The Peony pavilion - A surprising dream
The Peony Pavilion – A Surprising Dream
2019
The Peony Pavilion – A Surprising Dream is a contemporary dance production created in 2019, inspired by the Ming dynasty Kunqu opera masterpiece The Peony Pavilion by the playwright Tang Xianzu. Rooted in one of the most celebrated love stories in Chinese classical literature, the work reflects on how love is imagined, desired and pursued within Chinese cultural tradition.
Combining modern dance with fragments of classical Kunqu opera, this production offers a renewed interpretation of classical Chinese aesthetics through a contemporary sensibility. The emotional depth of Kunqu’s poetic texts is translated into a physical and expressive dance language that resonates with modern audiences, while preserving the lyrical spirit of the original work.
The Peony Pavilion – A Surprising Dream is a unique collaboration between Dutch and Chinese dance makers and artists, bridging tradition and contemporary expression, and allowing classical beauty to re-emerge in a new performative form.
Artistic Team
Concept and Direction
CunSong Xu
Fuhai Lu
Choreography
CunSong Xu
Business Director
Roos Hendriks
Cello and Live Music
Antonis Pratsinakis
Opera Singers
Yu Liu
Jiulin Yu
Fanggun Shen
Performance and Dancers
Tamara KÅ¡Ãrová
Gijs Hanegraaf
Technical Direction
Vincent Romijn
Producers
ShaoHua Cai
Roos Hendriks
With Thanks To
Karin Post
Fonds Podiumkunsten
China Cultural Center The Hague
Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theatre
Suzhou Ballet Theatre
