Theater lovers in Shenzhen are in for a treat when the first Chinese production of the Phantom of the Opera takes to the stage at the Bay Opera of Shenzhen from June 13 to July 2. The popular opera will also hit the Guangzhou stage from July 25 to August 13.
One of the most popular musical productions in the world, the Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber is the longest-running show in Broadway history. Since its debut in 1986, the musical has been performed in 85 cities around the world. The Chinese production is the 18th language the show is performed in.
"From the perspective of production, the Chinese adaption is not inferior to any international versions," Zhao Chenlin, the producer of the Chinese production, affirmed in an interview with GDToday during the show's intermission in Shenzhen. Zhao added that the core creative team, consisting of both Chinese and foreign talent, thinks highly of the musical. "They once told me they were amazed that we can find so many talented Phantoms, Christine Daaés, and Raouls in China."
In order to make sure the musical could be a high-quality production on the tour, the production team planned ahead and cast multiple actors for some of the major roles. As seen on the lineup, there are four Phantoms, three Christine Daaés, and three Raouls. Besides that, there are also about 15 understudies of different characters, such as Madame Giry, Carlotta Giudicelli, Ubaldo Piangi and Monsieur Firmin.
Zhao explained that the musical would be performed for one to four weeks in each city with eight shows per week, so even if some performers are away or unfortunately ill, the multiple-cast can guarantee the show will be staged as scheduled.
Zhao continued that most of the performers have a background in musicals or operas and have gone through strict, rigorous rehearsals. They practised singing, acting, and dancing throughout the rehearsal without giving up any skills until they were qualified for the part.
In the adaption, two of the biggest challenges were casting and translation, Zhao recalled. Over 1,000 actors applied for the roles. The musical's creative team held hundreds of auditions before deciding on the cast. "The current cast members are highly qualified for the musical, and in our foreign director's opinion, some of them are good enough to perform in West End or Broadway."
In order to translate the musical into Chinese, a five-member translation team was established, led by renowned lyricist Keith Chan Siu-kei from the Hong Kong SAR and composed of experts from different backgrounds at different ages. They worked for more than half a year, including staying close by in the room during the rehearsals, to ensure the Chinese production would be a beautiful show.
In terms of stage design, the Chinese adaptation of the classic musical appears to be the same as the original one, but in fact, it has been technologically upgraded, Zhao pointed out. This not only enables the stage setting to be faster, but also allows the musical to be staged in more theaters built with different technical standards.
Zhao told the GDToday reporter that the props and equipment alone filled 22 trucks, and unloading them took three whole nights. The installation of the stage settings and technical rehearsals used to require at least three weeks, but now it has been shortened to seven days.
Since the musical has extremely high requirements for theaters, especially for its stage, unloading area, dressing room, technical support, and the like, "If a theater can house the Phantom of the Opera, it can host any top productions in the world," Zhao said.
"The best is yet to come."
The original musical "The Phantom of the Opera" ended a record-breaking 35-year Broadway run on April 16. A staple of the Broadway world with nearly 14,000 performances since it debuted there in 1988, the show has won over 70 major awards.
A few days after The Phantom of the Opera had its last curtain call on Broadway, the Shanghai Grand Theatre, which is behind the first Chinese production of the musical, lit up the musical's signature chandelier at its premises on April 19.
The 3-meter-wide chandelier, which has more than 6,000 crystal beads and weighs one metric ton, plays a significant role in the storyline. Zhao said with a smile that the lighting of the chandelier in each city means "The Paris Opera House" is completed and ready to thrill audiences with a hauntingly romantic tale.
Zhao also gave one example of how detailed the settings for the Chinese production are, which is the scene of the secret lake under the Opera Garnier. To achieve a misty, fantasy-like effect on the lake surface, the production crew will use more than 280 candles, dry ice weighing 250 kilograms and 10 smoke machines.
"Frankly speaking, we are under great pressure, as we have some big shoes to fill. We sincerely hope the Chinese production enjoys enduring popularity and constantly adds freshness to its performances, appealing to all types of audiences," Zhao shared.
Zhao told the reporter that, "If you work in the industry of musical theatre, you won't refuse to take up the challenge of producing The Phantom of the Opera if you have the opportunity, as the musical is one of the most successful pieces of entertainment of all time."
"I believe it will bring many new possibilities to original Chinese musicals," Zhao said, adding that after this production, people who have been part of this will definitely bring the experience they gained from the musical to other projects in the industry.
As of the time this article is published, the Chinese version has played 56 performances in Shanghai and Shenzhen, and will continue to hit more cities such as Guangzhou, Xiamen, Beijing and Chengdu with around 200 performances.
When asked if the best partners for the Phantom, Christine Daaé and Raoul have appeared, Zhao commented each performance is different, so it depends on how the performers act in each show. "There is no standard answer to this question, but to each their own, so I will leave this to the audience," Zhao went on, "You know what? The best is yet to come!"
If you go
Phantom of the Opera
▶ June 13-July 2, Bay Opera of Shenzhen, 16 Huanle Gangwan, Baoxing Road, Binhai Community, Baoan district, Shenzhen, Guangdong province.
▶ July 25-Aug 13, Guangzhou Opera House, No 1 Zhujiang Road West, Tianhe district, Guangzhou, Guangdong province. 020-3839-2888.
Author | Monica
Editor | Olivia, Nan, James
Photos and video provided to GDToday
