Musical with a message returns to Shanghai

The Message, a musical adapted from Maodun Literature Award-winning writer Mai Jia's novel of the same name, will be staged at the Shanghai Culture Square on Nov 1 and 2.

Set in turbulent wartime 1941, the tale follows five intelligence officers, all codebreakers for a puppet government manipulated by Japanese forces. When the capture of a Communist Party of China underground agent reveals that one of the five is also a CPC member, they are locked up in an isolated mansion, where they are tortured, but the outcome is unexpected.

The musical premiered at the Merchant Marine Hall in Shanghai on Oct 26. Ethnic Mongolian singer Ayanga, the musical's chief producer and composer, attended the event alongside the performers.

Ayanga said that they had spent three years creating and producing the musical, which has 22 songs.

During the event, two key songs were performed: Bury Me with Love, which was sung by Zhu Fu and Pan Hangwei, and Confidants, which was sung by Jiang Qianru and Xu Yao. The two songs are about characters encouraging each other and persevering in their beliefs in the face of adversity.