CHINA // OCTOBER 2016 (Day 12)

Slowly our China tour is coming to an end. Last night was the second of three performances in Beijing. Hyo-Jung Kang and Constantine Allen who danced together for the first time as Romeo and Juliet were a beautiful couple and were celebrated by an amazing audience! Tonight is already our last performance at the China National Center of the Performing Arts after which we will have a short night before we start our trip back to Stuttgart …

A wonderful new couple: Hyo-Jung Kang as Juliet and Constantine Allen as Romeo

Selfie-Time in the dressing room: Pablo von Sternenfels with Johanna Doring, Alain Balloy (costume department) and Samira Raedcher (Make up department)

Hyo-Jung Kang doing her make-up before the performance and Jenny Drechsler-Vogel dressing her hair

Robert Robinson as Tybalt

The fatal moment in act two: Constantine Allen as Romeo, Pablo von Sternenfels as Mercutio and in the back Robert Robinson as Tybalt

Hyo-Jung Kang as Juliet and Constantine Allen as Romeo

Bows in front of a wonderful Beijing audience: Hyo-Jung Kang and Constantine Allen

CHINA // OCTOBER 2016 (Day 10)

Yesterday was a full day for all of us at the National Center for the Performing Arts with a stage rehearsal in the evening …

The dancers arriving at the theatre.

Our technical staff and the Chinese helpers on stage.

Company class

Rehearsal in the studio with Hyo-Jung Kang (Juliet) and Sonia Santiago (Juliet’s Nurse) and the ballet masters: Yseult Lendvai, Tamas Detrich, Thierry Michel

Hyo-Jung Kang and Constantine Allen in the rehearsal

Hyo-Jung Kang and Constantine Allen in the rehearsal

Hyo-Jung Kang and Constantine Allen in the rehearsal

Hyo-Jung Kang and Constantine Allen in the rehearsal with Tamas Detrich

Elisa Ghisalberti, Ayaka Fuji, Maria Betoret

Hyo-Jung Kang and Constantine Allen in the rehearsal

Hyo-Jung Kang and Constantine Allen in the rehearsal

Hyo-Jung Kang and Constantine Allen in the rehearsal with conductor Wolfgang Heinz and pianist Alastair Bannerman

Press conference in the theatre with the Artistic Director of the National Theatre Sonia Zhao, Reid Anderson, Alicia Amatriain and Friedemann Vogel, ©Wang Xiaojing/NCPA

Press conference in the theatre with the Artistic Director of the National Theatre Sonia Zhao, Reid Anderson, Alicia Amatriain and Friedemann Vogel, ©Wang Xiaojing/NCPA

Press conference in the theatre with the Artistic Director of the National Theatre Sonia Zhao, Reid Anderson, Alicia Amatriain and Friedemann Vogel, ©Wang Xiaojing/NCPA

Tamas Detrich, Reid Anderson, Krzysztof Nowogrodzki on the stage of the National Center for the Performing Arts

Our stage manager Ekkehard Kleine

The dancers warming up on stage before the stage rehearsal

Robert Robinson and Adam Russell-Jones on the bridge

The dancers applaud to the National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra before the first stage rehearsal with conductor Wolfgang Heinz

CHINA // OCTOBER 2016 (Day 7)

Some last impressions from Shanghai …

New meets old: Shanghai’s highest Building overlooking the old buildings near the Yu Garden.

Angelina Zuccarini as one of the gypsies in Romeo and Juliet.

Wedding scene: Alicia Amatriain and Constantine Allen as Romeo and Juliet in our last performance in Shanghai.

Alicia Amatriain, Hyo-Jung Kang and Robert Robinson watching the second act from the side of the stage.

Final applause for Alicia Amatriain and Constantine Allen.

Angelika Bulfinsky with our supers from Shanghai.

Angelika Bulfinsky with our supers from Shanghai.

Our boxes are waiting to be packed after the last performance in Shanghai to go onto the transporters to Beijing.

Until late in the night our technical staff prepared the boxes to travel to Beijing.

CHINA // OCTOBER 2016 (Day 5)

Final applause after our Shanghai premiere

If you have wished us toi toi toi for yesterday’s performance, you did a really great job, because we had a wonderful first show in Shanghai … But enough words – we let the photos tell you more about last night – and give you a little preview for this evening’s performance in which our Principal Dancer David Moore will have his debut as Romeo with Elisa Badenes as Juliet …

Still empty: The auditorium of the Shanghai Grand Theatre before the performance

Taking a little rest: Matteo Miccini and Timoor Ashfar

“Fum with make up”: Pablo von Sternefels an Alexander Mc Gowan

Alicia Amatriain putting on her pointe shoes before the performance

Constantine Allen danced Romeo in the first performance

Balcony pas de deux: Alicia Amatriain as Juliet, Constantine Allen as Romeo

Balcony pas de deux: Alicia Amatriain as Juliet, Constantine Allen as Romeo

Constantine Allen as Romeo

Quick changes during the performance in the costume tent backstage

Especially the children in the audience enjoyed the clowns in the second act: Fabio Adorisio, Katarzyna Kozielska, Paula Rezende, Roger Cuadrado

Robert Robinson as Tybalt

Pablo von Sternenfels as Mercutio, Robert Robinson as Tybalt, in the back: Constantine Allen as Romeo and Louis Stiens as Benvolio

The lily girls

Rehearsal for our second performance: Elisa Badenes as Juliet and David Moore as Romeo

Rehearsal for our second performance: Robert Robinson as Mercutio, Magdalena Dziegielewska as gypsy

Rehearsal for our second performance: Elisa Badenes as Juliet and David Moore as Romeo

Rehearsal for our second performance: Elisa Badenes as Juliet and David Moore as Romeo

Stage rehearsal for our second performance: Elisa Badenes as Juliet and David Moore as Romeo

Stage rehearsal for our second performance: David Moore as Romeo and Matteo Crockard-Villa as Tybalt

Elisa Badenes during the stage rehearsal

CHINA // OCTOBER 2016 (Day 4)

Yesterday we had our first stage rehearsal with the Orchestra – the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra – in the theatre. Before the rehearsal there was a small press meeting in the theatre’s ballet studio with Reid Anderson and our Principal Dancers Alicia Amatriain and Constantine Allen who will be dancing the title roles in Romeo and Juliet tonight in our first performance in Shanghai. Now keep your fingers crossed and toi toi toi for tonight! You will hear from us soon – until then, take a look at yesterday’s photos …

Reid Anderson, Alicia Amatriain and Constantine Allen: Meeting with the local press

The costumes are ready for the rehearsal

Robert Robinson before the stage rehearsal

Pretending to take a nap :) Stefan Fuge from the costume department (with Johanna Doring and Robert Robinson)

“Posing” in the dressing room: Matteo Miccini, Noan Alves, Allessandro Giaquinto, Rogert Cuadrado and Fabio Adorisio

Adam Russell-Jones before the stage call

Alicia Amatriain just before the stage rehearsal

Ballet master Rolando D’Alesio alias Lord Capulet

Magdalena Dziegielewska, Ami Morita and Katarzyna Kozielska

The ballet masters giving corrections

Nice view into the auditorium of the Shanghai Grand Theatre