Promotional material for French musical Don Juan Photo: Courtesy of Wang Xufeng

The renowned French musical Don Juan embarked on its China tour on Thursday. The event is timed to coincide with celebrations for the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2024.

The legend of Don Juan originated in Spain and later was introduced to France. The musical, narrating the romantic tale of Don Juan, a nobleman from Seville, Spain, was created by French composer Felix Gray in 2003 and was put on the stage by director Gilles Maheu a year later.

Following its 20th-anniversary global tour, Don Juan has come to China for the first time, with a Beijing performance on Thursday. 

That same day, a press conference for the play was held at the French Cultural Center in Beijing.

Nicolas Pillerel, minister counsellor for Culture, Education and Scientific Affairs of the French Embassy in China, said at the conference that France and China will host various artistic activities as 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

According to Pillerel, Don Juan, alongside upcoming French musicals Mozart, L'opera Rock and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, will be presented to Chinese audiences as a part of the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism.

Producer Nicolas Talar said that Chinese audiences are sincere, enthusiastic and very fond of arts. He emphasized that Don Juan's themes of love and passion are sure to resonate well with Chinese audiences.

During the conference, seven actors from the play showcased musical excerpts and fielded inquiries from attendees.

According to Zhang Ligang, chairman of the board of Beijing Joyway Culture and Media Co Ltd, organizer of the Don Juan tour in China, a total of 53 performances are scheduled this year, which will be staged in cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Xiamen.

Additionally, Mozart, L'opera Rock and The Hunchback of Notre Dame will grace Chinese stages with 137 and 93 performances respectively.