Theatrical productions celebrate liberation

The latest effort was a movie edition of the show, which was projected at the Majestic Theatre in Shanghai on May 27. It will continue to be shown in cinemas all over the nation and the company will present a new round of live performances of the show at the Majestic Theatre from June 26 to July 1.

"We hope lovers of the theater production will find new perspectives to appreciate the dances in the movie, and moviegoers will be attracted to attend the live performance too," she says.

In the past few years, many dancers in the company have taken on different life paths, says Wang Jiajun, the lead dancer who plays the hero in the show. Some left the stage to become teachers and some had babies, he says.

The movie "recorded these dancers in their prime and their most beautiful performances", he says. "It's a gift for the dancers as well as audiences and it is also a tribute to the city's revolutionary history."

Outstanding theater productions such as The Eternal Wave have played an important role in the prosperity of Shanghai's live performance market, says Wang Yan, director of the company. The success of The Eternal Wave has encouraged theater companies in Shanghai to "keep pushing forward and create new shows with the revolutionary theme".