In celebration of the 45th anniversary of the Hong Kong Ballet, the company will bring its ballet Alice in Wonderland to the 2024 NCPA Dance Festival for three performances at the National Centre for the Performing Arts from November 15 to 16. Notably, this will be the first mainland China appearance of Hong Kong Ballet's Alice in Wonderland.

On the ballet stage, prestigious companies like The Royal Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, and The Australian Ballet have all produced works related to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The Hong Kong Ballet version of Alice in Wonderland was choreographed by the company's artistic director, Septime Webre, and first performed by the company in 2018 to critical acclaim. This production combines traditional ballet with contemporary dance, using challenging choreography to bring to life iconic characters such as Alice, the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, and the Mad Hatter, recreating the magical charm of the original fairy tale.

One of the highlights of Hong Kong Ballet's Alice in Wonderland is its dreamy and vibrant stage design. Canadian-French costume designer Liz Vandal is responsible for the entire visual concept and costume design, drawing on her imaginative and eye-catching design style to create vivid and striking appearances for each character. British stage design master James Kronzer transforms the stage into a kaleidoscope, allowing the audience to experience seamless transitions between macro and micro perspectives as Alice grows and shrinks. Moreover, the fantastical characters and animals in the story are not only portrayed by dancers but also brought to life through puppets specially designed by artist Eric Van Wyk. In the climax of the ballet, a giant flying dragon, operated by six dancers, engages Alice in a dramatic battle, creating a stunning visual spectacle.

As for the cast, several of Hong Kong Ballet's principal dancers will come to Beijing for these performances. Young students from the Hong Kong Ballet Academy, the Affiliated School of Beijing Dance Academy, and the Art Education Base of National Ballet of China will also take the stage, adding an element of youthful innocence to the production. To allow more young audiences to experience the performance, the height restriction for the Alice in Wonderland shows in Beijing has been lowered, allowing children over one meter tall to attend with a ticket.

Translator: FENG Haoxuan 

Reviewer: Ding Hongwei