"Raising the Red Lantern", a collaboration between the National Ballet of China and internationally-acclaimed director Zhang Yimou, made its celebrated debut at Tianqiao Theatre in Beijing on May 2, 2001.

It tells the story of a concubine, sold by her mother into a stifling world of jealousy and resentment. Her love for an opera singer and the jealousy of a rival concubine lead to tragic consequences as the women compete for the raised red lantern, which signals they are favored by their master.

In 2004, the ballot dance show was given an award for fine national dance art work by the Ministry of Culture and received a nomination for best foreign dance company by the prestigious British National Dance Award.

In the past five years,"Raising the Red Lantern" has been staged in more than 20 Chinese cities and cities in Italy, France, Britain and the United States, in theatres including Sadler's Wells Theatre in London, Theatre Du Chatelet in Paris and Kennedy Center in Washington D.C, known for their strict selection of foreign dance groups in terms of performance quality.

The show was put on for seven consecutive days in Orange County, L.A. last September with all tickets sold out.

"Raising the Red Lantern" is scheduled to perform eight shows in Sydney by the end of this month. Enditem