Ballet of the Opera National de Bordeaux to perform at Shanghai Oriental Art Center

Scenes of La Sylphide. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Ballet of the Opera National de Bordeaux will present La Sylphide and Don Quichotte (Act III) at Shanghai Oriental Art Center from May 10 to 12.

The original version of La Sylphide, created by Italian choreographer Filippo Taglioni, premiered at the Paris Opera in 1832, where dancing en pointe was showcased for the first time as an aesthetic rationale instead of merely as an acrobatic stunt.

Scenes of La Sylphide. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A second version was choreographed by Danish ballet master August Bournonville in 1836, which is recognized as one of the oldest surviving ballets. The Ballet of the Opera National de Bordeaux version was based on Bournonville's creation and premiered at the Grand Theatre of Bordeaux.

Scenes of La Sylphide. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The ballet tells about a young man enticed by a sylph right before his wedding and falls into the trick of a witch, ending up losing the sylph and his bride-to-be.

Scenes of Don Quichotte. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Ballet of the Opera National de Bordeaux is a representative of the French ballet school, with its history dating to the 18th century. The company will also present in Shanghai the third act of Don Quichotte, choreographed by Spanish artist Jose Carlos Martinez, now director of dance at the Paris Opera Ballet.

Scenes of Don Quichotte. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Scene from La Sylphide. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]