The British version of the classic ballet dance "Swan Lake" is expected to be staged soon by Chinese ballet dancers in Shanghai.

The Shanghai Ballet Troupe has purchased the script and copyrights to perform the ballet dance from Britain at the price of 60,000 U.S. dollars for up to 50 shows over a three year period.

Ha Muti, head of the Shanghai Ballet Troupe, said compared with the Russian version staged previously in China, the British-styled "Swan Lake" has more artistic shocking power with a tragic ending.

Introducing the British "Swan Lake" to Shanghai is part of the effort by the troupe to become a world-class ballet troupe, said the artist.

Despite performances of different versions of "Swan Lake" by more than 10 overseas ballet troupes in the metropolis, local ballet dancers have, until now, not had the script and copyrights to perform the British version, which premiered at the Royal Albert Theater in London in 1997.

The ballet dancers from the Shanghai troupe won three gold and one silver medals at international competitions held last year in Bulgaria and France.

(People's Daily 09/02/2001)