Cao Zhen

    caozhen0806@126.com

    SHENZHEN theater management, performance and ticketing company A.C. Orange Co. Ltd. signed an agreement with Opera Australia in Shenzhen on Thursday to collaborate on musical and operatic productions and performances.

    According to Geng Jun, chairperson and CEO of A.C. Orange, his company and Opera Australia from Sydney will co-invest in and co-produce a musical or opera every year and show it in Australia, China and cities around the world. Neither side revealed the names of planned performances.

    “Musicals and operas are becoming more popular in China, but the productions here cannot match those produced by our international counterparts, so we want Opera Australia to bring its know-how to China and help with the development of Chinese musicals and operas,” said Geng at the agreement signing ceremony at Nanshan Cultural and Sports Center. The two theaters in the center are run by A.C. Orange, which also owns ticketing website juooo.com.

    “Musicals are a very important part of Opera Australia’s business, and we will partner with A.C. Orange in musicals and operas artistically and financially,” said Opera Australia’s artistic director Lyndon William Terracini in Shenzhen.

    Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based at Sydney Opera House, it stages more than 700 performances every year. Opera Australia is funded by a combination of government money, corporate sponsorship, private philanthropy and ticket sales, according to Terracini.

    As Shenzhen’s biggest performance, theater management and ticketing company, A.C. Orange is considering future collaborations with performance companies from the West End in London and Broadway in New York City, said Geng.