An ode to a Russian masterpiece

The Russian production was presented as the closing show for the Shanghai Spring International Musical Festival at the Shanghai Culture Square in 2012. According to Fei Yuanhong, the deputy general manager of the Shanghai Culture Square, it was possibly one of the first Russian musicals shown in China.

"Chinese audiences have been exposed to Russian culture for a long time, and the narrative flow and emotional expressions in the Russian production are received well in China," Fei says.

Regarding the company's decision to adapt the performance into Chinese two years ago, Dong Ning, deputy general manager of the Beijing Performance and Arts Group, says: "The Count of Monte Cristo by French author Alexandre Dumas (1802-70) is such a beloved literary classic that we were all immediately attracted to the project, which is why we quickly brought together a top-notch Chinese creative team."