A haunting and erotic mediation on the transience of love and life, Stirred from a Dream conjures the emotional core of the Ming Dynasty Kunqu Opera masterpiece Peony Pavilion, originally performed in 1598. This modern dance interpretation of the opera—an opera which takes 20 hours to perform in its entirety--distills the essence of the original into an intense 70-minute dance drama. Exploring the boundaries between life and death, between love and madness, between illusion and reality, this seductive work combines ethereal stagecraft, stunning multimedia, and sensual choreography to follow the passions and illusions of the beautiful girl Du Liniang as she pursues the love of the young scholar Liu Mengmei. Du Wei’s mesmerizing original score transmutes the traditional sounds of Kunqu Opera into a modern piece which plays on echoes of ancient song. Acclaimed film director Feng Xiaogang’s hand in the project is seen in cinematic touches and the nuances of visual storytelling. A theatrical journey across the threshold of the underworld and into the land of dreams, Stirred from a Dream breathes new life into the characters of this classical story. Stirred from a Dream premiered at The Peking University Theater in Beijing in November, 2007.

Time: 70 minutes
Choreography: Wang Yuanyuan
Music: Du Wei
Dancers: 5 female, 9 male, 1 male Kunqu Opera singer