Life of legendary Mozart told through pop and rock

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The French musical "Mozart L'opera Rock" has been staged in Beijing. It’s based on the life of the legendary Austrian composer, and there’s classical music involved, but not quite in the way, you might think.

The most illustrious composer of our time is being celebrated, as Beijing rocks in Baroque style with the French musical "Mozart L'opera Rock". It takes audiences on an emotional journey, looking at the human struggles of the musical genius.

Starting with a 17-year-old Mozart, the show explores the life and time of Mozart.

The musical uses pop and rock numbers combined with compositions by Mozart himself such as "Twinkle Little Star Variation", "Symphony No. 40" and "Requiem in D minor".

The French musical "Mozart L'Opera Rock" premiered in Beijing, February 22, 2019. /VCG Photo

"It's a mix of pop and rock with classic compositions by Mozart because his music transcends time. It's the perfect combination. Everybody knows his music like Symphony No. 40, etc. And combining that with modern music isn't difficult at all. On the contrary, it's more interesting. It's the show's biggest highlight," Francois Chouquet, artistic director of the show told CGTN.

Mikelangelo Loconte, who played Mozart in the stage show's 2009 premiere, reprises his role for the tour of China, while French actor Laurent Ban played the musician's lifetime rival, Salieri.

The musical was a sensation when it premiered in Paris on September 22, 2009, and when it was first staged in Shanghai last year, it became an instant hit.

"We created some characters, especially for what we called breaking the fourth wall, to interact directly with the audience. But this depends a lot on the audience as well, and our Chinese audience really surprised us. So, in turn, we would also make adjustments to surprise the Chinese audience as well, like adding lines in Chinese or singing Chinese folk songs," Chouquet added.

Mozart L'Opera Rock will continue to tour in Hangzhou and Xi'an after its Beijing leg.