hong kong ballet us tour

Hong Kong Ballet to Present US Premiere of ROMEO + JULIET at New York City Center

Set in Hong Kong in the turbulent 1960s, Shakespeare's timeless tale of star-crossed lovers is given a fresh and thought-provoking retelling.

Hong Kong Ballet will present the U.S. Premiere of Romeo + Juliet on Friday, January 13 at 8pm and Saturday, January 14 at 2pm at New York City Center, 131 W. 55th Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenues) NYC. Tickets begin at $35 and can be purchased online at nycitycenter.org , by phone at (212) 581-1212, or in person at the New York City Center Box Office.

Ancient grudges between triad families. Passion and tragedy. The iconic balcony scene. Set in Hong Kong in the turbulent 1960s, Shakespeare's timeless tale of star-crossed lovers is given a fresh and thought-provoking retelling in Septime Webre's new Romeo + Juliet. Juliet's father is an unrelenting Shanghainese tycoon who is determined to marry his only daughter off to a wealthy gweilo (Caucasian), and Webre's original choreography seamlessly incorporates intense street battles rendered in traditional Hong Kong-style kung fu. Accompanied by Prokofiev's dramatic score, retro Hong Kong is vividly brought to life in the epic love story's captivating dancing, complex drama and sumptuous cheongsams. This brilliantly imagined adaptation is especially relevant for contemporary audiences as it fuses dance and drama against a backdrop of a world in flux.

"Transposing the action from medieval Italy to 1960s Hong Kong is an ingenious idea which serves the dual purpose of appealing to the local audience while offering a uniquely Hong Kong product for international tours. Visually the production is stunning." - South China Morning Post

One of Asia's premier ballet companies, Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) is internationally recognized as a world-class institution which represents Hong Kong's unique character. Since its inception in 1979, HKB has evolved into a vibrant performing arts organization with a dynamic repertoire, forward-thinking community engagement initiatives and an emphasis on excellence. Septime Webre joined HKB as its Artistic Director in July 2017.

With nearly 50 dancers from all over the globe-Hong Kong, Mainland China and other parts of Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe and throughout North America-HKB has won recognition both regionally and internationally. HKB's repertoire includes celebrated restagings of the classics, neo-classical masterworks by George Balanchine , original full-length works created for HKB and an award-winning series of ballets for young audiences. In addition, HKB performs works by some of today's most sought-after choreographers, including Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon , Wayne McGregor , Justin Peck , Jiří Kylian, Nacho Duato, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa as well as dynamic new works by HKB's Choreographer-in-Residence Hu Song Wei Ricky, Yuh Egami, as well as numerous emerging Hong Kong choreographers.

With almost 50 tours to 11 countries, HKB most recently toured Europe, Mainland China and the US, at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and in New York at the Joyce Theatre and the renowned Fall for Dance Festival. In addition to its performances on stage at home and abroad, HKB maintains a full schedule of community engagement initiatives throughout Hong Kong to ensure the art of ballet is accessible to all. Since its debut in 2020, the HKBALLET@HOME online channel has garnered over 2 million views, connecting with ballet lovers across the globe.

Romeo + Juliet

Romeo: Alejandro Virelles (January 13), Taras Domitro (January 14)

Juliet: Ye Feifei (January 13), Xuan Cheng (January 14)

Juliet's Mother: Wang Qingxin

Juliet's Father: Wei Wei (January 13), Yonen Takano (January 14)

Juliet's Amah*: Zhang Xuening (January 13), Gao Ge (January 14)

Tai Po*: Garry Corpuz (January 13), Alexander Yap (January 14)

Mr. Parker*: Henry Seldon (January 13), Jonathan Spigner (January 14)

Little Mak*: Chun Long Leung (January 13), Albert Gordon (January 14)

Benny*: Jonathan Spigner (January 13), Kyle Lin (January 14)

Romeo's Sifu: Ethan Chudnow (January 13), Garry Corpuz (January 14)

*Some character names are adapted:

Nurse → Amah

Tybalt → Tai Po

Paris → Mr. Parker

Mercutio → Little Mak

Benvolio → Benny

Choreography: Septime Webre

Music: Sergei Prokofiev

Costume Design: Mandy Tam

Set Design: Ricky Chan

Assistant Set Designer: Ryan Lo

Lighting Design (based on the original designs by Billy Chan): Ruby Yau

Lighting Consultant: Billy Chan

Dramaturge: Yan Pat To

Make-up Design: M•A•C Cosmetics

Martial Arts Advisor: Hing Chao

Martial Arts Partner: International Guoshu Association

For more information, visit https://www.hkballet.com .

About the Artists

Born in Santiago, Cuba, Alejandro Virelles trained at National Ballet School of Cuba and upon graduation joined National Ballet of Cuba, where he became a principal dancer within five years. Afterwards, he danced with Barcelona Ballet and Boston Ballet, was invited to join English National Ballet in 2014 as a principal dancer and then joined Berlin State Ballet in 2018.

Virelles has danced most of the major roles in classical repertoire, worked with many leading choreographers and artistic directors and appeared in numerous prestigious galas and festivals. He has won awards at Varna International Ballet Competition and International Ballet Competition of Havana.

Born in Liaoning, China, Ye Feifei trained at Xun Yan Ballet School in Shenyang and Goh Ballet Academy in Canada. She joined Hong Kong Ballet as a Corps de Ballet member in 2006, was named Coryphée in 2009 and became Soloist in 2010. She left the Company in 2014 and returned as a Principal Dancer in 2016.

With HKB, Ye has danced principal and featured roles, including Odette/Odile in John Meehan 's Swan Lake, Giselle in Septime Webre and Charla Genn's Giselle, Queen of the Wilis in John Meehan and Lin Mei-fang's Giselle, Princess Aurora in Cynthia Harvey's The Sleeping Beauty, Ballerina and Spanish Doll in Terence Kohler's The Nutcracker, Sugar Plum and Snow Queen in Webre's The Nutcracker, Kitri and Dulcinea in Nina Ananiashvili's Don Quixote, Medora and Gulnare in Anna-Marie Holmes' Le Corsaire, Juliet in Rudi van Dantzig's Romeo and Juliet and Webre's Romeo + Juliet, Swanhilda in Ronald Hynd 's Coppélia, Hanna Glawari in Hynd's The Merry Widow, Marguerite in Val Caniparoli's Lady of the Camellias, Queen of Hearts and Eaglet in Webre's ALICE (in wonderland), Daisy Buchannan in Webre's The Great Gatsby, Turandot in Natalie Weir's Turandot, Carmen in Yuh Egami and Hu Song Wei Ricky's Carmen and lead roles in George Balanchine 's Jewels. She was also featured in Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort, Christopher Wheeldon 's Rush, Alexei Ratmansky's Le Carnaval des Animaux, Jorma Elo's Shape of Glow, Stephen Shropshire's Handelwerk, Hu's Between the Emotion and the Response and Tang Min (after Jules Perrot)'s Pas de Quatre, among others.

An active participant in many international ballet competitions, Ye has received numerous awards, including a silver medal at the Genée International Ballet Competition and a bronze medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition in 2006.

Taras Domitro was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. Former Principal Dancer with National Ballet of Cuba and San Francisco Ballet. He trained at Alejo Carpentier School and the National Ballet School in Havana.

Mr. Domitro was nominated for best male dancer at the 2013 Benois de la Danse. He also won the 2008 Gold Medal at the World Ballet Competition in Orlando, Florida, the Grand Prix at Peru's International Ballet Festival in 2003, and in 2000, 1st Prize and the Revelation Award at International Ballet Competition and Ballet Academies Festival in Havana, Cuba. At age 20, he became a Principal Dancer with the National Ballet of Cuba. He built an incredible career sharing the stage with renowned dancers such as Italian Prima Ballerina Carla Fracci . Later he continued acquiring an extensive and versatile repertoire at San Francisco Ballet. Domitro's major roles as a principal dancer include Albrecht in Tomasson's & Alonso's "Giselle," Snow King and Nutcracker Prince in Thomasson's "Nutcracker," Prince & Sugar Plum Cavalier in Alonso's "Nutcracker," Mercutio in Tomasson's "Romeo and Juliet," Romeo & Mercutio in Alonso's "Shakespeare & the Masks," Prince Siegfried in Tomasson's "Swan Lake," Basilio in Tomasson's/Possokhov's & Alonso's "Don Quixote," Franz in Balanchine's & Alonso's "Coppelia," Lensky in Cranko's "Onegin," Benjamin in Wheeldon's "Cinderella," Prince in Consuegra's "Cinderella," Solor in Makarova's "Kingdom of the Shades" from "La Bayadere,"The Creature in Scarlett's "Frankenstein," Brown in Robbins' "Dances at a Gathering." In addition, he created the role of Giovanni and The Swimmer, respectively, in Possokhov's Francesca da Rimini and Swimmer.

His repertoire also includes Balanchine's "The Four temperaments, " "Emeralds," "Rubies," "Scotch Symphony," "Symphony in C," and "Theme and Variations." The title role in Fokine's "Petrouchka," Lifar's "Suite en Blanc," Edward Liang's "Wunderland," McGregor's "Chroma,"Nureyev's "Raymonda" Act III, Ratmansky's "Russian Seasons" and "Shostakovich Trilogy" (Symphony #9), Robbin's Opus19 "The Dreamer," Tomasson's "7 for Eight", "Caprice," "Criss-Cross," "Prism," "On a Theme of Paganini," "Le Quattro Stagioni" and "Trio." He has also performed the Pas de Deux from Vaganova's "Diana & Acteon," the Pas de Deux from Vainonen's "Flames of Paris," "La Bayadere" Pas D'action and Zanella's "Alles Walzer" and "Underskin." Mr. Domitro also worked with Cuban choreographers Alberto Mendez, Ivan Tenorio, and Eduardo Blanco. As an international principal guest artist, Mr.Domitro has performed with several renowned companies at some of the most important stages worldwide. To mention a few, Balletto dell'Opera di Roma, Italy, Florida Classical Ballet, Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami, Ballet Dortmund and Hamburg Ballet, Germany, Orlando Ballet, Kremlin International Ballet Festival, Russia, The Gran Ballet Festival del Queretaro, Mexico, Panama International Ballet Festival, Roberto Bolle & Friends Galas, Elisa Carrillo & Amigos Galas, Taipei International Ballet Gala, Taiwan, Gala of Stars Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition, International Ballet Season with National Ballet of China, Gala Internacional de Ballet Chile, Festival de Ballet Cordoba, Mexico, Collin County Ballet Theater, Colorado Conservatory of Dance, International Ballet Greenville, World Ballet Competition Gala of Stars, Gala de Danza, Mexico, Les Hivernales de la Danse, Belgium, YAGP Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow, Tampa and Ballet West, The Alicia Alonso Foundation Gala in Madrid, Spain.

Taras has a degree as Professional Ballet Dancer and Teacher from the National Ballet School in Havana, Cuba. Based on the Cuban Ballet Method. In 2017, Taras left San Francisco Ballet to work as a Principal Guest Artist and teacher worldwide. He has worked with students from schools such as Master Ballet Academy, Pennsylvania Ballet Conservatory, Golden State Ballet Academy, Feijoo Ballet School, Hathaway Academy of Ballet, Galmont Ballet, In House Expressions, Performance Edge 2, KL Dance Works (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), National Capital Ballet School (Canberra, Australia), Ballet Gonzalez (Recife, Brazil), International Ballet Intensive (Johannesburg, South Africa). He has also taught several masterclasses for YAGP, Grand Prix Intensive, Ballet Arts Company's "Get Inspired" Series, and more.

Since the Summer of 2020, he has been a part of the Art of Classical Ballet Faculty, helping his mom, renowned Cuban ballet teacher Magaly Suarez built the Pre-Professional Program. For the past four years, he has been the private ballet coach of young prodigy Brady Farrar, a student of The Art of Classical Ballet and Stars Dance Studio (2021 YAGP Grand Prix Award).

Born in Hunan, China, Xuan Cheng trained at Guangzhou Arts School and Xinghai Conservatory of Music. She joined Guangzhou Ballet in 2000 and later become a Principal Dancer. She was invited to join La La La Human Steps, Canadian contemporary dance company, and later danced with Les Grands Ballet Canadiens and Oregon Ballet Theatre before joining Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) in 2022 as a Principal Dancer and Ballet Mistress.

Cheng's notable principal roles include Odette/Odile in Christopher Stowell's and Kevin Irving's Swan Lake, and she was the first Chinese dancer to perform the role of Teresina in August Bournonville 's full-length Napoli. Additionally, she has performed almost all the lead roles in classical ballets like The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Cinderella, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, La Bayadere and ALICE (in wonderland) and has danced leading and original roles created by world class choreographers, including George Balanchine , William Forsythe , Nacho Duato, Jiří Kylián, Édouard Lock, Nicolo Fonte, Trey McIntyre and Val Caniparoli. With La La La Human Steps, she toured 20 countries across Europe, Asia and North America. Cheng also guest performed with Barak Ballet and HKB and in the International Ballet Gala IX with Ballett Dortmund in 2009.

Her accolades include being the silver medalist in the 3rd Shanghai International Ballet Competition in 2004, the finalist in the 8th New York International Ballet Competition in 2005 and the gold medalist in the 2006 Taoli Cup Dance Competition.

Cheng is a guest faculty member of Guangzhou Arts School and the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre. In 2015, she co-founded Oregon International Ballet Academy with her husband and served as the Artistic Director, overseeing ballet education programs and full-length productions.

Artistic Director Septime Webre is an internationally recognized ballet director, choreographer, educator and advocate. He joined Hong Kong Ballet as its Artistic Director in July 2017 after 17 years as Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet in Washington DC, US from 1999-2016. Previously he served as Artistic Director of the American Repertory Ballet , based in Princeton, New Jersey, US from 1993-1999. In addition, Webre has served as the Artistic Director of Halcyon, a Washington DC-based foundation, launching an annual international Festival for Creativity in Washington DC in June 2018.

During Webre's tenure at The Washington Ballet, the institution's budget grew by 500%, and it enjoyed unprecedented advances in the scope and quality of its work on stage, in the size and reach of its professional school, and in the development of several far-reaching community engagement programmes, which he founded. Webre launched an array of artistic initiatives including The American Experience, which developed great works of literature into full-length ballets, including The Great Gatsby and Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises among others.

As a choreographer, Webre's works appear in the repertoires of ballet companies throughout North America, including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Colorado Ballet, Ballet West, Atlanta Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Austin, Ballet Memphis, Milwaukee Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, and many others, and he has worked frequently in theatre as well as opera. His new works for HKB, Romeo+Juliet, set in 1960s Hong Kong, and The Nutcracker, set in 1920s Hong Kong, world premiered in June 2021 and December 2021 respectively. The latter work also won him Outstanding Choreography at the 2022 Hong Kong Dance Awards.

As a dancer, Webre was featured in solo and principal roles from the classical repertoire as well as in contemporary works by choreographers such as Twyla Tharp , Paul Taylor and Merce Cunningham. He has served on the juries of a number of international ballet competitions, including those in Varna, Bulgaria, Istanbul, Cape Town, New York, Seoul, and elsewhere. He has served on the board of Dance/USA and his work has received numerous honors, grants and awards. He holds a degree in History/Pre-Law from the University of Texas at Austin, and is the seventh son in a large, boisterous Cuban American family.

After 14 years in the West, Sergei Prokofiev returned to Soviet Russia and composed his first full-length ballet score, Romeo and Juliet, commissioned by Serge Diaghilev. His score has a wonderful lyricism depicting Juliet's innocence and Romeo and Juliet's tender love for each other. A Czech company first staged the ballet, followed by the Kirov in 1940, and in 1946, the Bolshoi staged it a decade after Prokofiev had finished it. There were those who wanted a happy ending, so Prokofiev had to fight to retain Shakespeare's tragic ending. Romeo and Juliet is now one of the most popular ballets today.

Mandy Tam has designed costumes for more than 80 productions in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Macao, Taiwan, Berlin, Singapore and other cities in North America, encompassing Chinese and Western opera, dance, drama, musical and physical theatre. In 2004 and 2015 she won twice the "Best Costume Award" from the Hong Kong Federation of Drama Societies. In 2008, she was awarded the Lee Hysan Foundation Fellowship of the Asian Cultural Council.

One of the most prominent set and costume designers in Hong Kong, Ricky Chan is the Head of Theatre Design in The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Chan has designed for more than 150 productions of various genres, including opera, Chinese opera, Chinese dance, contemporary dance and drama, winning much critical acclaims. His most representative works include the award-winning Hong Kong Repertory Theatre's Dr Faustus and the large-scale Cantonese opera production Shade of Butterfly and Red Pear Blossom. He has worked extensively in the theatre, commercial fields and interior design and actively promoted theatre arts education and given talks on set and costume design. He was the chairman of Hong Kong Association of Theatre Technicians and Scenographers from 2008 to 2012.

Billy Chan has collaborated with ELDT, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Dionysus Contemporary Theatre, choreographer Duncan Macfarland and Taiyuan Dance Troupe, Macao Cultural Centre and Trinity Theatre, in addition to pop concerts. He won Best Stage Art of the Year (Lighting Design) at the 2017 Shanghai Jing'an Modern Drama Valley One Drama Awards. In April 2019, he was awarded Best Lighting Design at the Hong Kong Drama Awards for Chung Ying Theatre Company's Rashomon and Outstanding Lighting Design at the Hong Kong Dance Awards for Hong Kong Dance Company's Waiting Heart.

Award-winning playwright, director and educator Yan Pat To is Artistic Director of Reframe Theatre. His works have been performed in Berlin, London, Munich, New York, Taipei, Mannheim, Seoul, Montreal and Hong Kong. His play A Concise History of Future China was the first ethnic Chinese play ever selected by Berliner Festspiele Theatertreffen Stuckemarkt and premiered at the 2016 Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival. Yan is currently Lecturer (Dramaturgy) at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Chairman of the Literary Art committee for Hong Kong Arts Development Council.

NEW YORK CITY CENTER

has played a defining role in the cultural life of the city since 1943. The distinctive Neo-Moorish building was founded by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia as Manhattan's first performing arts center with the mission of making the best in theater, dance, and music accessible to all audiences. This commitment continues today through celebrated dance and musical theater series like the Fall for Dance Festival and the Tony-honored Encores! series, as well as new dance series Artists at the Center and the City Center Dance Festival. Dedicated to a culture built on the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, City Center welcomes more than 300,000 annual visitors to experience internationally acclaimed artists on the same stage where legends like George Balanchine , Leonard Bernstein , Barbara Cook , José Ferrer, Martha Graham , and Paul Robeson made their mark. Home to a roster of renowned national and international companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (City Center's Principal Dance Company) and Manhattan Theatre Club, City Center's dynamic programming, art exhibitions, and studio events are complemented by education and community engagement programs that bring the performing arts to thousands of New York City students, teachers, and families every year, in all five boroughs. NYCityCenter.org

Recommended For You

New York City Center uses cookies on this site to customize and improve your experience. By clicking “Accept,” you are agreeing to this usage. View our privacy policy for more information. 

Hong Kong Ballet | Romeo + Juliet

Jan 13 & 14, 2023

Tickets from $35

Jan 13 & 14, 2023 Fri | 8pm Sat | 2 & 8pm

Ancient grudges and warring families. Passion and tragedy. The iconic balcony scene. Shakespeare’s timeless tale of star-crossed lovers has captivated audiences for generations and is given a fresh and thought-provoking retelling in Septime Webre ’s new  Romeo + Juliet . Set in 1960s Hong Kong with designs incorporating mid-twentieth century Hong Kong street life details, this epic love story captivates with vivid dancing, complex drama, sumptuous cheongsams, and iconic scenes from the tragic tale. With Webre’s original choreography accompanied by Prokofiev’s dramatic score and intense martial arts fight scenes, this brilliantly imagined adaptation is especially relevant for contemporary audiences as it fuses dance and drama against a backdrop of a world in flux.

Tickets go on sale September 6 to members and September 13 to the general public . Get advance access to the full season when you join Friends of City Center at the $100 level or above.

Ye Feifei and Garry Corpuz; photo by Bobyeah

Cast & Credits

Choreography by Septime Webre Music by Sergei Prokofiev Costume Design by Mandy Tam Set Design by Ricky Chan Assistant Set Designer: Ryan Lo Lighting Design by Ruby Yau Original Lighting Design and Lighting Consultant: Billy Chan Dramaturgy by Yan Pat To Make-Up Design by M·A·C Cosmetics Martial Arts Advisor: Hing Chao Martial Arts Partner: International Guoshu Association Recorded Accompaniment by Hong Kong Sinfonietta

Sponsor & Partner

Related Events

FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL Sep 21 – Oct 2, 2022

TWYLA THARP |  In the Upper Room  &  Nine Sinatra Songs Oct 19 – 23, 2022

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER Nov 30 – Dec 24, 2022

© 2024

• ADVERTISEMENT & PAID CONTENT OPPORTUNITIES

• Ballet Performance Reviews
• Interviews with Ballet Professionals
• The Latest Ballet News
• Feature Ballet Stories
• Ballet Schools & Training
• On This Day in Ballet History
• Hong Kong Ballet
• National Ballet of China
• National Ballet of Japan
• Singapore Ballet
• Bavarian State Ballet
• Birmingham Royal Ballet
• Bolshoi Ballet
• Compañía Nacional de Danza
• Dutch National Ballet
• English National Ballet
• Finnish National Ballet
• Hamburg Ballet
• La Scala Theatre Ballet
• Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo
• London City Ballet
• Mariinsky Ballet
• Mikhailovsky Ballet
• Northern Ballet
• Norwegian National Ballet
• Paris Opera Ballet
• Polish National Ballet
• Royal Ballet of Flanders
• Royal Danish Ballet
• Royal Swedish Ballet
• Scottish Ballet
• State Ballet of Georgia
• The Royal Ballet
• The Stuttgart Ballet
• Varna International Ballet
• Vienna State Ballet
• Alabama Ballet
• Alberta Ballet
• American Ballet Theatre
• American Contemporary Ballet
• American Repertory Ballet
• Atlanta Ballet
• Avant Chamber Ballet
• Ballet Arizona
• Ballet Arkansas
• Ballet Austin
• Ballet Idaho
• Ballet Memphis
• Ballet North Texas
• Ballet West
• Boston Ballet
• Carolina Ballet
• Charlotte Ballet
• Cincinnati Ballet
• City Ballet of San Diego
• Cleveland Ballet
• Colorado Ballet
• Complexions Contemporary Ballet
• Dance Theatre of Harlem
• Eugene Ballet
• Grand Rapids Ballet
• Hollywood Ballet
• Houston Ballet
• Indianapolis Ballet
• Joffrey Ballet
• Kansas City Ballet
• Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
• Les Grands Ballets
• Los Angeles Ballet
• Madison Ballet
• Miami City Ballet
• Milwaukee Ballet
• Nashville Ballet
• New Jersey Ballet
• New York City Ballet
• Oklahoma City Ballet
• Oregon Ballet Theatre
• Orlando Ballet
• Pacific Northwest Ballet
• Philadelphia Ballet
• Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre
• Richmond Ballet
• Royal Winnipeg Ballet
• Sacramento Ballet
• Saint Louis Ballet
• San Francisco Ballet
• Sarasota Ballet
• Texas Ballet Theater
• The National Ballet of Canada
• The Washington Ballet
• Tulsa Ballet
• Queensland Ballet
• Royal New Zealand Ballet
• The Australian Ballet
• BALLET PERFORMANCE CALENDAR
• Ballet Shows in Australia
• Ballet Shows in Chicago
• Ballet Shows in London
• Ballet Shows in Los Angeles
• Ballet Shows in New York City
• Ballet Shows in Paris
• Ballet Shows in Toronto
• Ballet Shows in United Kingdom
• Ballet Shows in Washington, D.C.
• Don Quixote
• La Bayadère
• La Sylphide
• Romeo and Juliet
• The Nutcracker
• The Sleeping Beauty
• 2024 Ballet Summer Intensive Programs
• Ballet Books & Gifts

Hong Kong Ballet 2022-2023 Season

Under the motto “We’ll Dance You a Story” the Hong Kong Ballet 2022-2023 season kicks off this fall and features world premieres, an Asian premiere, and a highly anticipated tour to New York’s City Center .

Hong Kong Ballet 2022-2023 Season Schedule

Carmina Burana | October 14-16, 2022

Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

• The Last Song by Hu Song Wei Ricky
• Carmina Burana by Septime Webre

Inspired by selections by J.S. Bach and Oscar Wilde’s The Nightingale and the Rose , Hu created his new work The Last Song , which features solos by HK Phil Concertmaster Jing Wang and Principal Cello Richard Bamping.

Carl Orff’s iconic Carmina Burana is a commanding interpretation of 24 medieval poems. With dances from medieval times to the present, Webre’s choreography is influenced by Orff’s bombastic music and by themes from Virginia Woolf’s novella Orlando about our eternal search for love. Striking nine-metre scaffolding surrounding the stage holds over 100 members combined HK Phil Chorus and The Hong Kong Children’s Choir, who are joined by soloists soprano Vivian Yau, tenor Ren Shengzhi and baritone Liu Tao.

The Nutcracker | December 16-31, 2022

• The Nutcracker by Septime Webre

With scores of lavish costumes and an extraordinary setting, The Nutcracker world finds Clara and the Nutcracker on a magical journey, battling the evil Rat King’s army, traveling through a majestic bamboo forest covered in snow, encountering lively, memorable characters and the wonderous beauty of local flora and fauna, history and traditions. Experience the splendor and spectacle of this endearing annual Hong Kong classic celebrating the joy of the holidays with your loved ones!

Hong Kong Ballet 2022-2023 Season Tickets ⤞

Romeo and Juliet | January 13-14, 2023

New York City Center

• Romeo and Juliet by Septime Webre

Ancient grudges and warring families. Passion and tragedy. The iconic balcony scene. Shakespeare’s timeless tale of star-crossed lovers has captivated audiences for generations and is given a fresh and thought-provoking retelling in Septime Webre’s new Romeo + Juliet .

Set in 1960s Hong Kong with designs incorporating mid-twentieth century Hong Kong street life details, this epic love story captivates with vivid dancing, complex drama, sumptuous cheongsams and iconic scenes from the tragic tale.

With Webre’s original choreography accompanied by Prokofiev’s dramatic score and intense martial arts fight scenes, this brilliantly imagined adaptation is especially relevant for contemporary audiences as it fuses dance and drama against a backdrop of a world in flux.

Coco Chanel: the Life of a Fashion Icon | March 24-26, 2023

Lyric Theatre, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

• Coco Chanel: the Life of a Fashion Icon by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

A brilliant designer and shrewd businesswoman, firebrand Coco Chanel redefined the world of fashion and outfitted a new generation of modern women who were intelligent, ambitious and rebellious. Her iconic little black dress and bouclé jackets and skirts are now classic style staples seen all over the world.

Acclaimed Belgian-Colombian choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s original ballet Coco Chanel: the Life of a Fashion Icon , created for Hong Kong Ballet, celebrates the complex life of the 20th century’s most intriguing designer with an original score by Peter Salem, elegant sets and costumes by the award-winning Jerome Kaplan and artistic collaboration by Nancy Meckler.

La Bayadère | June 2-4, 2023

• La Bayadère by Vladimir Malakhov (after Marius Petipa)

Get ready for passion, opium, deadly snakes, ghosts and gods! An iconic 19th century Russian ballet set in ancient India’s jungles, La Bayadère recounts the ill-fated love of a temple dancer (bayadère) Nikiya and her noble warrior Solor, who is betrothed to another woman. Set to music by Ludwig Minkus, this enduring tale of palace intrigue, vengeance and redemption is considered one of the bestloved classical ballets of all time.

With lavish staging by the celebrated Vladimir Malakhov after Marius Petipa and Jordi Roig’s opulent sets and costumes, La Bayadère ’s thrilling highlights include the Golden Idol’s spectacular virtuoso solo and the renowned Kingdom of the Shades scene.

Featured Photo for the Hong Kong Ballet 2022-2023 Season provided by Hong Kong Ballet.

Ballet Herald News Desk

This article is derived from a press release or other reliable information provided by the cited source above. Opinions expressed are not of The Ballet Herald.

The most interesting ballet news and stories of the week.

You may also be interested in...

A Curated Selection of Ballet Books for Your Reading List

Abigail Prudames Retires from Northern Ballet

17 Philadelphia Ballet Dancers Promoted for 2024-2025 Season

Emma Von Enck Promoted to Principal Dancer

Beauty Will Save The World: Raffaella’s Family Continues Her Legacy in New Classical Ballet

• Privacy Policy

© 2024 The Ballet Herald™ by BalletNomad, LLC®

• ➩ Subscribe Now
• ☕ Buy us a coffee!
• Ballet Performance Calendar
• List of Ballet Companies
• ⊙ Advertisement & Paid Content Opportunities

Hong Kong Ballet: Romeo + Juliet

Tickets from $10–$89. See details below. 

Ancient grudges between triad families. Passion and tragedy. The iconic balcony scene. Set in Hong Kong in the turbulent 1960s, Shakespeare’s timeless tale of star-crossed lovers is given a fresh and thought-provoking retelling in  Septime Webre ’s new  Romeo  +  Juliet . Juliet’s father is an unrelenting Shanghainese tycoon who is determined to marry his only daughter off to a wealthy gweilo (Caucasian), and Webre’s original choreography seamlessly incorporates intense street battles rendered in traditional Hong Kong-style kung fu. Accompanied by Sergei Prokofiev’s dramatic score, retro Hong Kong is vividly brought to life in the epic love story’s captivating dancing, complex drama, and sumptuous cheongsams. This brilliantly imagined adaptation is especially relevant for contemporary audiences, as it fuses dance and drama against a backdrop of a world in flux.

“Transposing the action from medieval Italy to 1960s Hong Kong is an ingenious idea which serves the dual purpose of appealing to the local audience while offering a uniquely Hong Kong product for international tours. Visually the production is stunning.” South China Morning Post

Tickets available for $69–$89. $10 UNC-Chapel Hill student tickets available with valid UNC One Card. Additional discounts available. Visit our FAQ page for details.

EVENT DETAILS

• Program:  We’re excited to offer a robust digital program book for this event. To access this resource,  click here . This program can also be accessed via QR codes on event signage.
• Runtime:  2 hours, 20 minutes (with intermission)
• Intermission:  20 minutes
• Additional information: Visit our FAQ page  

Choreography:   Septime Webre   Music: Sergei Prokofiev   Costume Design:  Mandy Tam   Set Design:  Ricky Chan Assistant Set Designer:  Ryan Lo   Lighting Design:  Ruby Yau   Original Lighting Design and Lighting Consultant:  Billy Chan   Dramaturgy: Yan Pat To   Make-Up Design: M·A·C Cosmetics   Martial Arts Advisor:  Hing Chao   Martial Arts Partner:  International Guoshu Association

ABOUT SEPTIME WEBRE

Septime Webre is an internationally recognized ballet director, choreographer, educator and advocate. He joined Hong Kong Ballet as its Artistic Director in July 2017 after 17 years as Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet in Washington D.C., U.S. from 1999-2016. Previously he served as Artistic Director of the American Repertory Ballet, based in Princeton, New Jersey, U.S. from 1993–1999. In addition, Webre has served as the Artistic Director of Halcyon, a Washington D.C.-based foundation, launching an annual international Festival for Creativity in Washington D.C. in June 2018.  

more about septime webre

During Webre’s tenure at The Washington Ballet, the institution’s budget grew by 500%, and it enjoyed unprecedented advances in the scope and quality of its work on stage, in the size and reach of its professional school and in the development of several far-reaching community engagement programs that he founded. Webre also launched an array of artistic initiatives, including The American Experience , which developed great works of literature like “The Great Gatsby” and Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” into full-length ballets.  

As a choreographer, Webre’s works appear in the repertoires of ballet companies globally, including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Colorado Ballet, Ballet West, Atlanta Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, Ballet Austin, Ballet Memphis, Milwaukee Ballet, Kansas City Ballet, Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico, and many others, and he has worked frequently in theatre as well as opera. His new works for HKB, Romeo + Juliet , set in 1960s Hong Kong, and The Nutcracker , set in early 20 th century Hong Kong, world premiered in June and December 2021, respectively. As a dancer, Webre was featured in solo and principal roles from the classical repertoire as well as in contemporary works by choreographers such as Twyla Tharp, Paul Taylor, and Merce Cunningham. He has served on the board of Dance/USA and on the juries of a number of international ballet competitions, including those in Varna, Bulgaria, Istanbul, Cape Town, New York, and Seoul. Webre’s work has received numerous honors, grants, and awards. He holds a degree in History/Pre-Law from the University of Texas at Austin and is the seventh son in a large, boisterous Cuban-American family. 

ABOUT HONG KONG BALLET

One of Asia’s premier ballet companies, Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) is internationally recognized as a vibrant arts institution that represents Hong Kong’s unique character. Established in 1979 and led by Artistic Director Septime Webre, HKB has a dynamic repertoire performed by nearly 50 dancers from all over the globe and award-winning education and community programs. 

More about hong kong ballet

With nearly 50 dancers from all over the globe — Hong Kong, Mainland China and other parts of Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and throughout North America — HKB has won recognition both regionally and internationally. HKB’s repertoire includes celebrated re-stagings of the classics, neo-classical masterworks by George Balanchine, original full-lengths created for HKB and an award-winning series of ballets for young audiences. In addition, HKB performs works by some of today’s most sought-after choreographers, including Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Wayne McGregor, Justin Peck, Jirˇí Kylian, Nacho Duato, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa as well as dynamic new works by HKB’s Choreographer-in-Residence Hu Song Wei Ricky, Yuh Egami, as well as numerous emerging Hong Kong choreographers. 

With almost 50 tours to 11 countries, HKB most recently toured throughout Europe, Mainland China and the US, at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and in New York at the Joyce Theatre and the renowned Fall for Dance Festival. In addition to its performances on stage at home and abroad, HKB maintains a full schedule of community engagement initiatives throughout Hong Kong to ensure the art of ballet is accessible to all. Since its debut in 2020, the HKBALLET@HOME online channel has garnered over 2 million views, connecting with ballet lovers across the globe. 

SPECIAL EVENT: HONG KONG FILM WEEKEND

To celebrate the arrival of Hong Kong Ballet, CPA is partnering with the  Chelsea Theater  to present a pair of Hong Kong film favorites—just in time for the Lunar New Year! Learn more  here .

SCENES FROM THE PRODUCTION

For a sneak peek at Romeo + Juliet , click the dropdown below.

Photo Album

Street Scene

Juliet’s Family

Floating Restaurant

Ballroom Scene

Balcony Scene

Temple Scene

Kung Fu Scene

Bedroom Scene

Funeral Scene

SPECIAL THANKS

Student Ticket Angel Fund Sponsors:

• Kimberly Glenn Phillips and Ambassador Earl N. “Phil” Phillips, Junior
• The Phillips Ambassadors Program
• Kumi Sato and Donald Kanak

Lead Performance Sponsors:

• HAECO AMERICAS
• Patricia and Thruston Morton

Performance Sponsors:

• The Carolina Asia Center
• Wyndham Robertson
• Cheray Duchin

Performance Supporters

• Brae Blackley
• Bernard Charnwut Chan
• Alison Friedman
• Henry Lee and Angelina Bussinger Lee
• Frank and Ellen Proctor
• Daniel Rupp
• Douglas and Viki Singleton
• Camellia Tan
• Lakshmi Mahey Laroia
• Cathy Barbash
• Frankie Fang

TOUR PARTNER

Subscribe to Our Email List

• China Daily PDF
• China Daily E-paper
• Asia-Pacific
• Middle East
• China-Europe
• China-Japan
• China-Africa

HK Ballet delights US audience with original rendition of Romeo and Juliet

An elegant retelling of William Shakespeare's ancient tale Romeo and Juliet was performed by dancers from the Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) in New York this weekend. The US premiere about the tragic star-crossed lovers took place at the iconic New York City Center in Manhattan on Jan 13 and 14 to a full house. The US tour will move on to North Carolina next on Jan 20 and 21.

Susan Liebell, an audience member from New Jersey praised the performance. "I loved the sets…especially the red ones, the men's dancing was super compelling," she told China Daily. "It was perfect in this theatre."

Set in Hong Kong in the turbulent 1960s, HKB provided a fresh take on Shakespeare's story. It transported audiences back in time by featuring an intricately designed set that kept changing, along with costumes that captured fashion from the era.

Septime Webre, HKB's artistic director since 2017 told China Daily: "It's inspired by the special vibrancy and dynamic energy of Hong Kong in the early 1960s, it was a pretty fascinating time of great change. The production is inspired by the nostalgia that Hong Kong people have with that era."

In this rendition of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's father is an unrelenting Shanghainese tycoon who is determined to marry his only daughter off to a wealthy Caucasian man. But things go awry when she has eyes for another man. The ballet was set to Sergei Prokofiev's dramatic score, bringing retro Hong Kong alive for the audience, as dancers fuse dance and drama to showcase a society in flux in the visually stunning performance.

Webre's original choreography seamlessly incorporates intense street battles rendered in traditional Hong Kong-style kung fu.

Established in 1979, HKB is one of Asia's premier ballet companies. The vibrant performing arts organization has nearly 50 dancers, hailing from international locations including Australia, New Zealand, Europe and throughout North America.

Candy Nip, director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York told China Daily: "Hong Kong ballet is one of the most refined and international ballet companies in Asia and we are very proud to showcase our talents, creativity and diversity and represent Hong Kong." The dancers of HKB have performed 50 tours in 11 countries worldwide in Europe, China and the US. Qian Jin, Deputy Consul General, from The Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York told China Daily: "The ballet was wonderful because it's a cultural exchange that we can share and know we have something in common.

"By using art and cultural activities, we know that no matter your race, or country that you're from, we're all the same. That's important now, as the world faces global challenges."

Heidi Lee, Executive Director of HKB told China Daily: "This performance is very meaningful to us as it's being done after COVID, and is our biggest tour from Hong Kong in post COVID time." Along with performances at home and abroad, HKB is engaged with the community in Hong Kong ensuring that ballet is accessible to all. It's online channel HKBALLET@HOME, has been watched by over 2 million people worldwide.

• IN THE NEWS
• FROM OUR PARTNERS
• PERFORMANCE CALENDAR
• Alvin Ailey
• BALLET AUSTIN
• BALLET HISPÁNICO
• BALLET IDAHO
• BALLET SUN VALLEY
• BOSTON BALLET
• Dance Theatre of Harlem
• INDIANAPOLIS BALLET
• NASHVILLE BALLET
• OREGON BALLET THEATRE
• PACIFIC NORTHWEST BALLET
• PHILADELPHIA BALLET
• SACRAMENTO BALLET
• SAINT LOUIS BALLET
• SAN FRANCISCO BALLET
• THE WASHINGTON BALLET
• TEXAS BALLET THEATER
• OUR FOUNDER
• MEET THE TEAM
• MAGAZINE PUBLISHING
• GET IN TOUCH
• ADVERTISE WITH EN FACE
• AD SPECIFICATIONS
• DIGITAL MAGAZINES
• NUTCRACKER NOSTALGIA

Select Page

Serendipity, Research, and Passion: Septime Webre On Hong Kong Ballet’s Upcoming Tour To New York City Center

Interview | 0 |

by Thomas Baker

I first met Septime Webre, Hong Kong Ballet’s Artistic Director, in 2018 while working on the role of the White Rabbit in his ALICE (in wonderland). I had spent weeks working on my interpretation of the role prior to his arrival; I preciously went over how I wanted to approach each step, my character arc, and each rabbit-like thump of my foot. When Septime arrived at Oregon Ballet Theatre to coach us, he entered the room with an infectious energy so robust it was simultaneously inspiring and intimidating. It was out with precious and in with a “rock ’em, sock ’em” attack, as he liked to say.

I quickly understood how this man was able to grow The Washington Ballet’s budget by %500 percent, attract well known talent, and develop a loyal audience during his tenure as Artistic Director there. Having the opportunity to meet with him from his Hong Kong home via zoom to talk about his production of Romeo and Juliet’s tour to the New York City Center only further developed my awe for this incredibly creative and energetic human. We dove into serendipity, creativity, research, and a love of storytelling in a way that has left me anxiously awaiting watching Hong Kong Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet at New York City Center January 13th and 14th! 

Can you tell us a little bit about the creation of Romeo and Juliet and what the process was like?

I fell in love with Hong Kong when I moved here(from Washington DC) in 2017. For the previous 10 or 15 years, I almost exclusively had been making original full length ballets using great works of American literature. I knew I wanted to tackle a work that would reflect Hong Kong culture. The Hong Kong I fell in love with. I’m not the right choreographer to tackle Chinese literature. But I thought that something that would reflect the fusion nature of Hong Kong would be appropriate.

And of course, Prokofiev provides that amazing score. It’s almost choreographer proof. You can’t screw it up – it’s so good! I happen to have been a history major in undergrad during a period when I was essentially hiding from my parents how much I wanted to be a ballet dancer and telling them I would be a lawyer to deflect attention. I have always been interested in history and social context. 

The early sixties in Hong Kong was a period of great social turbulence. There was a mass immigration from Shanghai to Hong Kong of people fleeing communism. It was a city that was becoming very wealthy and there were a lot of issues of class that seemed parallel to Romeo and Juliet. 

I started the [choreographic] process in the early pandemic, so we had a long rehearsal period, but no performances scheduled yet because of the nature of the pandemic. Our dancers trained about six hours a week for quite some time in proper Hong Kong style Kung fu. So that’s another way that there’s a fusion – that the martial arts is woven into the ballet language. That’s a little bit of the genesis [of the piece]. 

This version is sort of a re-imagination of the classic Romeo and Juliet. What elements have been reimagined and what remains true to Shakespeare?

Well, when you’re making a big new work, there’s a lot of serendipity that’s involved in discovering how you’ll deal with different passages. The direct narrative essentials remain the same. There’s no real change in what happens, but characters and context have been adapted significantly. Here are maybe five or six small examples. Tai Po, the Tybalt role, is not only a triad up from the street, but he’s also a business partner to Juliet’s father and Juliet’s mother’s lover, adding another kind of family intrigue to the scenario.

The role of Friar Lawrence and essentially the Prince of Verona have been combined into Romeo’s Sifu- Romeo’s martial arts master. In Chinese culture, the Sifu is a master of any field. There’s thousands of years of apprenticeship tradition and mastering of a thing.

And often, Chinese medicine and martial arts are housed in the same person. That allowed this character of Romeo’s Sifu, both to be his kind of surrogate father figure, and also a kind of spiritual leader who might lead a symbolic commitment ceremony and also might know about medicines and give Juliet a potion.

During the early pandemic, there was a small opening [of stay at home restrictions] at some moment, during it, the city was relatively quiet. I was wandering through a neighborhood , thinking about the production, kind of absorbing the energy. I stumbled into a Mahjong parlor and I had played Mahjong as a kid in New York. I was fascinated.

It was so aggressive and chaotic and I thought, how brilliant. Actually, on my walk over there, I had been thinking about the fact that Prokofiev wrote a lot of music in Act two that doesn’t really tell the story; it’s yet another dance for the Harlot or for the street citizens. And it seemed redundant to act one and I thought, well, they’re going to stumble into a mahjong parlor. So I’ve created this really quite wild mahjong table that’s made a fun adaptation. 

And that was one of those serendipitous kind of moments that you were talking about. 

I was also scratching my head about how to deal with the Commedia dell’Arte, the first scene of Act Two. I was drinking a beer in Hong Kong’s Soho district one night, they had closed off the street and a film was being made. This is something you see all the time, films being made on the street.

So I thought, all right, we’ll have that be a film that comes by on the street. I hadn’t figured out what to do with that film and the next day I went for a meeting at the China Club here in Hong Kong in an iconic club that is in the 1930s Shanghai style.

There was a collection of comics from the 1960s of this character Lo Fu , Old Master Q . They would be the equivalent of Archie comics in the United States. It’s a funny old guy who’s really tall and skinny and his potato shaped friend, and they’re always after pretty girl Ms. Chan. Lo Fu is iconic in Hong Kong and so I knew Hong Kong people would know what it was. We changed the brand a bit because we didn’t quite have the rights for it.

One thing about Hong Kong is that street life is specific here. It’s very energetic. There’s food sold on the street. There’s kanji  sellers and noodle sellers, dim sum sellers. So there’s a lot of little elements of street life that have been embedded in[to the production].

It’s so amazing hearing about your inspirations! It speaks to your creativity, in adapting the story, and it also speaks to Romeo and Juliet; that story that humans can relate to from all over the world. 

You’ve already touched on your background studying history and falling in love with Hong Kong. How did you learn about all of these cultural references that you’ve been able to incorporate? Was it all through your own research or did you have people helping you? 

I worked with a dramaturg, actually Yan Pat To, a local playwright and dramaturg based in Hong Kong with an international career – they helped me make some choices to ensure I didn’t make mistakes.

I mentioned I was a history major in undergrad and that I have a kind of eclectic background. My family traveled a lot when I was young. My six older brothers grew up in Cuba. I grew up in The Bahamas, South Texas,  and Sudan. Spent a fair amount of time traveling in Europe as a kid. My worldview, I guess, is through an international lens and I am naturally drawn towards historical context; historical context of what’s happening around me or what the lineage is. 

I did a lot of research and when I moved to Hong Kong, I just started to really soak in the city and really learn about it. Some of the elements come from the assistant of a wonderful dramaturg, some of it was just my own understanding of the city.

Some of it is just stuff where a light bulb went off – particularly the ballroom scene. I wanted it to feel like the early sixties. I wanted to show that the society was quite elevated so it would contrast from the street life. The designer has pushed the early sixties. Some of them have a Judy Jetson, atomic age, peplum to the Cheongsam  that you would see at that time. Mac cosmetics designed the makeup and so there’s a lot of fun with early sixties liquid eyeliner and whatnot.

A lot of what we talk about now is kind of the context of design decisions. At the end of the day, the heart of the ballet though, is housed in that story and in the choreography and how the story manifests through this particular staging.

Images courtesy of Hong Kong Ballet.

You’re so fascinating and you share so much. I love it. Like you mentioned, you’re particularly well known and have a knack for telling stories of American literature and full-length ballets. How do you approach telling stories that we all know so well, and where do you think your innate ability for entertaining and storytelling came from?

I definitely came at storytelling organically. I came from the generation of artists who were influenced by Balanchine and Cunningham. And as a matter of fact, early in my career, I left ballet for a period and danced in the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Serious choreographers weren’t making narratives. New work was generally abstract, shorter, and existed in a triple bill. I certainly came out of that.

Early in my career, I was an Artistic Director at Princeton Ballet. I was 30, and suddenly I wasn’t in charge of my choreographic career. I was a steward of a civic institution that needed some big ballets to grow the box office and grow the audience base. So I began to make work that did that. Initially, I used scores that existed, like Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, I adapted a Giselle, a Coppelia, all over the course of some years.

After this period of time, I felt ready to be my own author. I felt ready to tackle works where a score was not yet written. So about 10 years ago I created the first of these, a series of big ballets that were kind of from scratch. I looked to great works of literature and I created a Great Gatsby. I went back to the book, read it maybe twice cleanly, and then the third time began to make notes and imagine what scenes could be. 

Essentially that became my process, and I came at it organically. I started as an abstract artist, and then eventually just naturally found my voice. Having said that, when I really realized I was a storyteller, I looked back to see where that came from and when I was a kid, I was naturally theatrical and I was a playwright. 

When I was 10 I wrote my first play. It was called The Case of the Recurring Ennui . I had heard the word ennui, and I knew it meant something like boredom. My sister, who was eight, was my muse. She was wearing a white strapless, fishtail gown I’d made out of the canopy of her bed with safety pins and was lying on a chez I’d made out of suitcases and a red crushed-velvet blanket. As a Cuban-American, you don’t have to ask why I had a red crushed-velvet  blanket.

I mean, stories just came naturally when I was a kid. And honestly, I’m just interested in the storytelling and I’m interested in technique and movement.

That’s so funny – you took me on this journey of your artistic maturation and process while also realizing that it all stems from the root of who you are as an entertainer and a storyteller.

I could do that for you because I am a storyteller. 

You have worked all over the world. You’ve also, I found out, have lived all over the world. You are very multicultural and now you have this opportunity of bringing Hong Kong Ballet and Romeo and Juliet to New York City Center. What are you looking forward to, or what it means to you to have this tour?

I t’s a terrific moment. It’s certainly a homecoming for me. I’m a New Yorker and a Washington DC person. Both cities are home to me and City Center is the epicenter of so much important dance over the last 75 years or more.

I’m also excited because I came to Hong Kong Ballet in 2017 and Hong Kong Ballet is, and was already, a beautiful ballet with a great bone structure and a really elegant repertoire.

What I hope I have brought, is a fresh energy to it. I’m anxious to share this re-energized company with New York and with American audiences. It’s also a really great celebration for Hong Kong.

During the pandemic we’ve been so isolated. Everyone’s been isolated. I’m happy for Hong Kong Ballet to be the first major kind of cultural ambassadorship from Hong Kong to the world to remind everyone of the energy and special nature of Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s also a city that has a special glamor to it and I think you’ll see a little bit of that with the company as well. The company definitely reflects the energy of the city. 

Well, I am so happy to chat, chat with you and reconnect and I am looking forward to seeing you in New York. 

Me too! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat.

Subscribe For Updates & Giveaways!

Advertise in ballet performance publications.

Alvin Ailey Ballet Austin Ballet Hispánico Ballet Idaho Ballet Sun Valley Boston Ballet Dance Theatre of Harlem Indianapolis Ballet Nashville Ballet Oregon Ballet Theatre Pacific Northwest Ballet Philadelphia Ballet Sacramento Ballet Saint Louis Ballet San Francisco Ballet The Washington Ballet Texas Ballet Theater

Charleston WV

Connecticut

Indianapolis

Kansas City

Los Angeles

New York City

North Carolina

Philadelphia

Saint Louis

Salt lake City

San Francisco

South Carolina

Washington (State)

Washington D.C

Experiences

Photography

3-D Virtual Tour to HKCC Facilities

• 獎學金 Scholarship
• 支持我們 Support us
• 聯絡我們 Contact Us

Strictly Dumpling

BEST Roast Goose in Hong Kong! HK Roast Goose Tour

Posted: May 31, 2024 | Last updated: May 31, 2024

More for You

International reaction to Donald Trump's criminal conviction

Expert demonstrates genius tip to get rid of empty medication bottles: ‘Do not recycle these curbside’

10 Fast-Food Sandwiches From the ’80s That Have Vanished

These Are The 7 Things Stroke Doctors Say You Should Never, Ever Do

Encourage Orchids To Bloom With A Kitchen Scrap You'd Be Dumping Anyway

'I was a millionaire before I did Terminator': Arnold Schwarzenegger told Grant Cardone how he made millions before becoming a movie star — and it wasn’t from bodybuilding

Speaker Johnson says the Supreme Court should step in

I found Dad washing the car with a paintbrush. His dogs knew exactly what was happening

Professional housekeeper shares one thing she wishes everyone knew about laundry: 'The best [tip] I've heard in a long time'

Sen. Joe Manchin Leaves Democratic Party

Not everyone should sleep on their left side — leading sleep doctor explains why

How to Avoid This Common Misdiagnosis: What A Brown Recluse Bite Looks Like

Tim Scott clashes with CNN host after Trump's conviction in New York: 'No, you can't correct me on this'

Naturally Repel Pests From Your Garden With An Item From Your Kitchen

A 50-year-old man used an obscure IRS rule to withdraw $20K a year from his retirement savings — without any penalty. Here's how

North Korea Issues 'Disaster' Warning to US

We Asked Cardiologists Which Foods To Cut Out For Better Heart Health. Here’s What They Said

The Best Fish to Buy Instead of Tuna, Halibut, Mahi Mahi and More

Supreme Court Sides with NRA in Crucial First Amendment Decision

Mother who ignored her kids at half-marathon finish line speaks out against critics

• China Edition

• China Daily PDF
• China Daily E-paper

HK Ballet delights US audience with original rendition of Romeo and Juliet

By Belinda Robinson in New York | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2023-01-15 09:06

An elegant retelling of William Shakespeare's ancient tale Romeo and Juliet was performed by dancers from the Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) in New York this weekend. The US premiere about the tragic star-crossed lovers took place at the iconic New York City Center in Manhattan on Jan 13 and 14 to a full house. The US tour will move on to North Carolina next on Jan 20 and 21.

Susan Liebell, an audience member from New Jersey praised the performance. "I loved the sets…especially the red ones, the men's dancing was super compelling," she told China Daily. "It was perfect in this theatre."

Set in Hong Kong in the turbulent 1960s, HKB provided a fresh take on Shakespeare's story. It transported audiences back in time by featuring an intricately designed set that kept changing, along with costumes that captured fashion from the era.

Septime Webre, HKB's artistic director since 2017 told China Daily: "It's inspired by the special vibrancy and dynamic energy of Hong Kong in the early 1960s, it was a pretty fascinating time of great change. The production is inspired by the nostalgia that Hong Kong people have with that era."

In this rendition of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet's father is an unrelenting Shanghainese tycoon who is determined to marry his only daughter off to a wealthy Caucasian man. But things go awry when she has eyes for another man. The ballet was set to Sergei Prokofiev's dramatic score, bringing retro Hong Kong alive for the audience, as dancers fuse dance and drama to showcase a society in flux in the visually stunning performance.

Webre's original choreography seamlessly incorporates intense street battles rendered in traditional Hong Kong-style kung fu.

Established in 1979, HKB is one of Asia's premier ballet companies. The vibrant performing arts organization has nearly 50 dancers, hailing from international locations including Australia, New Zealand, Europe and throughout North America.

Candy Nip, director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York told China Daily: "Hong Kong ballet is one of the most refined and international ballet companies in Asia and we are very proud to showcase our talents, creativity and diversity and represent Hong Kong." The dancers of HKB have performed 50 tours in 11 countries worldwide in Europe, China and the US. Qian Jin, Deputy Consul General, from The Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York told China Daily: "The ballet was wonderful because it's a cultural exchange that we can share and know we have something in common.

"By using art and cultural activities, we know that no matter your race, or country that you're from, we're all the same. That's important now, as the world faces global challenges."

Heidi Lee, Executive Director of HKB told China Daily: "This performance is very meaningful to us as it's being done after COVID, and is our biggest tour from Hong Kong in post COVID time." Along with performances at home and abroad, HKB is engaged with the community in Hong Kong ensuring that ballet is accessible to all. It's online channel HKBALLET@HOME, has been watched by over 2 million people worldwide.

• LIVE DISCOURSE
• BLOG / OPINION
• SUBMIT PRESS RELEASE
• Advertisement
• Knowledge Partnership
• Media Partnership

Rathika Suthanthira's Tough Loss in Hong Kong PSA Challenge Cup

New delhi, may 31 (pti) – india's rathika suthanthira lost to malaysian third seed sehveetrraa kumar in the quarterfinals of the hong kong psa challenge cup. the sixth-seeded rathika, who recently won her maiden professional squash association tour title, was defeated 11-6, 11-8, 11-6..

India's Rathika Suthanthira went down meekly to Malaysian third seed Sehveetrraa Kumar in the quarterfinals of the Hong Kong PSA Challenge Cup.

The sixth-seeded Rathika, who won her maiden Professional Squash Association Tour title at the HCL Squash Tour at Indore last weekend, lost 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 to her higher-ranked opponent in the fourth leg of this tournament.

Is Ro Khanna running for president? Yes says his Indian American colleagues in Congress

It's time for indian americans to run for office at all levels, says raja krishnamoorthi, space data fuels india's farming innovation drive, second generation indian americans see real value of being involved in public sector, says sikh mayor bhalla, india benefiting from more investments coming into the country as less foreign investment going into china: un expert.

Next-Gen Testing for Aluminum Can Lids: Advanced EIS Techniques for Beverage...

Tata Group's AI Revolution: Over 100 GenAI Projects in Action!

India's Battle with Tobacco: A Call for Progressive Harm Reduction

World Bank Approves $1.2 Billion to Support Kenya’s Fiscal Sustainability an...

Latest news, netanyahu's fourth address to congress: a historic invitation amidst crisis, fin smith's kicking heroics propel northampton saints to premiership final, biden eases restrictions: ukraine gains leverage in kharkiv, biden's peace proposal: a three-phase path to end gaza conflict.

OPINION / BLOG / INTERVIEW

Blockchain adoption: know its role in reducing data monopolization in supply chains, sailing towards sustainability: global efforts unite for biodiversity conservation, next-gen testing for aluminum can lids: advanced eis techniques for beverage can durability, breaking down barriers: the future of hospitals in global health systems, connect us on.

• ADVERTISEMENT
• KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSHIP
• MEDIA PARTNERSHIP
• Agro-Forestry
• Art & Culture
• Economy & Business
• Energy & Extractives
• Law & Governance
• Science & Environment
• Social & Gender
• Urban Development
• East and South East Asia
• Europe and Central Asia
• Central Africa
• East Africa
• Southern Africa
• West Africa
• Middle East and North Africa
• North America
• Latin America and Caribbean

OTHER LINKS

• Write for us
• Submit Press Release
• Opinion / Blog / Analysis
• Business News
• Entertainment News
• Technology News
• Law-order News
• Lifestyle News
• National News
• International News

OTHER PRODUCTS

Email: [email protected] Phone: +91-720-6444012, +91-7027739813, 14, 15

© Copyright 2024

US rolls out new visa restrictions for Chinese, Hong Kong officials

Us announces visa restrictions for chinese and hong kong officials amid national security law trial outcomes.

• by Web Desk
• May 31, 2024

The United States announced new visa restrictions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials in response to guilty verdicts in a trial related to Hong Kong's National Security Law.

As per Reuters , Thursday marked the conclusion of a major subversion trial in Hong Kong, with fourteen pro-democracy activists found guilty and two acquitted.

In a statement, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller expressed deep concern over the verdicts, stating, "The United States is deeply concerned by the guilty verdicts announced in the National Security Law trial of pro-democracy organizers in Hong Kong."

He went on to explain, "The defendants were subjected to a politically motivated prosecution and jailed simply for peacefully participating in political activities protected under the Basic Law of Hong Kong."

Miller further added that the US decision to impose visa restrictions targets officials responsible for implementing the security law.

The trial, which is Hong Kong's largest against the democratic opposition, follows the arrest of 47 democrats over three years ago.

The charges against them include conspiracy to commit subversion under China's national security law.

Moreover, the US urges Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to refrain from using vague national security laws to curb peaceful dissent.

Jennifer Lopez drops bombshell amid marital woes with Ben Affleck

Feroze Khan kicks off his wedding festivities yet again

Are personalised cancer vaccines the cure we've been waiting for?

Will US and Canada experience northern lights again? Find out

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in May The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in April The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in March The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in February The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in January The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in November The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in October The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in September The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in August The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in July The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in June The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• The Planners and Notebooks That Keep Our Editors Organized The Planners and Notebooks That Keep Our…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in December The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bo…
• Stuff We Buy Ourselves: Target’s Fall Designer Collection Stuff We Buy Ourselves: Target’s Fall De…
• The Portable Speakers Our Editors and Writers Use The Portable Speakers Our Editors and Wr…
• The Speaker 3 of Our Writers Take Everywhere The Speaker 3 of Our Writers Take Everyw…
• The Yoga Blanket Three Strategist Staffers Own (and Love) The Yoga Blanket Three Strategist Staffe…
• The Strategist Haul: What the Editors Bought in May

If you follow our monthly feature “ Your Shopping Cart ,” you know we have some eerily good intel on what you all are buying, which led us to think that, as Strategist editors, we could turn the tables and highlight all the things we’ve been buying for ourselves. As you’ll notice, it’s both a blessing and a curse to be a Strategist editor; we’re picky, but sometimes we just have to get on with it. (It’s online-shopping expertise meets IRL needs.) Below, what we bought in May.

Amelia Jerden, sleep writer

These were my go-to shoes from approximately 2017 to 2022. At some point, my last pair got too ratty, and I tossed them without replacing them. Since then, I’ve felt a major lack in my closet. I’ve looked at other options, but nothing has ever appealed to me quite like my simple white Supergas. With summer approaching (the ultimate white-sneaker season), I decided it was finally time to reintroduce white Supergas into my life — and I pulled the trigger when I found them on sale at Zappos.

Clearly, I’m updating my summer wardrobe. I’ve wanted some kind of loose, flowy white button-down to wear over tank tops and dresses for a few years and finally decided to get this one from Quince . I’ve worn it only once since I bought it, but I really like the look and feel of the linen so far. If I bought it again, though, I might size up for a slightly oversize look.

Ailbhe Malone, senior editor

I bought this quenching sunscreen serum recommended by my facialist. It feels like water going on and never pills (even when I forget to wash my face at night).

My book club is reading this, and it’s making me both very hungry and very concerned that I don’t call my mum enough.

Arielle Avila, writer

My current apartment doesn’t have central AC as my former one did, so a window unit was at the top of my list this month. I ended up getting Windmill’s because it looks sleeker than most and I wanted the ability to control it from my phone. It was a breeze to set up on the app, and I’ve been able to switch it off on cooler days or turn it on for my dog if I panic about her being hot at home while I’m out. I’ve left it on throughout most nights this month, and it keeps my railroad-style apartment extremely cold (a must for a sweaty sleeper).

After some trial and error, I finally got my hands on Adidas Spezials in my correct size (apparently, am not alone in finding sizing to be an issue — when I stopped at the Adidas store, there were at least three other people there just to find their proper size). So you don’t have to trek to your nearest store, I advise you to go down an entire size. All that trouble did seem worth it, though, because these were comfortable out of the box, and I’ve already gotten a couple of compliments on them.

Jordan McMahon, writer

I’ve been using the same power bank for several years, but this one has a built-in AC plug that enticed me to upgrade. Now I don’t need to carry a separate power brick with me on trips. This lets me charge my gadgets while it charges itself, and it has enough power to charge my phone twice.

Emma Wartzman, kitchen-and-dining writer

I was in Paris at the beginning of the month and spent a good couple of hours wandering around Merci, which I had originally heard about from people recommending its gorgeous glassware to me. That place is huge and lovely. And while it would have been a logistical nightmare to take home a full set of glassware, I opted for some heartier treasures, including a throw pillow (yes, I put a throw pillow in an extra tote bag I brought and managed to get it on the plane) and two of these less breakable glass bubble candleholders. They’re sitting on my dining-room table now, and I love them so much because of their slight mismatch and the way the light shines through them.

Editor’s note: Merci lists all prices in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion to U.S. dollars.

I’m pretty dedicated to Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen, mostly because I love how it acts as a makeup primer — but it’s very pricey. I decided it would be smart to add a couple of others to the mix for days when I’m not painting my face: a big tube of La Roche–Posay that can also be used on my body and this one from Beauty of Joseon because I keep hearing about how great Korean sunscreens are ( this video has been living rent free in my head for months) and I’ve never tried them. TBD on both, but I’m optimistic.

Hilary Reid, senior editor

I was on the hunt for some new bedside lamps this month, and after scrolling through what felt like infinite pages of minimalist beige stone lamps, I landed on these, which are quite the opposite. I remembered them from my house growing up, and lo and behold, there were tons of them still on eBay, and at not-too-bad prices. The ones I ordered didn’t come with shades, so I found some very elegant bell-shaped ones at Broome Lampshades that look as though they were meant for these lamps.

A few years ago, I interviewed Nicky Hilton for our “ What I Can’t Live Without ” series. She had just done a collaboration with French Sole — a tiny shoe store on the Upper East Side that sells mostly flats that come in leopard-print shoeboxes — and after the piece ran, Hilton’s publicist sent me a pair of black flats from the collaboration as a thank-you gift. Little did I know that those flats would become one of my most-worn pairs of shoes ever and that I would clock nine miles of walking around the city in them more than once. I still have the black pair but was ready for some fresh ones. After debating getting them in white or beige, I saw the red and it was an immediate yes.

Ambar Pardilla, writer

I’ve wanted to own a Puppets and Puppets purse for a long time now . They’re just so silly with their banana-shaped handles and jeweled chocolate-chip cookies . I used the excuse of turning 28 to get one — on sale, of course. This may be the prettiest bag Puppets and Puppets makes, down to the moiré lining that looks like wood grain.

I’m not into the oval-shaped sunglasses — sorry! I like a cat-eye instead. These from Bottega Veneta were 60 percent off at Shopbop and rightfully sold out quickly. I haven’t ever been asked so much about a pair of sunglasses (including getting compliments on them at a Rolling Stones concert).

Tembe Denton-Hurst, writer

I’m the steward of our “ Best Gifts for Bookworms (That Aren’t Books) ” article, which turned me into a book-light person. I never thought much about them before, but now I can’t read without one. I originally purchased the one mentioned in the story and loved it so much that when I inevitably lost the charger, I purchased it again. The amber light was inoffensive, and the three light settings allowed me to adjust the brightness as needed. But it wasn’t without its drawbacks: You press it to turn it on, which means it can light up in your bag accidentally and stay on for hours on end. Noticing this, my fiancé bought me a different book light, which has a button to turn it on and off. What’s more, it has three light options: a balanced white, an amber, and a blue. I thought I would want to read only by the warm amber light, but now I’m partial to even the white lighting — so much so that when I lost my book light on a recent trip to Mexico City, the book light my fiancé bought me was the first thing I got when I came back despite having my backup Hooga lights on hand.

Kiki Aranita, senior editor

I restocked my supply of Mopiko in time for mosquito season. I usually pick up half a dozen tubes when I go home to Hong Kong, but I ran through my supply early this year. Mopiko is the perfect antidote to itching from bug bites and allergy shots (which make my arms swell). It has menthol and camphor in it so it cools bites immediately, and I love the smell.

I’ve been using this Aleppo soap (which is actually made in Turkey according to traditional Syrian methods) for the past couple of weeks as a shampoo, body soap, and face wash. It makes a satiny lather, smells like fresh mud (as in a mud mask — it’s heaven), and is significantly harder than other soaps, olive oil or otherwise, so I don’t feel as though it’ll dissolve into a puddle of mush in the shower. It leaves my skin feeling clean but not dry, and I’m shocked at how well it works on my very thick, usually unmanageable wavy hair.

Winnie Yang, senior editor

This was a replacement for the one I’d had since 2018 that somehow got lost in our recent move. I cook a batch of beans once a week (I basically have to as a Bean Club subscriber or beans would take over our pantry), and nothing, not even a Dutch oven, produces a better textured or better flavored bean than this clay pot. I don’t know how, but even when I forget about my beans on the stove, they never end up overcooked with this pot.

As part of a multipronged effort to delay getting a smartwatch and smartphone for our older child, we’re putting in a landline.

Kathy Li, social-media editor

I’ve never been a Mary Janes person, but these jumped out at me when I was shopping at Primark the other week (do not sleep on its bra selection). The shoes are from, randomly enough, a collaboration with Rita Ora and are most likely inspired by (though not a direct rip-off of) these $890 Alaïa flats. The Primark version has a more conventional shape, but I like that it has the black mesh underneath the fishnet part so you’re not really seeing the wearer’s feet, and it makes them a bit more practical for walking around because you’re not splashing mystery sidewalk goo on your toes. They’re not orthopedic by any means, but they’re a lot more comfortable than they look. I’ve worn them to work and on plenty of errands and they’ve held up surprisingly well.

Bella Druckman, junior writer

I graduated college early this year and started here at the Strategist as a junior writer soon after, but my college’s official graduation ceremony was this May. As part of the festivities, I joined my mom and aunt on a trip to France during which I consumed wine of almost every color (sorry, orange!). Knowing I would want to bring a few bottles home with me, I ordered these wine bags ahead of my trip after hearing about them from one of my colleagues. The set comes with four wine-bottle-shaped Bubble Wrap bags and four PVC bags with Velcro and a zip lock. Thanks to them, my souvenir bottles made it back safe and sound.

I recently moved into a new apartment and am in the midst of decorating. While it was difficult to choose just one item that I’m excited about, this peach-themed shower curtain felt too adorable not to share. I’m also tempted by the matching bath mat but will probably opt for something a bit more simple like the Brooklinen bath mat .

Sam Daly, deals editor

Last month, I went back home to the Bay Area to visit my mom for both Mother’s Day and her birthday. We spent one day roaming around Solano Avenue in Albany and naturally found ourselves at one of our favorite nurseries, Flowerland . Its gift shop is filled with fun things, and I just had to buy this seaweed-print postcard for myself because I really miss living by the beach.

There are so many great local roasters in the Bay Area. I bought this bag from Highwire’s coffee trailer at Flowerland to bring back home, and wish I had bought two! It makes the most delicious batch of cold brew.

Rachael Griffiths, writer

I’ve had a year longer than my American colleagues to prepare for the Eras tour, but I’ve only just tracked down my outfit. As soon as I got my ticket, I knew I wanted to go dressed in the Folklore -era theme, but I didn’t want something so heavy that it would be a nuisance to queue in during the sweaty British heat waves. This dress from Free People is perfect: flowy and light, a maxi length, and a very outdoorsy-appropriate green. Now I just need to work on accepting how many Folklore songs have been cut from the set list.

I’ve cycled through a dozen primers since I first tried this one as a tween, yet it’s still my firm favorite. It does exactly what it says on the tin — creates a smooth veil that blurs your pores — and doesn’t feel too sticky or too dry. In summer, I like to partner it with my Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter for a fail-safe no-makeup makeup look.

Liza Corsillo, senior writer

Last Friday was hot , and by late afternoon I found myself walking down Seventh Avenue in Park Slope in search of some ice cream. But before I found the cone of my dreams, I wandered into Good Footing , a familiar neighborhood favorite that sells all the best orthopedic shoes. I was in search of a break from the heat and a pair of toddlers’ sandals. I left with this pair of suede Birkenstock Arizonas that I have been wearing nonstop since.

A while back, I bought a set of all-natural beeswax crayons for my son and was disappointed to find that they don’t transfer pigment very well unless you push really hard. And since they smell good and don’t work for him, he only wants to eat them. But we’d had success with small nubs of sidewalk chalk that other kids had discarded so I decided to get him a set. I also let him use it in our apartment, and now everything has chalky hash marks all over it. I don’t mind, though, as they wipe clean with a wet sponge.

Lauren Ro, writer

Rachel Khong made such a convincing case for the Brick in her “ What I Can’t Live Without ” that my husband ordered two of them immediately after reading it. Now that I’ve tried it myself, I want to tell everybody about it too. It’s well designed, easy to use, and, most of all, effective. My phone usage went down 20 percent the first week I got it, and all I did was block Instagram, Twitter, and the New York Times Games app from my phone! Before the Brick, I would compulsively reach for my phone and automatically open Twitter or Instagram. Now, just knowing my phone is “Bricked” does something to my brain where I don’t even go looking for those apps anymore. This past weekend, I Bricked my phone for over 34 hours and never felt social media FOMO. I’m not always that disciplined. I’ll probably un-Brick my phone later today and go on a bender, but once I’ve had my fill, all I gotta do is tap my phone on the little tile and get on with my life.

My younger son, Solomon, turned two this month and I went a little overboard with presents, even though between him and his older brother, Augie, there’s absolutely nothing he lacks in the toy department. But I couldn’t resist the open-play and grow-with-you goodies from Sarah’s Silks . I also realized we didn’t own any dress-up costumes, so I got this knight set, a (now sold out) shield , and another cape for his older brother, plus other accessories, during a recent sale. The boys love thwacking the foamy sword against the soft shield and pretending they’re slaying dragons.

Kitty Guo, writer

While strolling through the Lower East Side a couple of weeks ago, I stopped into the bookstore–slash–pickle purveyor Sweet Pickle Books . Though I didn’t leave with any pickles (next time!), I did walk out with a secondhand copy of this Rizzoli book documenting rooftop gardens in New York. I’m not normally a coffee-table-book collector, but I found myself utterly entranced by the lush photographs of hidden oases bursting with hydrangeas and Japanese maples, all perched precariously above pedestrians and yellow taxicabs.

I also paid a visit to fine-jewelry brand Bernard James’ new Greenpoint location and, buoyed by the lovely spring weather, went ahead and got a single white lily installed in my left lobe. I absolutely fell in love with the brand’s Flora collection. Inspired by the blooms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the collection also includes delightfully detailed sunflower, hellebore, rose, petunia, and daisy charms.

Jeremy Rellosa, writer

I have been on a yearslong quest to find a product that can tame my thick, straight hair without leaving a gunky, sticky feeling behind. That’s normally the trade-off: The higher the hold, the less smooth my hair feels. This month, I’ve been using Highland’s glacial cream, which, so far, is the best product I’ve found for keeping my hair in place while leaving an actually smooth finish. It’s on the lighter side, so I end up using more than I would of a typical paste or pomade, but after I apply it, my hair feels as if I’ve just rubbed in a leave-in conditioner. I like that I can run my hands through my hair without getting them caught in a sticky mess.

I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve spent years looking for this mug online, and this month I finally found one. I’m a Conan fanatic, and I’ve always wanted a mug from his late-night show (my favorite of his). I think his recent appearance on Hot Ones and the new show on Max recently put him back in the national consciousness, which is when I started seeing more of his old merch appear online. I can’t prove it, but I’m convinced coffee tastes better from this mug.

Kelsie Schrader, managing editor

I’m seeing more and more people wearing these for day-to-day life right now, and I understand why: They are so cushioned. I got them for running, but I think I prefer them for walking. The brand has always said its shoes are like walking on clouds, but these shoes are probably the first time that has felt deeply true for me. They do kind of look like monster shoes, but I like them (and especially enjoy the speckled shoelaces).

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments , rolling luggage , pillows for side sleepers , natural anxiety remedies , and bath towels . We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

• the strategist
• our shopping cart

Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

Deal of the Day

Micro sales, greatest hits, most viewed stories.

• The 16 Very Best Protein Powders
• What Rick Steves Can’t Live Without
• The Strategist 100: Our Most Stood-Behind Products
• Ask Chris Black: Best Non-Denim Pants for Summer?
• All of the Best Father’s Day Gift Ideas
• The Best Father’s Day Gifts for Dads Who Don’t Want Anything

Today’s Top Clicked

• Car Rentals
• Airport Transfers
• Attractions & Tours
• Flight + Hotel
• Destinations
• Trip.com Rewards

2024 IU H.E.R. WORLD TOUR CONCERT IN HONG KONG Review

Verified Booking

2024 iu h.e.r. world tour concert in hong kong.

Awesome, IU is so beautiful, I really like it, I look forward to seeing you next time, I can't walk out now, close my eyes or every minute of that day, this miss let me take it to Korea next time!

H.E.R.E.H World Tour in HONG KONG This is the second date with IU after six years. Zhien Xuejie is still a beautiful ～ surprise stage, sincere song selection and time, especially Guangdong song selection super surprise!

The first time I entered a trip app, I didn’t buy 1680 to fly. I was so happy to buy 1680. I finally got back. I bought 1480. Thank you for the sun. I am so grateful. I am lucky. I hope I will buy it next time. I am so happy to go to IU.

Although the location is average, I still thank Trip.com for letting me grab the original ticket.

iu is beautiful, unspeakable excitement, I took off my headphones, you walked out of the screen, we'll see you next time in Seoul.

Thanks to Trip.com, I have realized my dream of going to the IU concert. It is great and shocking.

Can you increase the quota, I am willing to add money to you and I don't want to give it to the cattle

Popular Destinations

Recommended attractions at popular destinations, popular attractions, popular travelogues, popular ranked lists.

• Customer Support
• Service Guarantee
• More Service Info
• Website Feedback
• About Trip.com
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Statement
• About Trip.com Group

Other Services

• Investor Relations
• Affiliate Program
• List Your Property
• Become a Supplier

Sarasota Ballet takes Royal steps with London performances

Thirty-seven dancers of The Sarasota Ballet and about a dozen members of the organization’s staff have flown to London for the first international tour in the company’s history.

Over six days beginning June 4, the dancers will perform two alternating programs of works by Sir Frederick Ashton at the Linbury Theatre, a smaller stage within the Royal Opera House , as part of “Ashton Celebrated,” a month-long tribute to the British choreographer. In addition, five dancers – principals Ricardo Rhodes, Jennifer Hackbarth, Macarena Gimenez, Richard Graziano and soloist Daniel Pratt – will join their Royal Ballet peers on the Covent Garden mainstage June 7 for two performances of Ashton’s “A Walk to the Paradise Garden.”

So curious are British ballet aficionados to see the little company from America that has made such a big splash by dancing the works of one of their most beloved choreographers, all performances sold out within weeks of being announced.

Pratt, a native of London who has a “walk on” role as the death figure in “Paradise Garden,” is dazzled by the thought “just of standing on the Covent Garden stage.” Having joined The Sarasota Ballet in 2012, he called the tour “probably the largest milestone in the company’s history.”

“This first international tour, especially to a theater as historic and important as the Royal Opera House, has a really special resonance because we’ve become so well known for the Ashton ballets and that was his home,” he says. “It’s hard to undersell what an achievement this is for the company. It’s just a huge step.”

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Major growth from modest beginnings

It’s something Jean Weidner Goldstein could never have conceived of when she founded the Sarasota Ballet as a presenting organization in 1987, after the conclusion of her own professional career with the Stuttgart Ballet.

“I never thought we’d tour to London because it’s hugely expensive and you have to be very, very good before you’re invited,” says the South Africa native. “It’s huge because you don’t get many American ballet companies – and certainly not one of our size – that do European tours. The fact that the Royal Ballet has asked the company to Covent Garden is extraordinary.”

Though she feels “very proud” of this latest achievement in the ballet’s 37-year history, Weidner Goldstein is quick to “lay the credit where it belongs.” And that begins with Director Iain Webb, a British native who took the reins of the company in 2007, and his wife, Margaret “Maggie” Barbieri, who joined him as Assistant Director in 2012. Both are alumni of the Sadlers’ Wells Royal Ballet who worked with and were close to Ashton, who for a period served as director of The Royal, before his death in 1988.

“Iain knew from the very beginning he wanted to do this tour,” Weidner Goldstein says. “Though he never said a word, I understood how he was positioning the company and why he was doing the Ashton works. He had a plan from the very beginning.”

Not true, counters Webb. When he arrived in Sarasota the company was in the midst of both artistic and administrative tumult and teetering on the edge financially and he actually feared his tenure might be quite short-lived.

“I didn’t!” he says, insisting the London tour has only been under consideration for the past two years. “I thought I might only last a year anyway.”

Furthermore, Webb claims it was never his intention to make The Sarasota Ballet “an Ashton company.” Yet, over the past 17 seasons, the company has performed 30 ballets and divertissements by the mentor he refers to as “Sir Fred” – the most by any company save The Royal Ballet itself – and the result has been to place the troupe firmly on the ballet world’s map.

Putting a focus on Frederick Ashton ballets

The choice to do Ashton’s work was initially more practical than strategic, Webb said. When he arrived, there was a “jumble of mixed styles” within the dancers he inherited and recruited, which gave him “no baseline to work from.” Because of his reverence for Ashton, and because Barbieri had danced in many of the choreographer’s works and could serve as repetiteur, he saw Ashton’s ballets as a natural vehicle to build a cohesive foundation and encourage a more fluid and expansive style, drawing on the dramatic use of the upper body the choreographer’s works are known for.

“Maybe because there was no real schooling,” he says, “that’s what helped form the basis. You turn around now and look at all the great variety of works we’ve done since, and the reason they can do them is because of Sir Fred’s ballets laying the groundwork.”

He admits to purely selfish motives for adding several subsequent Ashton works to the repertoire. For example, he had only seen “Illuminations,” a piece Ashton made for the New York City Ballet during his time in America, once and was “desperate to personally see it and bring it to the States.” Another “must have” was “Apparitions,” which a different company had attempted to revive without much success.

“It became a crusade, an obsession – but just from my own point of view,” says Webb, who is also a ballet history fanatic and collector of ballet memorabilia.

Gaining notice from touring performances

The company’s first big break came in 2012, when the Suzanne Farrell Ballet, resident company at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., was celebrating its 10th anniversary with performances of George Balanchine’s “Diamonds.” Farrell was Balanchine’s longtime muse, and asked Sarasota Ballet dancers to help fill out the large cast.

“They saw the dancers and their work ethic,” Webb recalls, “and suddenly, people started going, ‘What is this company?’ That really opened things up a lot.”

A year later, the company received an invitation to return to the Kennedy Center, joining the Pennsylvania Ballet and Washington Ballet as the smallest of three troupes participating in “Ballet Across America.” Not surprisingly, organizers requested a performance of Ashton’s charming ice-skating parody, “Les Patineurs,” and the performances drew favorable reviews from several national newspapers, including The New York Times, which called The Sarasota Ballet the “premiere exponent of Ashton ballets in America.” (It didn’t hurt that the Times’ dance critic at the time was also British and an Ashton aficionado.)

“We were fortunate that they mentioned us quite a bit,” says Webb. “After that it was…’This is the youngest company, the company with the smallest budget and the director with the shortest tenure… How is this possible?’”

In 2014, Webb produced the riskily ambitious – and critically acclaimed – Ashton Festival at the Sarasota Opera House, four days of performances that drew dance luminaries and critics from across the country and across the pond to see 14 Ashton ballets and divertissements. That success led to invitations to some of the country’s most prestigious dance venues, including City Center in New York and the famed Jacob’s Pillow in Massachusetts .

The addition of former Metropolitan Opera General Manager Joe Volpe to the staff as Executive Director in 2016 shored up the company’s administrative side and a “touring fund” endowed by Weidner Goldstein and her late husband, Alfred Goldstein, allowed the company to tour in the coming years to The Joyce Theater in New York City twice and to the National Choreographic Festival in Salt Lake City.

After signing a 10-year contract in 2017, Webb continued to add strategic Ashton works, including revivals of “Apparitions” and “Varii Capricci,” which had not been seen in decades and were painstakingly resurrected from old films and research. But he also broadened the company’s repertoire with a wide variety of high profile works from great American choreographers, living and dead (Paul Taylor, Martha Graham, Twyla Tharp) and European (Kenneth MacMillan, Antony Tudor, Will Tuckett). Those choices ended up becoming a recruitment tool, drawing experienced dancers eager to perform such a diverse canon.

Even the pandemic didn’t halt The Sarasota Ballet’s forward progress nor – as it did for other ballet companies – destroy its financial stability. The seven programs specifically tailored for video viewing the company produced over the 2020-21 season, when it was unable to perform live, were streamed to viewers in 30 countries on virtually every continent, only expanding its audience and exposure.

Dancing across the pond

Then about two years ago – not long after accepting a contract extension through the 2032-2033 season – Webb began mulling the idea of doing another Ashton festival, perhaps inviting a few Royal Ballet dancers as guests. When he mentioned the concept to Kevin O’Hare, the Royal Ballet Director offered an alternative.

“He’d obviously got something in his mind already,” Webb says. “So he offered to present us in the Linbury, which is extraordinary. But I wasn’t sure A., whether we could afford it and B., whether it was overly ambitious to go.”

Initially Webb says he “second-guessed myself,” cowed by the potential reputational risks and the responsibility –which he takes extremely seriously – to represent Sarasota well. Talking it over with Sir Antony Dowell, he asked the renowned former Royal Ballet dancer if he thought taking The Sarasota Ballet to England would be “like bringing coals to Newcastle.”

Dowell asked how the company had been received in New York; Webb admitted their appearances in the Big Apple had been a great success.

“If it’s good enough for New York, then you should come here and let us see some of these things,” Dowell concluded.

Then there was the question of finances. Volpe applauded the invitation but warned the enormity of the financial commitment – about $600,000 – could diminish resources for the coming season. When The Sarasota Ballet’s new board chair, Sanda DeFeo said the issue could be resolved by raising the entire amount of money necessary for the tour beforehand, Webb was skeptical.

That was last summer; by December the money had been raised to pay for the entire trip.

As the tour dates have drawn near, Webb has found his own anxiety mounting.

“Me nervous?” he joked. “What d’you mean? I’m a mess! I don’t sleep anymore!”

He deflects the pressure by praising everyone who has made this milestone possible – “The sad thing is we can’t take everybody even though they all deserve to go” – and shifting the focus to the dancers, his wife and the many icons of the ballet world he anticipates will be in the audience.

“For Maggie it’s great because her whole career was there, she lived for the Royal Ballet,” he says. “There’s some amazing people coming” – here he names a long list of British ballet stars and choreographers – “and the dancers may get to meet those people. Of course, I‘m the one who’s head’s on the block. But at the end of the day, that doesn’t matter. I just want them all to have a good time and remember it forever.”

Arts Newsletter: Sign up to receive the latest news on the Sarasota area arts scene every Monday

Sarasota Music Festival A summer tradition marks 60 years of music and educatio

Personnel connections to the Royal Ballet

Dominique Jenkins, an American-born dancer who joined the company in 2019, has no doubt that will be the case. The London performances will hold special meaning for her family members, who will all be in the audience. Her mother, the former Lilly Griffiths, spent her entire ballet career with the Sadlers’ Wells’ Royal Ballet and performed Ashton ballets alongside Webb and Barbieri. She was the first person Jenkins called after the tour was confirmed.

“What we’ve talked about most is Ashton’s legacy,” Jenkins says. “For me, it’s such a huge honor to perform these ballets 90 years after they were created and a couple decades after my Mom. To get to perform them in the place she performed, to have that opportunity… It’s such a full circle moment.”

Still, despite the 17 years of “building” it has taken to get his company to this pinnacle moment, with a typical British stiff upper lip, Webb attempts to downplay the milestone even as he recognizes its magnitude.

“It’s just a tour,” he shrugs. “It happens to be in London. We can’t get too carried away.”

Contact Carrie Seidman at [email protected] or 505-238-0392.