AIA Grand Theatre in Shanghai unveils eclectic line-up of shows

From the Broadway musical Chicago to Swan Lake on Ice, and Yueju opera Butterfly Lovers, AIA Grand Theatre in Shanghai released its new 2024 program, consisting of 170 shows for 84 productions of musicals, dance, theater, concerts, and shows for children.

The new theater sitting on the northern stretch of the Bund officially opened in September and has already presented 94 shows, attended by more than 100,000 people, according to Qin Tiji, general manager of the new theater.

While original musical productions from abroad, such as Chicago from the US and Anna Karenina from Russia, are widely anticipated, AIA Grand Theatre plans to introduce new Chinese musical productions too. Lost in the Stars, directed by Wang Yixun, was adapted from the 2023 movie of the same title, with a new twist of the plot. It will premiere at AIA Grand Theatre in August.

About a dozen dance productions are expected to be shown at the theater this year, among which are St Petersburg State Ballet on Ice, Paul Tayler Dance Company from the US, and Chinese choreographer Yang Liping's creation of Pingtan Impression.

The theater also introduced a series of budget-ticket shows, with each ticket price capped at no more than 80 yuan ($11.08) to encourage more people to come and experience live theater.