The ballet draws inspiration from the Dream of the Red Chamber, considered one of China's four great classical novels, written in the 18th Century by Cao Xueqin.

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Usually known for classic productions such as The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, The Dream of the Red Chamber is a collaborative effort, with choreography by Wang Xin Peng, artistic director of Germany's Ballet Dortmund, and a musical score written by Oscar-winning composer Michael Nyman and performed by the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

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Lim admits that the recent loss of both the Mars Polar Lander and Mars Climate Orbiter may have affected favourable public opinion, which is what the project needs most if the dream of seeing astronauts on the Red Planet is ever to be realised.

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He told them that Flt Lt Cunningham had fulfilled his dream of being selected to fly with the Red Arrows in 2010 after flying operational sorties in Iraq.

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