Wuhan, the capital city of central Hubei province, has become one of the most musical cities in China with more musicals being introduced to the city, according to a Jan 3 report in the Hubei Daily newspaper.
The city ranks among the top among Chinese cities for the number of musicals being staged, only coming after to Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen in Guangdong province.
On Dec 26-29, the original French musical Notre Dame de Paris was staged six times at Wuhan Qintai Grand Theater – proving a big hit in the city with strong ticket sales.
The French musical, which debuted in 1998, is one of the world’s most popular musicals, boasting 50 million fans globally.
Theater officials said it was the first time the musical was staged in Wuhan.
They said the majority of the audience was relatively young, too. According to statistics, college students, college teachers, doctors and artists were among the most common members of the audience.
The landmark Broadway musical The Lion King is scheduled to be performed in Wuhan in 2020. Officials said a total of 71 shows will be staged, which will set a new record.
Some 45 percent of the tickets have been purchased by non-residents, thanks to Wuhan’s handy transport network.
