Shanghai Cultural Plaza's 2024 end-of-year performance season poster
continues the concept of "different experience", the theme of this year's annual performance season of Cultural Plaza. At the press conference, four "recommenders" took turns to appear.
Antonia Kalinowski, who played the heroine "I" in the concert of the musical version of the original German musical "Butterfly Dream", made her Chinese debut with the song "Memories in a Bottle".
Antonia Kalinowski sings "Memories in a Bottle"
Gian Marco Sciaretti, the leading actor from the original Italian musical "Casanova - Lover in Venice", sings "Cassano" "Wa Theme Song", which is also the debut of this Chinese stage play.
Gian Marco Sciaretti sang "Theme Song of Casanova"
Director of the original musicals "The Orphan of Zhao" and "Hamlet", Xu Jun, artistic director of Shanghai Xujun Theater Art Center, is an old friend of the Cultural Square He also shared his insights into original Chinese musicals.
"Our year-end performance season this year is both moral, legal and intentional." At the program launch conference, Fei Yuanhong, deputy general manager of Shanghai Cultural Plaza, said with a smile that Cultural Plaza has been involved in German, Austrian and French musicals for many years. Now it has cultivated high-quality emerging markets and core audiences. This year’s three high-quality overseas original musicals will make their debut in China on the stage of the Cultural Plaza. Two of them are German-language musicals, both of which made their debut in China.
"Butterfly Dream" poster
"Butterfly Dream" is adapted from Daphne Du Maurier's novel of the same name. It tells the story of the heroine "I" who meets the wealthy gentleman Maxime de Winter at Manderley Manor. A series of gripping experiences. The musical version of the concert, jointly produced by Austria's Vienna Union Theater Company (vbw) and Denmark's Lion Entertainment, the producers of the original musical, will be accompanied by orchestra accompaniment and original costumes, combined with environmental images and stage design, and will include more than 20 people. The actors and dancers completed the full set of original music and performances of the play.
"Ludwig II: The Return of the King" poster
"Ludwig II: The Return of the King" is the most famous original musical in Germany in recent years. As a musical that highlights the integration of culture and tourism, it is integrated and intertwined with Neuschwanstein Castle and the surrounding landscape. It has been performed at the Neuschwanstein Castle Music Theater in Fussen, Germany since 2016. This play tells the legendary story of the "fairy tale king" Ludwig II who loved Wagner's operas and the Neuschwanstein Castle he built. The domestic debut of "Ludwig II: The Return of the King" will only take place in Shanghai. It retains a strong cast lineup and a 65-person large band, and presents the rich and grand story of Ludwig's life to the audience.
Poster of "Casanova - Lover of Venice"
In addition to the Chinese debuts of two German and Austrian dramas, the overseas musicals of this year-end performance season have expanded their "territory". The original musical "Cassano" from Italy "Watt - Lover of Venice" landed in Shanghai with 36 original songs. The play is adapted from Matteo Strucul's best-selling classic "Giacomo Casanova - The Song of Deadwood" and is produced by Ryder Kanzi, the composer and bassist of the legendary Italian band Pooh. Created and produced by An, it tells the legendary experience of the adventurer Giacomo Casanova and also praises the romantic city of Venice.
The protagonist Casanova in the play will be played by the famous musical actor Gian Marco Sciaretti. Gian was well-known to the Shanghai audience through the musical "Don Juan". "Casanova" is also the first time that Gian has starred in the musical "Don Juan" in 13 years. Italian musicals in his native language. Music and dance with a strong Italian style, combined with exquisite historical costumes and scenes, show the charming Italian style on the stage.
Antoniano Little Choir performance poster
At the upcoming 2025 New Year's Concert, the Antoniano Little Choir, also from Italy, will bring the Chinese premiere of the latest award-winning song of this year's Gold Coin Competition, and sing the Gold Coin Competition A classic melody that has been loved by the world for 67 years. At the same time, the most anticipated Chinese track will also appear as the finale.
"The Orphan of Zhao" poster
"Hamlet" poster
In addition, the Cultural Plaza will also welcome the return of classic masterpieces and diverse stage formats, including the original musicals "The Orphan of Zhao" and "Hamlet" by Shanghai Xujun Theater Arts Center , the former has received countless attention and praise since its premiere at the Cultural Plaza in 2021, and is considered a phenomenal work of Chinese musicals.
"Notre Dame de Paris" poster
Since the world-famous classic French original musical "Notre Dame de Paris" was performed as the first year-end drama at Shanghai Cultural Plaza 13 years ago, it has come to Shanghai twice, with sold-out venues, and has become a must-have for theater audiences. Watch a classic musical. This year "Notre Dame de Paris" came to Shanghai as the finale of the year-end performance season, and tickets were sold out in two days after opening nine months in advance, once again confirming its strong audience market.
