Preface

　

The Cultural Institute of the Macao SAR will celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of Macao's return to Chinese sovereignty with a series of exhibitions and concerts, including a performance of A-Bing, a spectacular ballet production from China, scheduled for the Opening Ceremony on 1st December 2001.

　

　

A-Bing tells the life story of a famous Chinese folk musician, based on his musical works. The Wuxi Municipal Song and Dance Troupe from Jiangsu Province will perform this exquisite combination of Chinese traditional dance with modern ballet, conveying the strong atmosphere of the region south of the River Chang. A-Bing's consuming passion for music and tragic life are played out before the audience's eyes. Interwoven throughout the ballet are two stories of doomed love affecting both A-Bing and his parents. The tragedies repeated through two generations are vividly revealed in a deeply moving dance drama.

A-Bing has won widespread acclaim, and is regarded as one of the most exceptional ballets to hail from Mainland China in recent years. A-Bing has won the Ministry of Culture's Mandarin Prize, the 6th Chinese National Arts Festival Prize, and the Jiangsu Province Award. The ballet was first performed in Wuxi, A-Bing's hometown, before travelling on to stages in Nanjing, Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Shandong in over one hundred performances to date. After A-Bing was performed in the Shanghai International Art Festival, the Vice-Minister of Shanghai's Publicity Department commented, "This ballet is deeply moving, conveying to the audience a profound understanding of A-Bing's music, Er Quan Ying Yue (The Moon Reflected in the Spring Water), and letting them share in his sentiments. The drama also emphasized the local color of Southern Changjiang River. It was very artistic. And the performance was excellent!"

A-Bing, the Chinese folk musician, became famous for his erhu melody, Er Quan Ying Yue, in which he expressed the sorrow of life, a typical theme in Chinese music. Last year, during the 1st Anniversary Celebrations, President Jiang Ze-Min specifically chose to have Er Quan Ying Yue played and the presentation of A-Bing in this year's celebrations will complement the performance of last year. The Cultural Institute of the Macao SAR and the Wuxi Cultural Institute have established close ties of cooperation and the Wuxi Municipal Song and Dance Troupe was the first mainland company to stage The Macao Bride, reflecting the profound importance of cultural exchange.