Friday, November 01, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Spotlight

Shanghai Ballet comes to UNLV

The award-winning Shanghai Ballet will perform at 8 p.m. Nov. 19 in Artemus Ham Hall at UNLV.

The Shanghai Ballet will present "Coppelia," a youthful story from the 1870s. A story ballet in three acts, Swanilda is shaken by her lover's sudden interest in Coppelia. Unknown to them all is the fact that Coppelia is a life-sized mechanical doll created by the doddering old inventor, Dr. Coppelius.

Organized in 1979, the Shanghai Ballet was an instant success with a classical Chinese ballet, "The White-Haired Girl." The group's style is traditional, and their repertoire includes favorites such as "Swan Lake," "Don Quixote" and "The Nutcracker." The group also pays tribute to their cultural folk traditions with original works such as "Thunderstorm," "Soul," "Ah Q" and "Pond."

The dancers of the Shanghai Ballet have won 18 medals in international dance competitions. Included is the first place medal for Wang Qifeng during the Second Osaka International Ballet Competition in 1980. In 1988, Xin Lili and Yang Xinhua won the first prize of pas de deux in the Third International Ballet Competition of Paris. During the 19th International Ballet Competition of Varna, Fan Xaofeng and Sun Shenyi won the gold medals for male and female dancers. It was the first time a Chinese dancer won the gold medal in the male group, and the first time Chinese dancers won gold medals at the same time.

The Shanghai Ballet has traveled to perform in such countries as France, Canada, the United States, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Tickets for the Shanghai Ballet are $29, $45 and $59. They may be purchased at the UNLV Performing Arts Center box office, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, by calling 895-2787 or from UNLVTickets.com.