China Focus Staged a Shining Debut in Edinburgh

First year at Edinburgh International Festival, the third year at Fringe

EDINBURGH, Scotland, Aug. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- 2019 China Focus kicked off its third year on 3 August at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and the first time at Edinburgh International Festival, bringing the prestigious Chinese feast for senses along with six excellent Chinese theatre productions. 

Officials from the Chinese Embassy in the UK, Shanghai Municipal Government, Scottish and Edinburgh government, Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe, and members of the press, along with key artists from the China Focus programme gathered on 22 August for the celebration of leading contemporary talents from East to West. 

The selected productions for 2019 China Focus include Shanghai Symphony Orchestra: Dvořák and Shostakovich, Rite of Spring at the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF); The Blue Bird, The King of Ghosts: Zhong Kui, Qi, Tang and Four Dreams at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This is also the second time for Chinese productions to be selected by EIF in the past decade after Revenge of Prince Zi Dan and Peony Pavilion in 2011.

In celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), China Focus aims to promote Chinese heritage and cultural products among international markets. China Focus is the celebration of excellence in Chinese theatre and dramatic production through high-quality art performances with both Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Each is a contemporary show that blends both China's traditional and its contemporary creative currents. 

China Focus triggered the pursuit of Chinese original works in the British cultural market. This is one of the outstanding achievements of the golden era between China and the UK, followed by the cooperation memo between the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & TV and the Festivals Edinburgh on November 2017, and a cooperation agreement between The Centre for China Shanghai International Arts Festival and the Edinburgh International Festival on April 2018.

China Focus proves to be a dynamic strategy and platform to encourage innovation in the UK-China art industries. By bringing exquisite and thrilling selection of theatre productions, the annual programme will continue to grow as a mainstay of Edinburgh Festivals' Chinese cultural showcase and strengthen existing relationships and build new links between individuals and organisations in art and culture industries, as well as between governments.

2019 China Focus is supported by Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, The Culture Office, Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the UK, China National Tourist Office, London and Information Office of Shanghai Municipality; organised by The Centre for China Shanghai International Arts Festival and Edinburgh International Festival; co-organised by Branding Shanghai.

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