As part of the celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, the Chinese version of Les Misérables was successfully staged at the National People's Theatre of France in Lyon on November 2 and 3. Tickets for this performance sold out two months in advance, with 99% of the audience being French, including notable French artists, cultural scholars, and media representatives.
The Chinese-language adaptation of Les Misérables was a collaborative production involving artists from both China and France. With Wang Keran as the artistic director and producer, the play was co-directed by Jean Bellorini, the director of the National People's Theatre, and Chinese director Zhang Rui. Featuring a full Chinese cast performing in Mandarin, the play captivated the French audience, transcending language barriers to bring the dramatic power of Victor Hugo's classic novel to the stage. At the end of the performance, the enthusiastic audience applauded continuously, prompting the cast to return for five curtain calls to express their gratitude.
Following the French premiere, Marc Derouet, Cultural Affairs Director for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, commented, "We had a wonderful evening. Adapting Hugo's novel to the stage is no easy task, and to create it as a play is even more challenging. This adaptation provided us with a new perspective to understand Hugo's work." Villeurbanne Mayor and Deputy Vice President of Cultural Affairs for Lyon, Cédric Van Styvendael, expressed his amazement, saying, "Although I've served as mayor for four years, I never imagined I would one day watch a Chinese-language play, nor that we would host a theater troupe from China. The performance delivered an extraordinary emotional impact and allowed us to see humanity from a new angle. Every member of the audience felt moved in their own unique way, and I am deeply grateful."
Wang Keran, Artistic Director of Yanghua Theatre, shared his reflections: "The audience gave the cast, directors, and the entire production team a sense of peace and support. The most important takeaway was the realization that basic human emotions are truly universal. This shared emotion is what led Anna and me to create this play, and it is why we invited Jean Bellorini and a beloved team of Chinese actors, including Liu Ye, to bring it to life. Due to this common bond of humanity, the National People's Theatre made extraordinary arrangements, enabling us to set up in just two days and perform over three days. At its core, our motivation is the belief in love and the power of our profession to express it."
After completing its performances in France, the Chinese-language Les Misérables returns to Beijing, where it will conclude with a final performance at the National Centre for the Performing Arts this weekend.
