Vision of Splendor set to endure

Tradition meets high-tech in maestro's theater production about a legendary Chinese beauty, Zhang Qiong reports in Wuxi, Jiangsu province.

Those who are not familiar with Chinese history may not know about Xi Shi, one of the great legendary beauties of China who is said to have lived around 500 BC and helped overthrow a kingdom.

But they soon will be, as international theater director Franco Dragone has incorporated the Xi Shi story into his new show, which will premiere on Sunday in Wuxi, an ancient city on the banks of Taihu Lake in Jiangsu province, East China.

The Taihu show, known as Splendor, is being hailed as the first step on a new creative path by Dragone.

"This really is one of the first shows I would call a'Dragone musical'," says Damien Long, director of creation, who has worked with the Belgian maestro for 15 years on a number of productions, including La Perle, Land of Legends, The Dai Show and The Han Show.