Top dancers from Bolshoi Theater of Russia will bring brilliant performance to a Beijing audience. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The president of the National Ballet of China, Feng Ying, came up with the idea during the troupe's tour of Qiqihar city in Northeast China in the autumn of 2008. They visited Zhalong Nature Reserve, which is a habitat for cranes. The locals told them about the true story of a young woman who died protecting the cranes. The artists were deeply impressed by the devotion as well as the love and communication between the cranes and their caretakers, and created a ballet about the relationship between man and nature.

According to Wang Quanxing, deputy head of the National Ballet of China, the opening gala in the first International Ballet Season in 2013 was very successful, so all the three sponsors, Tianqiao Theater, National Ballet of China and Beijing Ballet of China Performing Arts Company, agreed to launch the opening gala this year with a stronger cast.

"To start the art banquet, we will present both classical and modern masterpieces in the gala. After that, more excellent foreign ballet troupes like Royal Danish Ballet, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal and German National Youth Ballet will perform in Beijing within the ballet season, while domestic dancers will also bring the audiences brilliant shows," Wang said at the news conference in early August.

As one of the sponsors, the National Ballet of China is preparing six works including La Sylphide (the Sylphide), El Testamento de Amelia (the testament of Amelia), the Yellow River, the Four Seasons, La Chauve-Souris (the bat) and Don Quixote for the season.

"As the only national ballet troupe in China, we have a history of more than half a century and great potential. Last year, we celebrated our 55th anniversary with a series of dance shows in China and throughout the world. For the upcoming performance season, we will certainly live up to audiences' expectations," Feng Ying told Chinese journalists earlier this year.