On January 25th, the “2024 Nanjing Musical Festival” press conference was successfully held. Hosted by Nanjing Poly Grand Theatre and co-hosted by Haixiao Culture, the Nanjing Musical Festival aims to create a professional, profound, and top-tier musical brand, inviting more audiences to “enter the theater and fall in love with musicals”.
Embracing the Passion for the New Year
Since 2020, the Nanjing Musical Festival has been successfully held for four editions. It consistently supports the development of original Chinese musicals, focuses on introducing overseas original musicals, and organizes diverse activities to create a “Musical Carnival” event rooted in Nanjing, radiating across Jiangsu and influencing the Yangtze River Delta region. According to Yao Lei, Deputy General Manager of Nanjing Poly Grand Theatre, in 2023, the Nanjing Musical Festival featured 18 titles and held 44 performances, including “No Longer Human”, the original musical “Romeo and Juliet”, and the French musical concert “Les Misérables”, which kicked off its China tour in Nanjing. The festival also hosted 14 different events, including two post-show talks, five meet-and-greets, and six stage tours.
As one of the co-organizers, Haixiao Culture has been committed to the development of domestic musicals, boasting mature experience in areas such as musical introduction, production, and incubation. Wang Haixiao, Founder of Haixiao Culture and a seasoned musical producer, introduced the 2024 Nanjing Musical Festival’s lineup and highlights.
From January 26th to February 4th, the English original musical “Love Never Dies”, a sequel to “The Phantom of the Opera”, will be staged. From April 25th to 28th, the enduring French original musical “Don Juan” will be performed. From June 7th to 9th, the French version of the original musical “Rock Mozart” will have a 5-show run in Nanjing, narrating the legendary life of the genius musician in a vibrant rock setting. Furthermore, the French original musical “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” will return to Nanjing after a five-year hiatus, portraying the epic tale of grandeur, blood, and tears.
In addition to these overseas productions, there will be several popular Chinese musicals, including “Zhang Ze’s Personal Concert 4.0”, the original musical “Rouge Button” adapted from Li Bihua’s renowned novel, and the jukebox musical “I Want You”.
From January 26th to February 4th, “Love Never Dies”, the sequel to “The Phantom of the Opera”, will have a 13-show run at Nanjing Poly Grand Theatre, presenting a magnificent performance that transcends itself and undergoes a “rebirth”.
“Love Never Dies”, created by the father of musicals, Andrew Lloyd Webber, is set ten years after the disappearance of the “Phantom” from the Paris Opera House in 1907. The story shifts from Paris in Europe to New York in the United States— the “Phantom” travels to Coney Island, where he establishes a fantastical amusement park. To win back Christine’s love, he anonymously invites her, along with her husband and son, to visit Coney Island, rewriting everyone’s destinies. This musical not only continues Webber’s tender and emotive “Phantom” series musically but also innovatively introduces diverse styles like rock, showcasing the extraordinary musical charm of the “Phantom”.
