The National Ballet of China (NBC) performs Onegin, based on a novel by Russian author Alexander Pushkin, at Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center from December 16-19, 2021. Photo: Courtesy of National Ballet of China

The National Ballet of China (NBC) wrapped up its performance Onegin in Beijing on Sunday, bringing the inner contradictions of the 19th-century characters from Alexander Pushkin's novel Eugene Onegin onto the Chinese stage.

The National Ballet of China (NBC) performs Onegin, based on a novel by Russian author Alexander Pushkin, at Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center from December 16-19, 2021. Photo: Courtesy of National Ballet of China

The performance was held at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center from Thursday to Sunday, 13 years since the NBC launched its first Onegin ballet performance.

"In the year 2008, the National Ballet of China staged Onegin in China for the first time, infusing the unique oriental artistic charm of Chinese ballet into this most challenging classic work of theatrical ballet," said Feng Ying, director and artistic director of the NBC.

"More than a decade later, a new generation of young NBC artists has impressively represented on stage the deep emotional conflicts of human nature, such as the choice between life and death, emotion and dignity, friendship and love, and the inner contradictions and struggles of the characters in the play," Feng added.

The National Ballet of China (NBC) performs Onegin, based on a novel by Russian author Alexander Pushkin, at Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center from December 16-19, 2021. Photo: Courtesy of National Ballet of China

The novel Eugene Onegin was written by Pushkin as a reflection of Russian social life in the 1820s. The story depicts the awakening of the young generation of that era, and raises many important social issues.

 Adapted from the novel, the performance tells the story of the arrogant and cynical aristocratic youth Onegin, who doesn't know about true love and coldly rejects the courtship of the innocent country girl Dagiana. When the two meet again many years later, Dagiana has become a duchess and rejects Onegin's love for her.

The performance uses well-known choreography created by John Cyril Cranko, the South African ballet dancer and choreographer who first produced the ballet adaptation of the novel in 1965 set to music by Tchaikovsky. It was one of Cranko's most famous works.

Global Times