'Don Quixote' draws curtain on arts fest

“DON Quixote” by the Ballet Nacional de Cuba will draw the curtain on this year’s China Shanghai International Arts Festival tonight at the Shanghai Grand Theater.

It is the first time the Ballet Nacional de Cuba has appeared at the festival, though it had performed in China five times since 1960s.

“There has always been changes in China every time we visited. And so has Cuba and ballet throughout the years,” said Salvador Fernandez, technical director of Ballet Nacional de Cuba.

Ballet Nacional de Cuba was established by Alicia Alonso in 1948, who led the company being recognized internationally and occupied a prominent position in contemporary Latin American literary and art circles.

The “Don Quixote” to be staged this time was also a creation of Alonso, who tried to merge classical ballet, Spanish dancing and the original story.

Though influenced by the early ballet version of “Don Quixote,” by Russian Choreographer Marius Petipa, Alonso’s version is very different, according to Fernandez.

It is not just about adding passionate Spanish dancing styles, featuring rhythm and passion, he said.

“The ballet spotlights the romance between Kitri and Basilio, while Don Quixote played the thread role for the story. The character Don Quixote, who often looks like a lunatic in the story, is portrayed more like a romantic poet in our version,” said Fernandez.

Dancers of Ballet Nacional de Cuba will also exhibit dazzlingly classic ballet skills such as single-hand lifting for male dancers, and whipping rotation for female dancers.

Date: November 23, 7:15pm

Tickets: 80-980 yuan

Tel: 400-880-2880

Venue: Shanghai Grand Theater

Address: 300 People’s Ave