Timeless Russian Ballet has once again come to Beijing - but this time in a unique collaboration with Chinese artists. Creative freedom is exercised to the fullest, and ethnic culture celebrated, in the production called Flowing Creek.

The folk song Flowing Creek has been sung in the mountains of Yunnan province for more than 50 years. And on Tuesday, the ballad brought two peoples together, in a bold experiment by ballet's best from China and Russia.

The combination of an earthy folk song with the graceful art of ballet may appear bizarre at first. But through the concert one feels the sincerity of the Russian dancers, who transcend cultural boundaries through their passion for art.

Any culture shock is soothed by the universal theme of love. Flowing Creek is an elegy of the love triangle between the fairest maiden in the village, the Prince of the palace, and the Tarzan of the lush Yunnan forest.

And music breaks down the language barrier. Flowing Creek, the ballad, is known as the quintessential Oriental Serenade. It was composed in 1947, and expanded into a violin concerto just last year, by Russian- Chinese composer Zuo Zhenguan. He also adapted the score for the ballet.

Russia's National Philharmonic kept the intensity on high.

Flowing Creek will have three more shows at Beijing Century Theater, before touring to Shanghai, Zhejiang and Yunnan. As a joint production of two countries, the dance will be staged extensively in Russia next year.

Russia's National Philharmonic

(CCTV.com December 8, 2006)