Showstopping performance from Jiading’s Poly Grand Theater
Print Edition
The Shanghai Poly Grand Theater in Jiading has put on 194 performances in the past year. The success has surprised many people as a new theater usually has an average occupancy rate of 30-40 percent in its first two years. However, the Poly proved an exception, achieving an occupancy rate around 70 percent in its first 12 months.
The Poly opened its doors on September 30 last year with a performance by the German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra led by Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun and featuring Chinese pianist Zhang Haochen.
Before the theater opened, the management undertook a survey and received more than 3,200 replies to a questionnaire.
Based on the analysis, the theater kicked off its first season, which lasted for three months, with a wide range of performances in orchestral music, ballet, drama and opera.
The audience’s enthusiasm exceeded everyone’s expectation when the program list was released.
Over 1,500 people came to buy tickets when the box office opened for the first time. “We only prepared 300 tickets,” said Qin Tiji, the theater’s managing director. “It was a surprise for everybody.”
The theater has staged shows performed by more than 3,000 professionals from 12 countries and regions in the past year, including renowned musicians and performers such as pianists Fu Cong and Li Yundi, Grammy Award-winning flute player Rhonda Larson, operatic tenor Dai Yuqiang, pop singer Sky Wu and veteran actor Li Chengru.
With over 80 percent of the audience local residents, the theater has attracted over 4,500 people to register as members. Whenever there’s a performance at the theater, the best seats are often sold out very quickly. “It means our audience cares about the quality of the experience more than the ticket price,” Qin said.
Instead of boosting ticket sales by all means, the theater has taken a different approach. It offers 300 non-profit tickets for each show while non-profit performances are held every month along with open day events. “We are trying to bring high art to a larger audience,” Qin said.
However, non-profit does not mean low quality. Famed musicians, well-known actors and Tadao Ando, the architect who designed the theater, have all participated in the non-profit shows and lectures provided for the public.
The theater management is hoping such measures will enable more people to get the opportunity to be face-to-face with their favorite artists. Ticket prices for such performances range from 30 to 80 yuan.
Meanwhile, the theater has established a wide network with local authorities.
For example, it has worked with Jiading District Cultural Affairs Bureau and launched a culture week in March, presenting five non-profit performances.
In addition, the theater co-hosted nine special shows for 14,000 local students in March with the district’s education bureau. “It takes time and effort to foster the next generation of audience,” said Qin.
The interaction between artists and audience has been touching. Just a couple of hours before the 2015 New Year Concert, musicians from the Landes Jugend Orchester Bremen gave up their rehearsal time to perform free for a group of students who weren’t able to get tickets.
Even though the theater has achieved a lot in only one year, there are concerns at the lack of facilities such as shopping centers and public transport near the venue.
According to a district official, the district will focus on improving public cultural services by setting up Metro stations, industrial parks and office buildings in the region. The new Jiading District Library, Han Tianheng Art Museum along with a new sports center, Ruijin Hospital North Branch and a high school affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University will help build a modern district with comprehensive public facilities.
Besides the theater, there is another district government project that has drawn much public attention —the Wenbo Center, a museum complex which is at the planning stage.
At present, 12 collectors have signed cooperation agreements with the museum. It is also expected that 30 Chinese collectors and artists will bring their galleries and studios into the district by 2030.
At that time, Jiading locals will not only be able to watch top class performances but also enjoy priceless collections of artworks on their doorstep.
The Taipei Style Street is being made ready for a grand opening to the public on Boxing Day this year, while two large lifestyle complexes in the district will open their doors to welcome customers next May and October.
These facilities are expected to bring more people to Jiading to enjoy cultural and art venues such as the Shanghai Poly Grand Theater.
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