National Ballet of China's bittersweet The Peony Pavilion

By Graham Watts, 01 December 2016

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“a stunning visual spectacle that merges live art installation with ballet”

Reviewed at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London on 29 November 2016

The Peony Pavilion (Fei Bo)

National Ballet of China

Li Liuyi, Director

Michael Simon, Set Designer

Emi Wada, Costume Designer

Zhang Jian, Dancer

Jia Pengfei, Vocals

Zhu Yan, Dancer

Ma Xiaodong, Dancer

Hong Kong Ballet visits NY

Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, 16th March

The program that the Hong Kong Ballet presented at the Joyce Theater showed a company that is disciplined and technically accomplished.

***11

The Peony Pavilion : mixed feelings

Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, 9th July

Mixed feelings at the Lincoln Center, where the National Ballet of China performs The Peony Pavillon.

**111

The Peony Pavilion : mixed feelings

Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, 9th July

Mixed feelings at the Lincoln Center, where the National Ballet of China performs The Peony Pavillon.

**111

Acosta's Don Quixote for BRB: polished but not quite enough panache

Jonathan Gray, 23rd April

Carlos Acosta's Don Quixote for Birmingham Royal Ballet returned to Sadler's Wells with polished but low-key interpretations across the board.

***11

The Center Will Not Hold: Dorrance Dance thrills at Sadler's Wells

Daniel Pratt, 17th April

Dorrance Dance offer a compelling mix of genres in The Center Will Not Hold – high energy, full of surprises, top quality performances.

****1

Pina Bausch’s Kontakthof – Echoes of ‘78: poignant reality

Graham Watts, 7th April

A reimagining of Pina Bausch's 1978 Kontakthof by Meryl Tankard brings together eight of the original cast members in a unique and poignant revival.

*****

More reviews...

Graham Watts

Graham Watts is a freelance dance writer and critic writing regularly for Dancing Times, Dance Europe, Danza Europa, and many more publications. He regularly writes features for Sadler’s Wells, London Coliseum and La Scala. Chairman of the Dance Section of the Critics’ Circle in the United Kingdom and of the UK National Dance Awards he has interviewed many of the greatest names in dance including Maya Plisetskaya, Vladimir Vasiliev, Boris Eifman, Alexei Ratmansky, Andris Liepa, Sir Peter Wright, David Bintley and Dame Gillian Lynne. When not involved in dance Graham is a keen fencer, and has captained the British Sabre team.

National Ballet of China's bittersweet The Peony Pavilion at Sadler's Wells