"Everyone knows Don Juan's background - a playboy who wanders in gentle places and wines, but in this musical, he falls in love, and love becomes the biggest punishment for him." Talking about French musicals A major feature of "Don Juan", French composer Felix Gray said with a smile. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the premiere of
, the French musical "Don Juan" came to China for the first time. As the finale of the Shanghai Cultural Plaza's 2023 performance season, it will be performed for 17 consecutive performances starting from January 25.
"The producer recommended this play to me more than ten years ago, but the French musical market in Shanghai was not that mature at that time, and our understanding of French musicals was limited. I think the time has not come yet. This year is the right time, Shanghai has accumulated a group of audiences who value and love French culture and French musicals," said Fei Yuanhong, deputy general manager of Cultural Plaza.
Don Juan
Maria
Don Carlos
The playboy fell in love
Don Juan is famous for his romance. He is an aristocratic playboy and synonymous with the saint of love. Over the past hundreds of years, literary, drama, music, film and other creations about Don Juan have emerged one after another.
In 2004, Gilles Mathieu, the director of the French musical "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," put "Don Juan" on the musical stage, giving the legend of "Don Juan" a modern understanding. The writers at
took a different approach and took creative liberties with this charming character - making Don Juan fall in love. This is a punishment for Don Juan, because he has hurt so many women, so he will also experience an almost crazy love.
"Before he met true love, he had been living an animalistic life. After meeting true love, he was like a child, starting to learn love and experience the beauty of love. You can see changes in the whole process." When playing Don Juan, Gian Marco Sciaretti would recall the feeling of first love and use this feeling at the point where the character undergoes a key change. "At the end of his life, he realizes his faults and realizes that he cannot be loved." Redemption, repentance very tenderly."
Maria, played by Laticia Carell, is Don Juan's true love. "She tried to save a man and change a man, which is usually difficult to do, but she succeeded." Karel felt that this character was very similar to herself, and he also saw some characteristics of modern women in her. For example, sobriety, independence, and avant-garde, "I am very lucky to be able to follow the character and experience a pure love."
Laurent Ban, who is familiar to Chinese audiences, plays Don Carlos, Don Juan's best friend in the play, "This The character is like a mirror of Don Juan. Don Juan is a crazy libertine. Don Carlos respects women and will give sincere advice to his friends, such as giving him warm reminders before he meets true love and saving his friends many times. , give him good advice."
A major feature of French musicals is "singing from beginning to end"
French musicals are full of strong emotional expressions
Although "Don Juan" is a French musical, it is full of Spanish style
Strong emotional expression
"In the previous version, Don Juan didn't know what love was. In this version, Don Juan is in love. From an outward role, he began to look more inward for himself." Composer Felik Si Gray put aside the solidification of this character in previous works and used music to create a more flesh-and-blood Don Juan. There are a lot of golden songs in the
musical that are suitable for looping. It not only includes French-style music, but also intersperses many Spanish song and dance elements, such as the strong rhythm of flamenco dance and brightly colored guitar syllables, which are full of charming Spanish style.
Felix Gray believes that, unlike musicals in other languages that “combine rap and rap”, a major feature of French musicals is that they “sing from beginning to end”. In addition, French musicals are accustomed to transcending stylized and conventional expressions. .
For example, French musicals are filled with abundant and strong emotional expressions, which are very strong from beginning to end. "This is rare in the creation of other language musicals, and even a bit 'overdone' in their eyes." 'But this is the original characteristic of Latin culture, and also the characteristic of French culture, which is to bring very emotional things to everyone." Felix Gray said.
"Passion to live and death for love, these strong emotions appear frequently in the play. This play is very suitable for the tastes of Chinese audiences." Laurent Ban, who has appeared on stage many times in China, knows the preferences of Chinese audiences very well. I also support the performance of "Don Juan" in China.
"The creative team brought this drama to Shanghai with great enthusiasm and belief. At the premiere, we felt the enthusiasm of the audience and captured the light in the audience's eyes. This light is the greatest recognition for us." Production Nikolai Talal took the opportunity to thank the theater, ""Don Juan" has never been to China, so we have an uncertain attitude, but the Cultural Plaza has always given us great support and trust. We are very grateful for this support and Trust."
