Sweet scroll music

The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting has become one of the most successful dance dramas in the country since its premiere at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Aug 21 last year.

With more than 100 sold-out performances across the country, the production, choreographed by Zhou Liya and Han Zhen, brings the classic painting, A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains, by Song Dynasty (960-1279) artist Wang Ximeng, to life.

A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains, which is housed at the Palace Museum in Beijing, is widely acknowledged as one of the most important works in the history of Chinese fine art.

Music pieces from the associated dance drama have won a large fan base, which inspired the musicians from the China Oriental Performing Arts Group, the Beijing-based company which produced the dance drama, to develop a new concert, Sound of the Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting.

On Aug 5, the company announced that it would be working with Taihe Music, a Beijing-based music and performance company, to stage 216 concerts across the country over the next two years. The premiere is scheduled to take place this fall.

"The idea of the concert came from the warm feedback of the audiences who came to watch Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting. We've seen their passion for the dance production, especially their interest in the music featured in the show," says Jing Xiaoyong, head of the China Oriental Performing Arts Group, adding that the dance drama was showcased during this year's CCTV Spring Festival Gala, the most-watched TV show in the country, which widened its fan base.