the wounded, sparing no effort to raise children separated from their revolutionary parents. They are known as the “Yimeng Sisters”, who are portrayed through four roles in the play, i.e., Sister Ying, the platoon leader, Erni (the second girl) and “Little Suona”, in the touching true stories about the kind and compassionate Sister Ying saving the wounded soldier with her milk, the tenacious and dedicated Erni supporting the army and staying faithful, and the fearless Yimeng Sisters holding up a battleground bridge in the icy cold river regardless of the dangers it posed to their life. The Yimeng Spirit of “harmony and shared destiny between the Army and the people” is presented to the audience with exquisite techniques immersed in great artistic traditions.
The older generation of NBC artists created the well-known ballet classic “Yimeng Canticles” more than 40 years ago, and formed the basis of the subsequent NBC production of dance dramas “Yimeng Love” and “Three Episodes in Yimeng”, the artistic achievements of which are now embodied in the new show “Yimeng”. Jiang Zuhui, the famous 86-year-old choreographer, serves as artistic consultant of the play; Li Keyu, the 92-year-old designer known as the “top Chinese ballet costume designer” whose works include the “Yimeng Canticles”, is the art consultant; Xu Gang, NBC assistant art director and master ballet dancer, directs the play with the help of a strong team of young choreographers and artistic designers, boldly using new ways of creation and expression in a bid to pass on the “Yimeng Spirit” to future generations. The dance of Yimeng is uniquely more regional with great use of Shandong folk dance styles such as Jiaozhou Yangge, Haiyang Yangge and Guzi Yangge. The show also employs more audio, visual, electrical and other new medium to better portray the harmony between the Army and the people in the new era.
In addition to the performance, the NBC will hold workshops in Macao so that local dance lovers have the opportunity to meet and learn from the masters.
Tickets for the ballet Yimeng by the National Ballet of China will be on sale from 10am on 9 February through the Macau Ticketing Network and from 12pm through the Cotai Ticketing, and are priced at MOP400 and MOP300. Holders of a valid Macao Resident Identity Card, Macao Teacher Card, full-time Student Card, Senior Citizen Card and Disability Assessment Registration Card will be offered a 50% discount. Each cardholder can only use one discounted ticket per performance. The “Electronic Consumption Benefit Plan” is not applicable for tickets’ purchase. Macau Ticketing Network – 24-hour ticketing hotline: 2855 5555, online ticketing: www.macauticket.com; Cotai Ticketing hotline: 2882 8818, online ticketing: cotaiticketing.com.