Theatrical productions celebrate liberation

As the birthplace of the CPC, city witnessed historical revolution and development, Zhang Kun reports.

Seventy-five years ago on May 27, the Chinese Liberation Army, led by the Communist Party of China, took over Shanghai amid cheers and applause from people lining the streets.

The day has been remembered as Shanghai Liberation Day and is celebrated each year. This year, Shanghai Media Group (SMG) Live kicked off a showcase of 40 musical and theater productions for the occasion from May to July.

"Shanghai is the birthplace of the Communist Party of China. The city witnessed the magnificent Chinese revolution, reform and development through the past decades," says Yu Rongjun, deputy director of SMG Live.

The city's music and theater scene has created several new productions featuring the Chinese revolution, which won critical acclaim and audience praise.

"We are bringing together a series of representative productions in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Shanghai and hope audiences will be inspired and empowered by the city's glorious history."

One of the most popular productions The Eternal Wave is a dance drama by the Shanghai Song and Dance Troupe, based on the true story of an undercover Communist telegrapher who worked in the shadows against opposing forces and was later murdered on the eve of Shanghai's liberation.

The performance has gained great popularity with audiences, with highlights performed at the CCTV Chinese New Year Gala in 2020. Since its premiere in 2018, the show has toured more than 50 cities across China, presenting 614 performances in total, according to Wang Yan, head of the company.

"We kept on revising and improving the production and promoting it to the wider public," she says.