In this cahier Nobel laureate Gao Xingjian publishes for the first time his latest theatrical text, Ballade Nocturne. Originally written in French, it is a woman s manifesto that pursues Gao s experimentation with artistic forms through a combination of poetry, dance, music, and drama. The play is translated by Claire Conceison, who adds a preface about Gao s work and her experience of translating it. The text is complemented by five paintings by the author and by a booklet containing the original French version.