An original dance drama A Dream of Red Mansions co-produced by the Jiangsu Centre for the Performing Arts and Nanjing Chinese Traditional Orchestra was staged in Nanjing recently. The production will tour nationwide by visiting cities including Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou this year. Despite that it is the fourth tour, the audience’s passion for the performance never dimmed, so the tickets sold out almost immediately. The dance drama shows a rise in popularity among the youth excited to discover the beauty of China’s traditional culture.
Photo – courtesy of Jiangsu Centre for the Performing Arts ©
What makes the dance drama A Dream of Red Mansions a hit in China? How can it strike a chord with the audience, especially the youth? The drama is rooted in the classic of Chinese literature. A Dream of Red Mansions is one of the four great Chinese classical novels, written by Cao Xueqin during the Qing Dynasty. The novel has been considered as the encyclopedia of Chinese feudal society for its precise and detailed observation of the life and social structures typical of 18th-century Chinese society. Nanjing, listed as the “City of Literature” by UNESCO, is the hometown of the original author Cao Xueqin, and the cradle of A Dream of Red Mansions. In the dance drama, the audience can immerse themselves in the prosperity of ancient Nanjing City.
Moreover, the dance drama is a harmonious combination of tradition and modernity. To a certain extent, the dance drama has achieved the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional literature, highlighting the talent and innovation of young artists. They manage to showcase Chinese culture and aesthetic conception in the form of dance drama, injecting the traditional culture with vitality in the new era. Most artists in the production team are post-90s. They consider young people’s aesthetic preference when designing stages with ingenuity, aiming to highlight the unique oriental beauty and wisdom.
Art transcends borders. Now audiences around the world can appreciate the innovative expression of traditional Chinese culture online regardless of the distance. Follow the Facebook and YouTube accounts of “China Culture & Art” to enjoy the highlights and stage photos of the show.
