National Ballet of China, The Peony Pavilion
- Because of its traditional and dramatic storyline, it was a thrilling yet beautiful end to the night, not to mention a sigh of relief after its contemporary predecessor.
- Music:
- dark and heavy when set in the Underworld, but lighter and more pleasing to the ear in the mortal world
- This reflects the contrast in themes between the Underworld and the mortal world.
- Main indicator for climatic events: the ruler of the Underworld permitting the heroine to return to the mortal and reunite with her lover
- dark and heavy when set in the Underworld, but lighter and more pleasing to the ear in the mortal world
- Interaction/Expression:
- Between the heroine and ghosts/the ruler of the Underworld
- Ruler attempted to stop her, cut off her path
- Urgency and despair is reflected in the heroine’s actions
- Between the heroine and her mortal lover
- The hero mourning for his deceased lover
- The moment the hero “sees” the heroine: conflicting emotions of surprise, grief, and happiness
- When they embrace each other, the longing they both felt
- Between the heroine and ghosts/the ruler of the Underworld
- Costumes/Props:
- More use than the preceding performances
- Color of costumes acts as distinguishing factor of dead vs. living
- Black and white for ghosts and color for mortals
- Furthermore, red for luck and good (wedding act)
- Designs of gowns
- The hero’s simple, oatmeal-colored gown seems to be a sleep gown and his blue, more elaborate one should be his outside apparel
- Use of stage:
- Dancers fill the stage during each act (with the exception of the two lovers’ reunion)
- Always in action, never stationary
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