Tianqiao marks second year as musical hub

Richard Lafleur as Leo Bloom and the cast of The Producers. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The Tianqiao Performing Arts Center celebrated its second anniversary in Beijing.

Unveiled on Nov 20, 2015, the art center, located on Zhongzhou Road, or the central axis, a main north-south road through the capital, was designed as a venue for musicals.

The opening show at the venue was Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. During the past two years, many internationally renowned and homegrown musicals have been staged there, including the French production of Romeo and Juliet, the Hong Kong musical Field of Dreams and the Broadway musical Wicked.

In December, more musicals will be staged at the venue, including Broadway musicals Jersey Boys and The Producers.

In 2018, more than 200 musical productions are expected to be performed at the venue, such as the original Broadway production of Chicago.

According to the general manager of Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, Zhang Li, the venue is located at an area of the capital once known for the folk arts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The venue also puts on a variety of other programs besides performances that are open to the general public.

In 2017, nearly 200 public programs, including exhibitions, workshops and open lectures, were given, reaching an audience totaling around 400,000.

Jessica Ernest as Ulla in The Producers. [Photo provided to China Daily]