The Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre and the Xiangjiang Symphony Orchestra jointly staged the global premiere of the classic ballet "Swan Lake" in Changsha on the evening of May 7, 2024.

This is the first Hunan version of the Swan Lake ballet performance. "As an 'international' ballet theatre, we should do something 'international'. I believe that as a UNESCO Creative City in media arts, Changsha will give us support," said Peng Liu, head and art director of the Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre.

The Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre is China's first international ballet troupe and Hunan's first ballet troupe.

The Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre and the Xiangjiang Symphony Orchestra jointly staged the global premiere of the classic ballet Swan Lake in Changsha on the evening of May 7, 2024. (Photo/He Wenrui)

The Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre was established in Changsha in February 2023, originated from Peng's ballet dream.

Peng was born in 1990s in Hengyang, Hunan Province. After graduating from the Kiev Dance Academy in  Ukraine, Peng successively worked as a performer and art director in Ukraine's national-level ballet and theatres, and was appointed as a member of the International Dance Council of UNESCO. Returning to Hunan in 2022, he began to teach ballet in the Hunan University of Technology and Business. He has long pursued a dream of establishing a professional ballet troupe in China and introducing international ballet dancers to Chinese audiences, especially in his native Hunan. Changsha's potential in the arts, as demonstrated by the booming Meixihu International Culture Arts Centre Grand Theatre, Changsha Concert Hall, and Changsha Symphony Orchestra, has inspired him to settle in this city.

Since August 2023, Peng spent two months traveling around dozens of European countries to seek out outstanding ballet dancers. Finally, more than 20 dancers gathered in Changsha this March, and began rehearsing for the Swan Lake performance.

Dancers make preparations backstage.

The dancers of the Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre are from China, Russia, Ukraine, Italy, Hungary, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, and the choreographer is Vladimir Malakhov, who has been honored as the "dancer of the century". Such an international and professional cast was the first and ranked in the top-tier in China.

The global premiere of Swan Lake was staged by the Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre and the Xiangjiang Symphony Orchestra in Changsha.

The Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre and the Xiangjiang Symphony Orchestra perfectly collaborated in the performance, providing a fresh experience of Swan Lake with lively symphony accompaniment for Changsha audiences.

The Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre and the Xiangjiang Symphony Orchestra perfectly collaborated in the performance.
 

The choreographer of the performance is Vladimir Malakhov, who has been honored as the "dancer of the century".

Starting in Changsha and eventually going global is Peng's dream. So far, Peng has received nearly 30 performing invitations from around the world.
  

 
The dancers of the Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre come from several countries, including China, Russia, Ukraine, Italy, and Hungary.

In the future, Peng said, the theatre will create more innovative ballet operas, integrating Chinese cultural elements into the performances. For instance, he plans to reinterpret the classic "Nutcracker" by combining Chinese acrobatics, lion dance, and martial arts.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: hunantoday