French musicals win the hearts of young Chinese audiences by combining classics and modernity
“Watching musicals in theatres is different from watching them online. In theatres actors and the audience are closer, it makes you feel ‘heady’,” an audience member who just watched the French Musical Gala Concert said.
In recent years, China has introduced several French musicals, including French version of Romeo and Juliet and Notre Dame de Paris. These well-known classics have been interpreted in the form of musicals and won a lot of Chinese fans.
Zhang Ligang, head of Beijing Joyway Culture & Media Co., Ltd., believes the combination of classics and modernity makes French musicals a rising star in China.
“Musical is an art product born in modern cities, so it presents different characteristics in different countries. French musicals not only involve grand historical themes but also use pop music or rock music styles for interpretation. At the same time, they also preserve some opera traditions. In the past, opera was the music of the nobility. But now, French musicals have developed into people’s opera,” Zhang Ligang said.
French musicals not only have classical elements such as harp and aria but also integrate modern music style. This wins the hearts of younger audiences. In recent years, audiences first saw the official live videos of French musicals on online platforms like YouTube. After being hooked on the musicals there, they gradually walked offline and into theatres to watch the performance, Zhang explained.
The French Musical Gala Concert is not the only French musical that has hit China this year. Don Juan debud earlier this year. France brought it to China to coincide with celebrations for the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between between China and France. A total of 53 performances are scheduled this year, which will be staged in cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Xiamen.
Additionally, Mozart, L’opera Rock and The Hunchback of Notre Dame will arrive to Chinese stages with over 200 performances scheduled between them.
Zhang believes China can learn from the impression French musicals have made in China.
“In the future, it will be a strategic target for our company to take Chinese musicals overseas and make foreigners love Chinese musicals,” Zhang said. He believes that the current development of the Chinese domestic musical market is just like when Hollywood movies first entered China. Popular movies in the market were American movies then, but after several years of learning and developing, Chinese movies have fought their way out. Today, Chinese movies significantly outperform their hollywood competition at the Chinese box office.
“Now we are introducing foreign musicals to learn advanced business models and creation methods. The trend of cooperation in the musical market is very obvious. What matters is not who works with us, nor the new musicals must perform in Chinese. What matters is whether we will lead the whole creation process in the future,” Zhang said.
From June to July, Zhang’s company brought the acrobatic ballet Swan Lake to perform in London. A traditional performance put on by a Chinese company presented a different Swan Lake to Londoners.
“I hope Chinese artists can work hard to polish their own works. Only by taking great works overseas can Chinese musicals gradually gain weight in the overseas market,” Zhang said.
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