The most important achievement of the ballet lies in its music. The great composer Delibes has created music for three ballets during his art career. La Source is the first one and Coppelia is another well-known masterpiece. Sylvia, however, is the exclusive one that has been considered epoch-making. Sylvia was endued by Delibes with a fresh and euphonious melody, vivid images and features of symphony. It has gained high esteem and appreciation from the contemporaneous composer Tchaikovsky, who believed that "Sylvia witnessed for the first time that music played not only a predominant but also irreplaceable role in a ballet".

Hundred years after Sylvia came out, many of the world's great directors and ballet ensembles have brought it onto stage. Among them Paris Opera Ballet alone has done it twice under the direction of two choreographing masters Albert Evelyne had Lycette Darsonval. Besides, the British ballet master Ashton has also directed the play. The great dancer Balanchine has directed a pas de deux over its music that was showed at New York City Ballet.

Sylvia is no stranger to ballet lovers in China. In 1980 during French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing's visit in China, the National Ballet of China (NBC) invited French counterparts for the first time to direct the ballet and won high appraisal. 25 years later in 2004, NBC invited once again staff and cast from Paris Opera Ballet to direct and perform the play and put again this world's famous masterpiece onto stage.
 

Synopsis
Act I: A Sacred Wood
The ballet begins with a scene of worship as creatures of the forest dance before Eros. Aminta, a lowly shepherd, stumbles in on them, disrupting their ritual. Now Sylvia, the object of Aminta's desire, arrives on the scene with her posse of hunters to mock the god of love. Aminta attempts to conceal himself, but Sylvia eventually discovers her stalker and, inflamed, turns her bow towards Eros. Aminta protects the deity and is himself wounded. Eros in turn shoots Sylvia. She is hit, and though not badly wounded, the injury is enough to drive her offstage.

A hunter, Orion, is revealed to also have been watching Sylvia, when he is seen celebrating the unconscious Aminta. Orion conceals himself again as Sylvia returns; this time she is sympathetic towards Aminta. As the huntress laments over her victim, she is kidnapped by Orion and carried off. Peasants grieve over Aminta's figure until a cloaked Eros revives the shepherd. Eros reveals his true identity and informs Aminta of Orion's actions.

Act II: Orion's Island Cave
Captive in Orion's island hideout, Sylvia is tempted by him with jewels and wine to no avail. Sylvia now grieves over Aminta, cherishing the arrow pulled from her breast nostalgically. When Orion steals it from her, Sylvia gets her captor drunk until he is unconscious, whereby she retrieves her arrow and appeals to Eros for help. Sylvia's invocations are not in vain, for Eros quickly arrives and shows his summoner a vision of Aminta waiting for her. The duo depart for the temple of Diana, where Sylvia's love awaits.

Act III: The Sea Coast Near the Temple of Diana
Aminta arrives at the temple of Diana to find a bacchanal but no Sylvia, who will soon arrive with Eros. After a few moments of mirth at the reunion, Orion shows up, seeking Sylvia. He and Aminta fight; Sylvia barricades herself in Diana's shrine and Orion attempts to follow. The goddess of the hunt, outraged at this act, smites Orion and denies Aminta and Sylvia congress. Compassionate Eros gives Diana a vision. The goddess reminisces over her own young love of Endymion, also a shepherd. Diana has a change of heart and repeals her decree. Aminta and Sylvia come together under the deities' good will.

National Ballet of China
National Ballet of China (NBC), the only Chinese national ballet company was founded in 1959. Pyotr Gusev, the celebrated Russian ballet master laid a solid foundation of classical ballet for the company. Today, in its repertoires, there are dozens of full length ballets, including Swan Lake, Giselle, Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, La Sylphide, Sylvia and others classical ballets. In the past 20 years, especially since the 1990s, the company has staged many contemporary works of ballet such as Serenade, Etude, Four Last Songs, Rite of Spring and also modern dances.

National Ballet of China has successfully utilized ballet- an art form from the west- to depict the lives of the Chinese people. The Red Detachment of Women has become a classic is known around the world; Yellow River, Butterfly Lovers and Raise the Red Lantern are appreciated repertories as well. There outstanding ballets established a foundation for creating a ballet style uniquely Chinese.

NBC 50th Anniversary Series
Ballet "Onegin" on August 19 – 22, 2009  19:30
Ballet "Swan Lake" on December 04 - 05, 2009  19:30
Ballet "Penoy Pavilion" on December 08 - 09, 2009  19:30