China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater
The China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater was the first state-level folk dance drama theatre to be established in the PRC, the first Chinese dance ensemble to be labelled as a dance drama theatre, and one of the first leading theatres to develop the folk dance drama art in China. Over the past 60 years since its establishment, the theatre has been home to many excellent dancing artists of the older generation, including ZHAO Qing and CHEN Ailian, who had the greatest influence and enjoyed a high reputation in China’s dance circles, and many outstanding young dancing artists including SHAN Chong, YANG Yi, TANG Shiyi, HU Yang, SUN Fubo, ZHU Yin, YANG Siyu, LIU Bin, YU Yu, DOU Shuaifang, WANG Jiaxin, ZHANG Di, GUO Yiming, HAO Ruoqi, LI Yiran, WEI Shenyang, YANG Zheng, and PAN Yongchao. With several generations of artists’ painstaking efforts, the theatre has created numerous excellent dance dramas and developed a folk dance drama style of its own.
For more than 60 years, the theater has remained devoted to developing the Chinese-style folk dance drama art. In addition to producing China’s first folk dance drama Lotus Lantern and China’s first Han/Tang-dynasty-style dance drama Tongque Dancers, the theatre has produced classic folk dance dramas including Princess Wencheng, The Dream of Red Mansions, The Sword, etc. In recent years, the theatre has continued climbing to the summit of Chinese folk dance drama with artistic works in its repertoire. Since 2013, it has consecutively launched a number of excellent dance dramas including Confucius, A Dream of Youth, The Chinese Orphan, Lady Zhaojun Going Beyond the Great Wall, LI Bai, Tide of Era, Heroic Sons and Daughters, Guardians of Red Boat, etc.; small-sized dance dramas Elegant Demeanour of Scholars, Boiling Wine and Green Plums, Autumn Breeze in South Court, etc. All these works have received high praise from audiences both at home and abroad.
From the premiere of the large-scale musical dance epic The East is Red in 1964 until today, the theater has participated in many large-scale national theatrical galas, including a large-scale theatrical gala for 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, a large-scale theatrical gala for the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the reform and opening-up, a large-scale theatrical gala for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, and a theatrical gala titled “Great Journey” for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. At all major historical moments, the theatre takes up its mission for the new era as a national art organisation directly under the state to show its mental outlook, boost national cohesion, and use its unique form of body art to write something and express emotions for the times.
The China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater stands committed to promoting the development of China’s socialist dance drama art as a leading representative of the industry, with a view to prospering the socialist culture and writing a new chapter for the development of folk dance drama in China.
China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater Dance Drama Troupe
The China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater Dance Drama Troupe was the first national level folk dance drama troupe to be established in the PRC, the first Chinese dance ensemble to be labelled as a dance drama troupe, and one of the first leading troupes to develop the folk dance drama art in the nation. Over the past 60 years since its founding, the troupe has served as a home to many excellent dancing artists of the older generation, including ZHAO Qing and CHEN Ailian, who had the greatest influence and enjoyed a high reputation in China’s dance circles, and many outstanding young dancing artists including SHAN Chong, YANG Yi, TANG Shiyi, HU Yang, SUN Fubo, ZHU Yin, YANG Siyu, LIU Bin, YU Yu, DOU Shuaifang, WANG Jiaxin, ZHANG Di, GUO Yiming, HAO Ruoqi, LI Yiran, WEI Shenyang, YANG Zheng, and PAN Yongchao. On account of the several generations of artists’ painstaking efforts, the troupe has created numerous excellent dance dramas and developed a folk dance drama style all of its own.
For over six decades, the theatre has remained devoted to developing the Chinese-style folk dance drama art. In addition to producing China’s first folk dance drama Lotus Lantern and China’s first Han/Tang-dynasty-style dance drama Tongque Dancers, the theatre has produced classic folk dance dramas including Princess Wencheng, A Dream of Red Mansions, The Sword, The Sunset Glow, XU Fu, Sacrificed Youth, Shadow of Fencing Wall, Don't Cry, Nanking, as well as the dance gala Ten Classics, Entering the Excellent Dance Drama Fragments of Chinese Dance Drama, the song and theatrical dance gala, The Charm of Four Seasons, Golden Dance and Silver Melody, Purple Auspicious Clouds, Carnival, Charms of the Five Continents, Blessings from the Horizon, Hometown in Dreams, the dance special Red Army Flowers on the Long March, song and dance drama Four Beauties, new edition of Flower in the Mirror, Moon on the Water and other works of art, which have been well received by audiences both at home and abroad. It has won numerous national art awards such as the Wenhua Award, National Dance Competition Award, National Best Stage Art Project, Learning-oriented Party Branch directly under the Ministry of Culture, Advanced Primary Party Organization directly under the Ministry of Culture, National Women’s Pioneering and Prioritizing Collectivity, National March 8th Red Banner Pacesetter Collectivity, the Excellent Youth League Branch of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and The Youth Civilization Unit awarded by the Youth League Working Committee of the central and national institutions. In recent years, the theatre has climbed to the summit of Chinese folk dance drama with artistic works in its repertoire. Since 2013, it has launched a number of excellent dance dramas including Confucius, A Dream of Youth, The Orphan of ZHAO, Lady Zhaojun Going Beyond the Great Wall, LI Bai, Tide of Era, Heroic Sons and Daughters, Guardians of Red Boat, etc; smalle-sized dance dramas Elegant Demeanour of Scholars, Boiling Wine and Green Plums, Autumn Breeze in South Court, etc. All these works have received high praise from audiences both at home and abroad.
From the premiere of the large-scale musical dance epic The East is Red in 1964 until today, the troupe has participated in many large-scale national theatrical galas, including a large-scale theatrical gala for the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, a large-scale theatrical gala for the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the reform and opening-up, a large-scale theatrical gala for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, and a theatrical gala titled Great Journey for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. At all major historical moments, the troupe takes up its mission for the new era as a national art organization directly under the state to show its mental outlook, boost national cohesion, and apply its unique form of body art to describe and express emotions for the times.
The China National Opera & Dance Drama Theatre Dance Drama Troupe stands committed to promoting the development of China’s socialist dance drama art as a leading representative of the industry, with a view to prospering the socialist culture and writing a new chapter for the development of folk dance drama in China.