French romance with musical twist debuts in China

The original French musical hit Cyrano de Bergerac, one of the most moving love stories ever created, made its China debut on May 14 in Shanghai, impressing audiences with vibrant, bold reinventions and exclusive new songs for the Chinese tour.

Staging five performances in the city through May 17, the musical is derived from the classic five-act poetic drama of the same name, written in the 19th century by French poet and playwright Edmond Rostand.

Hailed as "the pinnacle of 19th-century French drama", this legendary work has captivated generations of audiences with its enduring poetry and profound emotions.

Presented anew as a musical, the creative team has retained the romantic essence of the original while offering a fresh interpretation through a contemporary lens, bringing timeless characters like Cyrano, Roxane and Christian closer to modern audiences.

In the original work, Cyrano is a skilled swordsman and a brilliant poet, but is very sensitive about his appearance and large nose, which he views as a flaw. Due to his insecurities, he secretly falls for the beautiful Roxane, who is in love with the handsome but ineloquent young Christian, one of Cyrano's friends. However, Christian lacks the ability to win Roxane's heart, thus Cyrano devises a plan to help Christian express his love. He writes impassioned letters, using his poetic talent to win Roxane's affection on Christian's behalf. Years after Christian dies in battle, Roxane finally realizes that Cyrano is the one she is really in love with.

The touring musical version takes a bold narrative approach, reimagining the original story. Rather than confining the story to its 17th-century setting, this adaptation ingeniously transplants it into a more contemporary, artistic world.

Cyrano is reimagined as a talented yet sensitive, introverted songwriter who works in the shadows; Roxane as a young woman dreaming of becoming a ballerina; and Christian as a young, budding, seductive singer.

Cyrano's reason for hiding his love for Roxane is no longer about his big nose, but about a nearly 30-year age gap. Such complex and moving emotions are brought to life with a more vibrant expression through the perspective of a "narrator" set to newly choreographed music and dance.

The musical's tour also features a dazzling lineup of casts. Laurent Ban, a widely beloved musical star in China, plays the title role of Cyrano, and his real-life wife, Chiara Di Bari, joins as the narrator. This is also the first time the couple has collaborated in a musical on the Chinese stage.

"I see the perfect image of pure and genuine love in this musical. I think it is really close to the Asian way of expressing love, as it is not always as easy for them as in French culture to share love or something deep from the heart," said Ban at a media event at Shanghai Culture Square on May 13.

"It's a perfect mix between the French way to maintain the romanticism and also the Asian way of expressing love."

Stephane Brunello, one of the musical's songwriters, says that creating the music was truly challenging as they explored ways to blend the original story with poetic French words and richer musical elements such as jazz, pop, rock, and more.

"You will be emotional, surprised, amazed, and moved (by this musical)," says Brunello.