Russia, China plan joint music projects at Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater

NOVOSIBIRSK, April 29. /TASS/. Joint Russo-Chinese projects have been planned to promote cooperation between Russia and China in the field of art and culture. The Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater will offer it stage for joint projects according to an agreement reached by the Chinese Culture Minister Luo Shugang and newly appointed Director of the Novosibirsk Theater Vladimir Kekhman in Moscow, the press service of the Novosibirsk Theater told TASS on Wednesday. "The Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater is one of Russia's biggest theaters with the biggest building and a talented company which has good prospects and continues the traditions of classical theaters. It’s geographical position makes the theater an ideal site for Russo-Chinese joint projects," Kekhman said. Vladimir Kekhman was appointed Director of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater in March 2015 after the former theater director, Boris Mezdrich, was fired because of a scandalous interpretation of the Tannhauser opera which aroused strong protests in society. The Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theater first went on tour to China in 1957. Afterwards, it performed in China in 2001, 2006, 2007 and 2013. The Tchaikovsky International Music Festival and the Xinjiang International Folk Dance Festival were among important cultural projects in which the Novosibirsk Theater took part. In 1959 a joint group of Russian and Chinese choreographers staged a tremendous ballet - Precious Lotos Lantern, based on an ancient Chinese legend. Read more