Ballet

Suzhou Ballet interprets ‘The Nutcracker’

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Suzhou Ballet Theater’s “The Nutcracker” will meet dance fans at Shanghai Oriental Art Center next week.

“The Nutcracker” has been one of the classic ballet theaters generally present around the turn of the year — and this is no different. 

Suzhou Ballet’s version, which was created in 2013, keeps Tchaikovsky’s classic music, but has developed a brand-new story plot.

In this version, the mouse, which usually appears as a negative character in the ballet, takes the lead of Mary.

Together with Drosselmeyer, the nutcracker soldier and snow Barbie princess, they fight against the cats and start a journey to the Land of Sweet.

Liu Haidong

The mouse, which usually appears as a negative character in the ballet, takes the lead of Mary.

Supermarket carts, toy bricks, roller skate shoes and high-heeled shoes all become entertainment facilities for the characters. Colorful costumes and playful stage design give the ballet a fairy tale look, which suits family audiences well.

Li Ying, Suzhou Ballet Theater’s artistic director, said she was inspired by her son before working on the adaptation of “The Nutcracker.”

“My son once asked me why the mouse plays a negative role in the story, which reminded me that there are quite a lot of ‘positive’ images of mice, including Mickey Mouse and those in Chinese cartoons,” said Li.

The ballet has been performed in Doha, Qatar, in a cultural exchange program. It has also been performed in Bahrain after an invitation from the Bahrain ministry of culture.

Shanghai Oriental Art Center is presenting Suzhou Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” as a farewell to the Year of the Mouse on the Chinese lunar calendar.

Suzhou Ballet interprets The Nutcracker

Ti Gong

Colorful costumes and playful stage design give the ballet a fairy tale look, which suits family audiences well.

Performance info

Date: January 21-22, 7:15pm
Tickets: 180-880 yuan
Venue: Shanghai Oriental Art Center
Address: 425 Dingxiang Rd, Pudong New Area

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