The School of the National Ballet of China

A Full-Length Ballet in Two Acts

The Nine-Colored Deer

 

2018 Annual Project by Beijing Culture and Art Fund

 

The Dance School of National Ballet of China

Artistic Director: Feng Ying

Music Record: National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Liu Ju

Concert Master: Liu Xiaohuan

Stage Production: Stage Production Department of NBC

 

 

Foreword

The Chinese ancients believed that honesty is the law of nature and the pursuit of honesty is the rule of life. In 2018, the 40th Anniversary of the Reform and Opening-up as well as the eve of the 60^th Anniversary of the Founding of National Ballet of China, the Company spares no effort to launch The Nine-Colored Deer in 2018, the first fairytale ballet specially designed for children, with the faith of carrying forward the traditional Chinese virtues and cultivating the good qualities of honesty and trustworthiness from an early age. The Nine-Colored Deer is performed by the students of The Dance School of NBC, for whom it is the first time to take on their responsibility of a full-length ballet officially.

Here, I would like to express my sincerest thanks to the leaders, teachers and friends from all walks of life who have given support and help to the successful establishment and development of The School of the National Ballet of China. I would also like to express my warm congratulations and thanks to all the staff who has involved in the production of the ballet The Nine-Colored Deer and to all the teachers and students of The School of NBC for their hard works for The Nine-Colored Deer!

Hope the fairytale ballet The Nine-Colored Deer can bring you the pure innocence of the children and the ethos of benevolence, righteousness, wisdom and beauty. Hope the contrast between the Nine-Colored Deer with beautiful heart and the profit-seeking and ungrateful image of Snake-Charmer could arouse the pursuit of truth, good and beauty as well as the conscience for love and hate in the deep hearts of the students.

 

Director and Artistic Director of NBC

President of The School of NBC: Feng Ying

 

 

The Nine-Colored Deer, a Full-Length Ballet in Two Acts

Production and Presented by National Ballet of China

Executive Editor, Producer: Feng Ying

Librettist, Director: Yu Daxue (Guest)

Composer: He Siyang (Guest)

Choreographers: Yu Daxue (Guest), Chen Qing (Guest), Liu Xiaomian

Stage Designer and Lighing Designer: Liu Zhao

Costume Designer: Yue Songshan

Make-up and Style Designer: Xu Bin

 

General Répétiteur: Ma Xueqiang

Répétiteurs: Ma Xueqiang, Liu Xiaomian, Yan Qingyun, Wang Xiaoya, Chen Xi,Li Rui, Zhou Zhaohui, Mu Xiaoran, Wu Xinman (Guest)

General Coordinator: Qi Jinsong

Coordinators: Wu Yueyuan, Ma Xiaoran

Stage Producers: Zhang Bingzhi, Yue Jianhua, Zhang Qingshan (Guest)

Special Thanks to Beijing Municipal Education Commission

The Education Commission of Xicheng District, Beijing

The Education Commission of Haidian District, Beijing

                                 The Golden Sail Chorus of Beijing Haidian Experimental Primary School

 

Premiere: April 23^th to 25^th, Beijing Tianqiao Theatre

 

Main Characters:

The Nine-Colored Deer: With the bright and shiny fur, beautiful antlers, which are as white as snow, and a kind heart, the Nine-Colored Deer stands for beauty, kindness and justice and is admired by everyone. It is also called the King Deer.

The Queen: The Queen is greed and loves beauty. On hearing the existence of the Nine-Colored Deer, she hopes to capture it, but failed in the end.

The King: The King dotes too much on the Queen to distinguish right from wrong. He ordered and led the team to kill the Nine-Colored Deer but failed.

The Old Painter: The Old Painter has the great sense of justice and erudition, who is leading people to paint the miracles of Dunhuang.

Snake Charmer: The Snake Charmer is a man of avarice. Once he fell into the water and was rescued by the King Deer. He is also a man of venality that he gave the secret information against the King and betrayed the King Deer. Then, by suffering the evil consequence, he fell off the cliff, and was rescued again by the Nine-Colored Deer. Finally, he was greatly discerning and apprehending, and long kneeled on the top of the mountain to confess

Kalaviuka (The Little Girl): The Little Girl of the modern time, in the course of her visit to the museum, touched the organ to revive the figures in the fresco. She chased after the King Deer and walked into the fresco world, incarnated as the Kalaviuka, whose tone is so elegant that all the hearers love it. Loyal, kind and naughty, she became a friend of the Nine-Colored Deer and gave him warnings to hide his tracks.

The Light Boy: A magical lamp turned into a little boy, who is accompanying the Old Painter and a good friend of Kalaviuka.

The Mini-Snake: Soliciting pedestrians at the market with snake charmers, the Mini-Snake is extremely hard to tame. Snake is often used to represent as the image that is easy to be angry and hurt someone in Chinese ancient culture. In this story, when the Snake Charmer led the soldiers walk into the fairyland of the King Deer and got lost, the Mini-Snake gave the Snake Charmer a trick that the Snake Charmer pretend to fall into the water to lure out the Nine-Colored Deer.

 

Synopsis of The Nine-Colored Deer

Prelude- Mystery in the Museum

In the hall of the museum, students were shocked by the famous Dunhuang Culture and Art Exhibition. During the tour, a little girl was deeply attracted by the art treasures in the desert. She slowed down and walked into an unopened exhibition hall. When she stood in front of a fresco called The Nine-Colored Deer and marveled at the beauty of the frescoes, the stories depicted in the paintings, the wonderful colors and lines brought the world to life, and the wings of imagination brought her into the fresco:

"The Nine-Colored Deer saved all the living creatures in the snowstorm; All got angry towards the Snake Charmer for his treachery; The Nine-Colored Deer jumped over the mountain stream to save the Snake Charmer." Seeing this thrilling moment, the little girl cannot help crying out, which startled the figures in the fresco. Then, the two worlds in and outside of the painting was magically linked because of the crying. The little girl was at a loss, while the Nine-Colored Deer slowly walked out of the fresco and brought the little girl into the magical world of the beautiful and fantastic painting.

 

Act I- The Prosperous Market

Crossing a light gate, the little girl came to the ancient city of Mobei on the Silk Road. She was attracted by the shouts of peddlers at the busy market and hospitable hospitality of the villagers. And a travelling merchant gave her a beautiful dress, wear on which the little girl turned into a colorful beautiful Kalaviuka…

While everyone was playing and dancing, a wild wind blew and the heavy snow fell all of a sudden. At the moment when everyone's life was at stake, a glow fell from the sky and the Nine-Color Deer appeared. The Deer saved all the people with divine power including the Snake Charmer who nearly drowned in the river.

After waking up, the Snake Charmer swore to be the most loyal servant of the Nine-Color Deer. The Deer declined his oath and reminded everyone not to reveal his whereabouts. Then, in the grateful sight of the people, the Nine-Color Deer ran to the distance with Kalaviuka, the transfiguration of the little girl.

Later, the Snake Charmer saw the notice of reward for catching the Nine-Colored Deer, which said that the Queen dreamt of the beautiful Nine-Colored Deer, and if anyone could catch the Deer and give it to the Queen, he would get a large bounty. The gleam of gold and the tinkling of coins lured the Snake Charmer to tear the notice off and walk towards the Palace.

 

Act II- The Fairyland of the King Deer

The Snake Charmer led a large number of soldiers to catch the deer. They surrounded the deer but he jumped and stood at the top of the mountain. He questioned the Snake Charmer the reason for his treachery. The Deer told everyone about the stories of themselves as well as the Snake Charmer's oath. Everyone suddenly took a tumble and the King, the Queen and the soldiers all felt ashamed. They put down their swords and guns and threw angry glances at the Snake Charmers at the same time.

The shame turned into angry, and evil thoughts immediately welled up in the angry Snake Charmer’s mind. He took his sharp knife and ran to the Nine-Colored Deer. But in the hurry, he lost his footing and fell down the mountain stream for escaping the Kalaviuka who had flied to protect the Deer.

The crowd fell into scream when the Nine-Colored Deer jumped down the mountain stream with firmness... Suddenly, the beautiful clouds sprung up, while the Nine-Colored Deer carried a person up to the ground. He saved the Snake charmer's life once again.

The Snake Charmer was so ashamed and remorseful that he knelt under the beacon at the top of the mountain...

 

Epilogue

The Kalaviuka turned back to the little girl. The voice of the Nine-Colored Deer came: "You're going back, right? Then, take a last look at this beautiful and mysterious world and never forget us." The voice disappeared in front of the little girl, along with the Deer and all the figures in the fresco. The little girl returned to reality and could not calm down for a long time while thinking of the magical journey. She had a deep feeling towards the splendid civilization hidden in the desert. Perhaps it was the civilization which had been spread for thousands of years that gave birth to the touching reliance and righteousness!