Ningbo Song Dancetheatre to showcase intangible cultural heritage of Zhejiang
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"Grand Red Trousseaus‧Dream of a Maiden" is a grand dance theatrical performance infused with some of the folk customs of eastern Zhejiang. It is inspired by the millennium-old wedding customs of Jiangnan (southern China) and the history of Ningbo migrant workers who roamed around the country. The wedding custom, "Grand Red Trousseaus", refers to the trousseaus for the brides which were carried by local large marching troupes. These luxurious and beautiful trousseaus, which included furniture and all kinds of daily necessities, were mostly in red and decorated with gold. The trousseaus also involved various traditional arts including woodcrafts, engraving art, lacquer art, ornate bucket-making craftsmanship and tailored clothing. The troupes would also play musical instruments to spread the joy of the wedding. The wedding custom was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.
The main plot follows a young couple living in an ancient town in southern China during the late Qing and early republic era. Four acts, namely, "Dreaming of Love", "Dreaming of Farewell", "Dreaming of the Return" and "Dreaming of the Wedding", tell of the romantic legend about the loyal and unchanging love of a woman in a wealthy family.
The production has received many honours and has been staged 146 times in prestigious venues across the country and overseas. In 2015, it was invited to perform at the "Chinese Evening" at the International Innovation Trade Show in Russia. It has since become a distinguished brand in China’s foreign cultural exchange.
Dedicated to developing excellent productions and expanding its performance market, the Ningbo Song Dancetheatre is often engaged in foreign cultural exchange and rural cultural initiatives. The troupe has curated a number of large-scale cultural performance events, including a major performance at the 2012 Yeosu World Expo in Korea.
"Grand Red Trousseaus‧Dream of a Maiden" will be staged at 8pm on June 17 (Saturday) at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong City Hall and at 3pm on June 18 (Sunday) at the Auditorium of Tsuen Wan Town Hall. Tickets ranging from $120 to $300 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7323 or visit http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/dance/programs_204.html.
Ends/Friday, March 10, 2017
Issued at HKT 12:40
Issued at HKT 12:40
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