Ready to be ravished

Chorographer John Cranko's (1927-73) magnificent Onegin is one of the most ravishing narrative works in the history of ballet. He created it for Stuttgart Ballet in 1965 and it has become the famous company's trademark repertoire.

Stuttgart Ballet first toured China in 1980 and its performance of Onegin impressed the Beijing audience overnight. Some 28 years ago, National Ballet of China finally got the copyright to perform the work and its premiere at Tianqiao Theater last December thrilled Reid Anderson, current artistic director of Stuttgart Ballet.

"Thank god, you only have a three-year copyright to perform it.