SAN DIEGO, the United States, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, a phenomenal poetic dance presented by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group, was performed at the San Diego Civic Theatre in the U.S. state of California, displaying the beauty of Eastern art on the New Year's Eve.

More than 2,000 attendees watched the exceptional stage production Tuesday night, which has garnered widespread attention and acclaim worldwide. The audience rose as one in a standing ovation when the curtain fell and the actors took over 10 times of curtain calls in thunderous applause.

"It's a feast for the eyes and the soul," an attendee who declined to be named told Xinhua. "Even without dialogue, the dancers perfectly conveyed the essence of Chinese landscape painting through body language, giving us a unique glimpse into the Chinese art."

Poetic dance is a type of performance that combines dance and poetry to create a fictional world and tell a story. This contemporary art also explores the relationship between poetry and dance by a 120-minute drama although the two elements relate to time and space differently.

The drama tells a story of Wang Ximeng, a young painter from the Northern Song Dynasty (960 to 1127), and his immoral artwork "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains," through the perspective of a modern Palace Museum researcher.

The painting, now in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing, is widely acknowledged to be one of the most important works in the history of Chinese fine art. The 11-meter-long scroll painting is a record of people's lives and the natural scenery of that time, mixing realism with creative imagination.

Using the language of dance and a fusion of virtual and physical spaces, the ancient scrolls unrolled on stage linked the thousand-year-old master and contemporary artists, as well as two types of arts, painting and dance.

"This production transcends language barriers," said Zhou Liya, co-chief director of the poetic dance. "International audiences can fully appreciate its essence through the language of movement. Art is the universal language that connects hearts across borders."

Zhou and another chief director Han Zhen shared insights into the creative concepts and performance techniques behind the production with local artists at a dancer school in San Diego on Monday, showcasing the seamless integration of traditional Chinese aesthetics with modern stagecraft.

Since its premiere in 2021, the production has staged over 650 performances globally, earning widespread acclaim. This New Year's Eve performance marked its first appearance in the United States and served as the grand finale of its 2024 international tour.

Last October, the dance drama was turned into a movie and the music of the production was staged in concerts. ■