Culture Beat: Chinese version of 'Les Misérables' to debut

Photo: Courtesy of Magnificent Culture

The Chinese version of the play Les Misérables held a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday. The play, co-produced by the Magnificent Culture and the Printemps des Comédiens Festival in France, will be premiered in Beijing in January 2024 to welcome the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France.

Former director of the National Theatre Centre in Toulouse, the show director Jean Bélorini undertook a residency at the Théâtre du Soleil. The cast of the play is made up of some of the finest actors in China, including Liu Ye from the National Theatre of China, and many other famous actors from Kunqu and Peking opera troupes. 

Les Misérables is a landmark work by the French literary giant Victor Hugo. It has been called "an encyclopedia of human suffering and a spiritual epic of humanity's yearning for goodness." 

The overall length of the play is more than three hours, and the core and essence of the original work will be conveyed to the audience.