Spain, China sign deal on audiovisual exchange

Spain's Teatro Real (Royal Theater) and China's National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) have signed an agreement on exchange of audiovisual materials through an online platform, Palco Digital.

The accord, signed on April 1 by the Managing Director of the Teatro Real, Ignacio Garcia-Belenguer, and the President of the NCPA, Wang Ning, will allow consumers to view material on demand.

"The NCPA will offer one opera and four concerts live, as well as five documentaries to present them in the Palco Digital platform. Following the launch of this project, viewers from several countries will be able to view them on the internet," Wang Ning told Xinhua

The NCPA president also said the accord was positive for both institutions because "culture is connected."

"We are going to present the classical operas of the world to the Chinese audience, but we also want to introduce some Chinese operas to the world to help integration and exchange between cultures. It doesn't matter if it is from the East or the West, art has a common character," he added.

"I think this cooperation is very important, especially under the influence of the Road and Belt initiative," said Wang Ning.

For Garcia-Belenguer, the agreement is another step towards greater collaboration between the two institutions which have enjoyed a close relationship for several years.

He said the relationship between the Teatro Real and China had received an important boost following the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan to the theater on Nov. 28, 2018, during their official visit to Spain.

"We are working to take Flamenco to China, to carry out joint university projects and exchange initiatives so our respective employees can see how each other works," he commented.

The Royal Theatre, which opened in 1850, is now considered to be the most important center for classical music, opera and ballet in Spain.