Well-known movie director, Zhang Yimou, showed Thursday evening the ballet version of Raising the Red Lantern, which gained several international movie awards years ago.

About 800 people from the media and dancing circles viewed the full dress rehearsal of the ballet at the newly refurbished Tianqiao Theater in southern downtown Beijing.

Directed by Zhang, Raising the Red Lantern was granted the silver lion award at the 48th Venice Film Festival and the best foreign film award at movie festivals in Italy, Britain, the United States and Belgium.

The script was adapted into a more simplified one for the ballet. The ballerina tried to express the protagonist’s loneliness and aspiration for freedom when living in a feudal family.

"The story embodies many Chinese features such as local architecture, folk custom and the traditional Peking Opera," said Zhang, citing that it might be suitable for the ballet stage.

The director specially arranged melodies borrowed from the Peking Opera and a vocal solo made by a Peking Opera singer, which were regarded as a novelty to ballet fans.

The performance also convened worldwide Chinese musicians, choreographers and performers, including Chen Qigang, Wang Xinpeng, and the top-ranking dancers from the National Ballet of China.

Performance organizer, Beijing New Music Entertainment Company, arranged three performances between May 2 to 4 at the same theater in Beijing.

(Xinhua 04/27/2001)