Yesterday, we finally got home to Stockholm. As a big part of the Company had a cold, the last two shows were a little harder than the other ones but still successful. A whole month in China is nothing to joke with!
Anyway, now everybody is really happy to be on a very well deserved holiday!
Have a great summer everybody!

Members of the Company on the way to the last performance in Macau

Finally we have arrived in Macau, just some hours later than the taifun (huuuhhhaaa!). Most of the company members were really fed up with Shanghai and were really looking forward to see a new place. Macau seems like a Mixture of China, Portugal and Las Vegas. A lot of Casinos, much more western than most of the Chinese cities (quite understandable as it used to be a Potugese Colony), but definatly a place where one can enjoy life! The performances start tomorrow. Let's hope the public here is as vivid as its city!

The performances in Shanghai went pretty fast. The Company is anyway still staying in Shanghai taking classes and rehearsing before travelling to Macau for the last two performances. Unfortunatelly a big part of the company has a cold. Probably a result of the air condition and the really warm and humid climate Shanghai.
The city is huge (20 Million inhabitants - more than twice Sweden!!!) and traffic and pollution seems a big problem as in almost all big Asian cities.

Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre


























Our add in front of the theatre

Royal Swedish Ballet at the Great Wall in China

After having a beautiful day off visiting the Chinese Great Wall the Company contnued to travel to Shanghai. Our theatre, the Oriental Arts Centre looks almost like the theatre in Beijing, just turned upside down. The stage is somewhat smaller but there is still place for all of us ;-)

The Performances in Beijing were very successful. The sponsors, the Swedish Embassador and the Agent were extremly satisfied with what the Company had to present. Our guest artists from Georgia Lali Kandelaki and her partner Vasil Akhmeteli made their first appearance in the last performance in Beijing and gave the first serie of performances a very energetic finish.

Rehearsal Video

The Guest artists Lali Kandelaki and Vasil Akhmeteli rehearsing Act 2 Pas de Deux

Beijing...more than half is done :-)

We are more than half way through the shows now. Everybody is really giving the best they can and it seems that the performances are getting better and better.
The Chinese mentality is very different to what we are usually used to and their English language skills seem only to get better when they intent to sell something. But in general, people try to be very helpful.
Anyway, two more shows to go before we are off to Shanghai :-)