Echoes across two cities

In the 1930s, Shen Bai, a Chinese artist, and Éloïse, a French avant-garde poet, become kindred spirits through letters exchanged between Shanghai and Paris. Torn apart by political turmoil, family expectations, and the outbreak of war, they each set sail across the world to find the other in an extraordinary act of courage. Fate intervenes, and they spend their lives without ever meeting.

Nearly a century later, marine archaeologist Shen Qingyuan and Parisian curator Léa uncover the forgotten story through an ancient painting. As they retrace the lives of the two women, they begin to heal one another, break free from the constraints of their own lives, and rediscover their ideals, completing an emotional journey that transcends time.

Inspired by real historical events—including the cultural exchanges between Chinese and French avant-garde artists in the 1930s and the anti-fascist solidarity of the International Brigades—the production celebrates international friendship, freedom, and peace.

Blending contemporary dance, Latin, waltz and Chinese classical movement with an original trilingual score in Chinese, English and French, Echoes Across Two Cities combines the restrained elegance of Republican-era China with French poetic romanticism and the passionate spirit of resistance.