Swan Lake to Headline Cuban Ballet’s Ambitious China Tour

The Cuban National Ballet, under the artistic direction of Viengsay Valdés, is set to launch an extensive tour across China, presenting 18 performances of Swan Lake. The production features Alicia Alonso’s acclaimed adaptation of the original by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.

The tour will open on May 16 in Zhengzhou and conclude on June 24 in the Chinese capital, Beijing. Along the way, the company will perform in 13 cities, including major cultural hubs such as Shanghai, Chongqing, Nanning, Nanchang, Changsha, Xiamen, Fuzhou, and Nanjing.

Following the China tour, the company will continue on to Vietnam and Mongolia, where it will present a mixed program of classical and contemporary works, according to a press release from the Cuban National Ballet’s Communications Department.

Leading the performances will be the company’s principal dancers: Viengsay Valdés, Anette Delgado, Grettel Morejón, Dani Hernández, Ányelo Montero, and Yankiel Vázquez. Rising stars will also share the spotlight, including Gabriela Druyet, who recently made a remarkable debut as Odette-Odile in Havana and was just promoted to principal dancer.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez