Chinatown Arts Space at the Royal Opera House
February, 2006 In this performance, brought to you by Chinatown Arts Space, you will experience the beauty of the Chinese classic and folklore dances (Gold Sail Dance Group from Beijing No 2 Middle School), the magnificent Japanese Taiko drumming and The Nightingale production presented by Yellow Earth Theatre.Organised as part of the Mayor of London's China in London season 2006.
Gold Sail Dance Group from Beijing No 2 Middle School
Based in Beijing , this prestigious school was originally set up in 1724 as a school for the Royal family of the Qing Dynasty. In 1949, the school was renamed the Second Middle School of Beijing and is now an internationally accredited school. Gold Sail Dance Group from Beijing No 2 Middle School is part of this school and has become a famous student dance troupe that performs and competes all over with a variety of different works under the directorship of Miss Mengyan.
Joji Hirota Taiko Drummers
Joji Hirota brings his unique style to traditional and original compositions in a rare London appearance. His music embraces the foundations of Japanese traditional drumming and reflects the influence of many worldwide musical collaborations - truly universal.
An evening of thrilling and purifying drumming performed on a wide variety of drums and percussion - over twenty instruments on stage, interspersed with shakuhachi (bamboo flute) and vocal renditions of Japanese folksongs.
'Hirota is marvellous. His face remains impassive as his hands fly around the instruments...' Rhythm
'General live-wire.' The Times
Yellow Earth Theatre
YET's production of Hans Christian Andersen's The Nightingale was designed to enthral audiences of all ages, creating a landscape and Emperor's palace teeming with colour and beautifully evoked through dance, music, shadow puppetry and video.
Only the forest-dwellers know the secrets of the nightingale's magic. The bumbling Lord Chamberlain persuades a young girl, the poor kitchen maid, to bring the nightingale to the imperial court. Inside, the fabulously dressed courtiers laugh at the plain little bird, but they are quickly silenced when she starts to sing. Pure and beautifully simple, the nightingale wins the Emperor of China's heart. To keep her close, he imprisons the bird in a golden cage. But in the fickle court, the nightingale is soon ousted by a new toy, a dazzling, jewel-encrusted mechanical bird. The nightingale escapes back to the forest. But when Death arrives to snatch the Emperor's life away, who will save his ailing heart?
The Nightingale is a wonderful uplifting story about love, loyalty and freedom.
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