Presenter: Ningxia Song and Dance Ensemble 
Chief Director: Zhang Jigang 
Composer: Zhao Jiping 
Lead Cast: Gu Liangliang, Ma Qian, Sun Yanguo, etc. 
Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts - Opera House 
Dates: Oct. 12-13, 2010　  19:30
Price:  VIP　  380　  280　  180　  120　  80 RMB

Programme Introduction

The dance drama The Flower is an integration of Ningxia ballad "The Flower", the Hui dance and the romantic story; as a breakthrough in the act-on-act mode of dance drama, it gives an account with brilliant imagination and romantic expression of the love story between the Hui singer Flower and the shepherd on the great northwest land.

The creation of this drama by its director Zhang Jigang lasted for three years until it was accomplished. Inspired by the simple folklore, naïve people and colorful folk dances and music in Ningxia region, Zhang infused the work with Ningxia character and accordingly made it distinct from other dramas of its kind.

Chief director: Zhang Jigang
Zhang Jigang is a famous director in contemporary China. As the president and postgraduate tutor of People's Liberation Army Institute of the Arts, he receives the special subsidies from the State Council. Concurrently, he is the member of the 6th and 7th national committees of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, chairman of China Special Art Committee, vice-chairman of China Dancers Association, and vice-chairman of Beijing Dancers Association. He was given the title of "Century Star", the only choreographer in Chinese dancers circle. He was also granted the award of "20th Century Dance Classics of Chinese Nation". He was deputy director-in-chief of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and executive director-in-chief of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Paralympic Games.

Zhang Jigang has created more than 420 works, of which many have been staged in over 60 countries and regions. Quite a few of his works have been transplanted to the stage at home and abroad and won him top awards. He has won for nine times the top award at international contests: the international top award, "Prix du President de la Republique", "Best Director Award of Hollywood", international gold award (three times), international "Golden Clown Award" (three times). And he has won top award, gold award and first prize at home for more than 40 times. His works were scheduled as "masterpiece dramas" of national stage art masterpiece project in 2004 and 2006. Being director-in-chief of various international and national evening performances for more than 60 times, he is acclaimed as a "genius of choreography".

Synopsis
Against the vicissitude of Chinese great northwest and the cloud-like sheep on the loess tableland, the beautiful Hui singer Flower and the kind-hearted shepherd fall in love with each other. The influential Caoda has long coveted Flower. Flower invites him to the "Flower Fair" to compete in singing.

Like a festival, "Flower Fair" is found full of bold "step dancing" and wild singing. It comes as a surprise that Flower mysteriously disappears after the Fair is over...

Ningxia Song and Dance Ensemble
Founded in 1958, Ningxia Song and Dance Ensemble has accumulated a great number of Muslim songs and dances by means of collection, arrangement and creation. All these songs and dances are very popular with mass audience at home and abroad, including Mansour (the large song and dance drama "The Flower"), Xixia Girl (national dance drama), Xixia Folklore (large national music and dance), New Moon Over Jiuzhou (large Hui song and dance), all filled with the manliness of the great northwest and the exotic flavor of the Hui ethnic group. It has more than once participated in Chinese art festivals, the music week of the northwest, artistic performances of ethnic groups of China and CCTV "heart-to-heart" performances on the behalf of the Autonomous Region of Ningxia. The ensemble has won dozens of prizes and medals, in which are national gold and silver awards, and "the Best Works Award" at the state and the Autonomous Region levels.

Its members come from Hui, Han, Qiang, Mongolian, Man, Korean and Tibetan ethnic groups. With 9 national first-class actors, 45 second-class actors and artists, the ensemble has left its footprints all over the country. It was invited as well to the festival of Asia-Pacific Arts and the world festival of folk arts; and it was acclaimed by the audience at home and abroad on its tour to over 20 countries and regions.

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