Shanghai Culture Square unveils performance program

From the Japanese musical Spirited Away, Moliere le Spectacle Musical and The Cherry Orchard in French, British choreographer Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, and colorful Chinese productions, Shanghai Culture Square released a spectacular performance plan for the year on Mar 25.

The first theater in the city designed for the showcase of musicals, Shanghai Culture Square was founded 14 years ago.

"Shanghai has gradually become an important center for performing arts in China, and an important center in the Asian Pacific area for the global live entertainment industry," said Fei Yuanhong, general manager of Shanghai Culture Square.

Moliere le Spectacle Musical, a French production that premiered in Paris in 2023, will make its debut in China in September.

The musical Spirited Away, adapted from the Japanese film of the same title by Hayao Miyazaki, will make its first tour to China, with 25 shows scheduled at Shanghai Culture Square in July and August. It was premiered in Japan in 2022, and made a successful tour in London last year. The tickets sold out so rapidly that the theater announced the decision to add another 17 shows in Shanghai.

A large number of musical fans have developed in the city, with groups interested in Broadway shows, and those who follow French shows, and German shows respectively, Fei found. "Our audience are showing robust consumption for overseas theater productions, so it is natural that many shows choose to present their Chinese premiere in Shanghai."

Meanwhile China's live entertainment market has kept evolving, with new quality productions emerging, Fei observed. "Musical talents are gathering in Shanghai. Such a virtuous circle has accelerated the continuous development of China's musical industry," he said.