Featuring 24 live performers with magnificent costumes, an 80 piece traditional Chinese orchestra and breathtaking projections, this spectacular and mystical production of Xuanzang’s Pilgrimage tells a story of Chinese monk Xuanzang (602-664), who travelled the Silk Road across China on a pilgrimage to India, visiting Buddhist holy places and discovering sacred scriptures.
As the world's first traditional Chinese musical drama, Xuanzang’s Pilgrimage is epic in scale and themes, combining music from China's Han, Uyghur, Kazak and Tajik ethnic groups amongst others, and featuring exotic instruments such as zither, Chinese harp, dulcimer and eagle flute. It is a celebration of the diverse but connected cultures found along the legendary Silk Road. Xuanzang perseveres to achieve his goal through challenges and reflections on his personal spiritual journey.
With a storyline based on Journey to the West, one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature from the 16th century and best known in English-speaking countries in Arthur Waley’s translation Monkey, Xuanzang’s Pilgrimage is a fully-staged multimedia spectacular. With beautiful and intricate costumes and stunning scenography, this show will fire the imagination with its evocative colour and dramatic power.
Presented outside China for the first time, Xuanzang’s Pilgrimage is a unique musical journey into the soul and culture of China and the East.
The China National Traditional Orchestra (CNTO) is a state-level performing arts institution founded in 1960 and funded by the Ministry of Culture. Members of CNTO comprising an orchestra of traditional instruments and a chorus are highly-esteemed musicians both at home and abroad.
Surtitles in English.
Bus routes: Rosebery Avenue 19, 38, 341. Upper Street 4, 43, 56, 153. Pentonville Road 30, 205, 214, 394, 476
Night buses: Rosebery Avenue N19, N38, N41, 341. Upper Street 43. Pentonville Road 205, 214, N73
Nearest rail: King's Cross St Pancras
Tube lines: Northern
Nearest tube: Angel
Directions from Angel :
(5mins) Take Upper St towards the City Road crossroads. Continue straight and turn right into Rosebery Avenue, where the theatre is 100m down on the right.
Car park: Bowling Green Lane (8mins)
In congestion zone?: Yes
Air conditioned
Bar
Disabled toilets
Infrared hearing loop
Toilets
Wheelchair accessible
Please note: The location shown on the map is an approximate location of the theatre. In the majority of cases the theatre will be marked on the map so please make sure you locate the exact location yourself. If the theatre is not shown on the map please make sure you locate the correct road name and take account of the directions.
Xuanzang's Pilgrimage
Sadler's Wells, London
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