Classic ballet, La Bayadere, produced and presented by the National Ballet of China, and choreographed by Natalia Makarova, premiered at the Shanghai Grand Theatre on Aug 29.

As one of the highlights of the company's 65th anniversary celebration performances, the show featured a top-tier lineup including the company's director, Feng Ying, and three principal dancers, Qiu Yunting, Xu Yan and Li Wentao.

On stage, the dancers' bodies became instruments of emotion, evoking resonance that transcended time and space. The audience was captivated, immersed in a mystical realm where Eastern and Western aesthetics intertwine.

Originally choreographed by Marius Petipa in 1877 with music by Ludwig Minkus, La Bayadere tells the tragic love story of temple dancer Nikiya and warrior Solor in ancient India. The story transformed universal human emotions, such as loyalty, betrayal, and sacrifice, into evocative movement, with dreamlike and poignant sequences.

In Makarova's version, she incorporated her artistry and vision, and restored the grand “Kingdom of the Shades” scene.

While reproducing the core of the story, the National Ballet of China infuses it with delicate oriental aesthetics, which not only allows this globally rare version to be presented in China, but also endows the century-old classic with new cultural coordinates.

Li Junfeng contributed to this story.