TSO share the story of ballet dancer Li Cunxin with delightful music and stunning imagery.

Federation Concert Hall, Hobart

June 6, 2014

When a child waves at the orchestra and the orchestra waves back, you know you’re in for a playful performance. So it was as the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra brought to life the story of Chinese ballet star Li Cunxin in a magical family concert at the Federation Concert Hall.

Popularly known for his story Mao’s Last Dancer, Li Cunxin teamed up with award-winning artist Anne Spudvilas in 2007 to produce the stunningly illustrated children’s version, The Peasant Prince. This condensed, non-political version of Li’s progression from Chinese peasant to world class ballet dancer provided the orchestra with a backdrop of vivid imagery for the evening’s sensory journey of hope and dreams.

The story was narrated by the enthusiastic Andrew Casey, who read from The Peasant Prince as its charming illustrations were projected above the orchestra. It was set to music by Australian composer Katy Abbott, who took to the stage before the performance to explain how to connect the rise and fall of her musical themes to the events within the story – an invaluable lesson for the young listener.

The performance...