AP News, September 17th, 2007
The epic battle of Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert will now be heard _ and sung _ in Chinese.
Cameron Mackintosh will co-present Chinese-language versions of classic Broadway and West End musicals such as "Les Miserables" and "The Phantom of the Opera" in China beginning next year, the British producer announced Monday in Beijing.
The productions are part of an agreement with the Chinese performing arts agency China Arts and Entertainment Group, which is affiliated with China's Ministry of Culture.
The first show _ a Chinese version of "Les Miserables" _ will open at the National Grand Theater near Beijing's Tiananmen Square in November 2008. Auditions will take place across China before the end of this year. The second show will be "Mamma Mia!" in 2009.
"Since my first trip to China in (the) 1990s, I've been fascinated by the country and its people," Mackintosh said. "I'm proud to be able to introduce the very best Western musicals to a country with its own rich musical traditions."
Among the other musicals to be presented are "Cats," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Miss Saigon," "Mary Poppins" and "My Fair Lady."
"This initiative will bring fundamental changes to our musical theater industry by attracting new audiences with affordable and easy to appreciate musical offerings and training a young generation of local musicians and production professionals," said Zhang Yu, president of China Arts and Entertainment Group.
Under the agreement, Mackintosh will help train Chinese writers, performers and production crews to create original Chinese musicals.
Other producers have also brought musicals to China.
An English-language version of "42nd Street, the classic backstage musical, began a seven-city tour of China earlier this month in Shanghai. The Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment production will end up in Beijing in November and later will tour other countries in Asia.
"The Sound of Music" was staged in China last year, while Disney has presented its stage version of "The Lion King."
Hong Kong pop star Jacky Cheung, who created the Cantonese-dialect musical "Snow Wolf Lake," staged a version in Mandarin and toured China several years ago.
