Ian, thank you for this post.
Indeed the Chinese artists are wonderful in their expertise, and they performed the required choreography very well. I am in awe of them and at the exquisite performance, such as it was.
Unfortunately, Swan Lake did not translate from Europe to Asia. Swan Lake is not a acrobatic exhibition. It is a ballet. It tells a story.
The 2012 Chinese choreographer left this acrobatic display, as electrifying as it was, totally bereft of story.
It's as if in France in 1966, GT40's raced the Ferrari team to the utmost, for 24 hours at Le Mans and won. Danger, speed, sweat, blood, tears, heartbreak, elation, pride and exhaustion.
Then, in 2012, the Netherlands decides to recreate the drama. At vast expense, they pave a section of the country to exactly replicate la Circuit de la Sarthe. They build brand new GT40's and Ferraris to the exact specifications of their originals. They bring the best drivers, team managers and mechanics together to the new Netherlandish Le Mans. Everything is exactly as it was in June, 1966.
Then, instead of a 24 hour race, the cars merely hold an expert drifting exhibition and stage beautiful burnouts. For 15 minutes.
All sound and fury, signifying nothing.
