Separating the human from the genius

The German-language musical made its China debut in 2016, when 40 shows were presented at the Shanghai Culture Square. The youthful vitality, fast tempo, and contemporary style found a strong resonance with Chinese musical fans. "Many people fell in love with the show and looked forward to its return," says Fei Yuanhong, general manager of the Shanghai Culture Square.

The newly staged show is jointly produced by the Austrian Vereinigte Buhnen Wien (VBW, translated to United Stage Vienna) and Nordic View Entertainment, featuring an international cast from nearly 20 countries.

In the past few years, a series of concert productions have toured China. Compact stage designs and reduced props have made it more convenient to transport and enabled the productions to adapt to different venues. However, "this doesn't work for all musicals except for those with especially strong composition," Fei says.

Some productions adapt smoothly into a staged concert. For Mozart!, "it really does adapt because of him being a composer, and being in his element with the music", according to the musical's producer, Liv Eirin Francis. "It was a very conscious choice to do it as a staged concert. It's convenient for touring, but it's also very appropriate for Mozart as a composer."

The stage design is simplified without changing sets and requires less movement by the performers. A grand piano stands in front of the orchestra, putting Mozart at the center of the music, giving a visual impression of the composer.

"We do everything we can to keep it affordable, so more people can see it," Francis says. Still, it is a big, expensive production, she says.

"We have more than 80 people, from the cast, crew, orchestra, production personnel, and the creative team," she adds. "We are proud that a lot of the sets and lights are made or rented here in China."

Mozart! is VBW's third staged concert production that has debuted at the Shanghai Culture Square in the past two years, following Elisabeth and Rebecca.

Last year, the staged concert production of Elisabeth embarked on an eight-month tour through Europe, after touring three Chinese cities.

It's a natural decision for the Austrian producer to have these new productions premiere at the Shanghai Culture Square, Francis says, praising the Shanghai theater team as "amazing, brave, and bold".

"We are very close with our audiences and very much appreciate our interactions with them. The venue is a natural birthplace for this production," she says.

zhangkun@chinadaily.com.cn