Chinese modern dance to grace Arts Festival
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China’s ground-breaking Guangdong Modern Dance Company is the latest act announced for the upcoming Christchurch Arts Festival.
The company’s double-bill work Beyond Calligraphy will be performed for one night only on Saturday September 9 at the Aurora Centre.
Guangdong Modern Dance Company will feature at the Arts Festival.
The performance is the latest to be announced from this year’s festival’s line-up. The festival will take place from August 30 to September 17 and the full programme will be revealed on Monday, June 19.
Founded in 1992, Guangdong Modern Dance Company was the first professional modern dance company in China and has become internationally renowned. The New York Times described it as, “One of the big success stories of international dance… a pacesetter with a difference”.
The award-winning work Beyond Calligraphy is performed in two parts. Upon Calligraphy is a poem of movements comprising five dances named after the five different script styles in Chinese calligraphy.
The second work in the programme is Ink Wash Landscape, which pays homage to ink wash painting.
Festival shows previously announced include The Court Theatre seasons of Silo Theatre’s Hudson & Halls Live!, a one night reunion performance of the alumni of Scared Scriptless in Scriptless: First Class, and a development season of Tulou Productions’ Matai.
Christchurch Arts Festival is partnering the Ryman Healthcare Season of The Royal New Zealand Ballet’s interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. This retelling of the world’s greatest love story features Prokofiev’s score performed live by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
Other events coming under the Christchurch Arts Festival umbrella during August and September include Chamber Music New Zealand’s Bella Hristova and Michael Houstoun performing all 10 of Beethoven’s Sonatas for Violin and Piano across three days, and works by the great classical and romantic period masters in two Christchurch Symphony Orchestra concerts.
This year’s Christchurch Arts Festival will feature more than 50 shows, performances and events. Tickets go on sale Wednesday June 21.
Tickets for Beyond Calligraphy are available from next Wednesday June 14 through Ticketek or 0800 842 538. Tickets for Romeo and Juliet and the Chamber Music New Zealand concerts can be purchased now through Ticketek and tickets for the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra concerts are available through Eventfinda.