Dynamic tale takes inspiration from ballad

As part of the first Grand Performances in Beijing seasonal productions, a dance drama named the Lady from the Sea was staged at the Lao She Theater in late December.

The Beijing seasonal event, which kicked off in November and will end in January, is held both online and offline to popularize art and enrich local people's lives, officials said.

The dance drama is based on the play of the same name written by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in 1888.

In the play, Ibsen's focus for the first time shifted from social problems to the lonely, rich and inner world of struggling individuals. It tells the story of Ellida, who contends with responsibility, marriage, desire and freedom.

The play drew inspiration from the Scandinavian ballad Agnete and the Merman. In this, a merman woos a human woman, persuades her to leave her children and live with him under the sea.

Ellida is the daughter of a lighthouse keeper and lives with her husband, Doctor Wangel, and his two daughters from a previous marriage. Ellida is obsessed with the sea, which represents freedom and danger, two elements lacking in her unsatisfying married life.

Without dialogue, the drama shows Ellida's deep and complex emotions via modern and traditional Chinese dance. Wang Yabin, the director and leading actor of the drama, said she added two imaginary characters of the dead wife and seawater in the adaptation, so Ellida's inner world can be better presented.

The Beijing seasonal event provides an opportunity for more dramas, operas and other shows to be performed to the public, Wang said. It's also a great performance platform for creators, she added.

Lao She Theater opened in Beijing's Xicheng district on Nov 5. The 300-seat theater is named in honor of the first chairman of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, also a famous Beijing-born novelist.

Moreover, it shows the federation's spirit and commitment to offering great cultural works for the people, according to BFLAC.

Chen Ping, the BFLAC's current chairman, said the Lao She Theater will make sustained efforts to support and present superb plays, enabling residents to enjoy a high-quality cultural life.

haonan@chinadaily.com.cn