(Audiophile DSD-CD Edition) While dance has been a refined art in China for thousands of years, the first western-style ballets originated in the young People"s Republic during the mid-50s, with the founding of the Beijing Dance Academy in 1954 and the Central Ballet Troupe of China in 1959. During this half-century of creative exploration, Chinese artists have drawn upon a variety of subjects ranging from patriotic and revolutionary themes (The Red Army Detachment of Women, Sons and Daughters of the Grasslands), national epics (Princess WenCheng), mythology (The Incredible Phoenix) and contemporary literature (Blessing and Grieving for the Dead). The present program presents an overview of orchestral excerpts from the colorful and largely unknown (in the west...) repertoire.