fluktor -|||- study - office - newsletter September 07, 2005

China Daily, 2005-09-05
Performance oriented
LOUISA WINKLER

Li Yu's career path has closely paralleled the growth of the theatre he manages.

The Tianqiao Theatre, an oasis pocket of cultural refinement in Xuanwu, a chaotic commercial district in southwest Beijing, has played an important role in the development of China's performing arts scene.

As manager of the theatre, Li has come to grips with the industry and what it takes to sell art. He started working for the Tianqiao Theatre Management Co Ltd, a subsidiary of the State-owned China Performing Arts Agency, in 1999. Li was completely new to the industry.

"I was simply a lover of culture," says Li.

"Originally, I had a very romanticized idea of the industry. Over time, I've learned that if you pursue a career in the arts, there are endless practical problems to overcome. You actually have to be very hard-headed."

Tianqiao has been a big name in China's performing arts scene for decades. The first grand theatre in China was established in 1954 to host national cultural events.

Former Soviet and German experts supervised its construction. In the early years it mainly staged former Soviet operas and ballets, which were replaced with politically correct Peking Operas during the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976).

By the time the country opened up and reforms took hold, the tables had turned.

"In those days," says Li, "there were relatively few theatres, and there were lots of opportunities."

The scene and the industry are completely different today.

"The industry grew and by the late 1990s all forms of ownership were represented. State-owned and privately-owned theatres, individual investors, they were all there."

Li is operating in a buyer's market and now has to ensure the theatre is run according to market demand. Despite being a subsidiary of a State-run firm, all of Tianqiao's revenue must be generated commercially.

The theatre has fared well so far. Tianqiao Theatre and rival Poly rank as the best venues in the capital.

"There is a strong demand in Beijing for good, well-marketed art, and it makes a big difference to have the stars involved," says Li.

Tianqiao put on a highly successful production last year of the avant-garde Chinese comedy, "Toilet." The cast members included celebrated Chinese actors Tao Hong and Zhao Liang.

"Many people know these actors from television, so they jump at the chance to see them on stage. They are a huge draw."

Li has also been successful with overseas productions. Tianqiao's presentation last year of the renowned Irish dance show, "Riverdance," was performed nine times in the Great Hall of the People and brought in three million yuan (US$370,370). The numbers are impressive, but Li says they are the norm rather than the exception in this industry.

Despite these figures, the market's potential has yet to be fully exploited. Education, money and time are the three main problems plaguing the development of performing arts in China, Li adds.

Li characterizes the majority of theatregoers in China as well educated, young to middle-aged professionals with reasonably high disposable incomes.

"You need an education to appreciate high culture," says Li.

Time is another consideration. Plays and operas typically run for several hours. Many people in modern China are too busy with work to go to the theatre regularly, particularly those in the highest income bracket.

The performing arts also must compete with other forms of popular entertainment, such as bars, restaurants, and movies.

"Entertainment products are cheaper than theatre tickets," Li says.

"You can spend just 30 or 40 yuan (US$3.7 or US$4.9) and get a movie ticket or something to eat. This sort of thing is both cheap and widely accessible. The profit margins in the entertainment industry are smaller, but the market is huge, so it's worth a lot of money."

A show like "Riverdance" can't be held every week in Beijing. The demand for performing arts simply isn't high enough. Li estimates that yearly ticket sales at most venues in Beijing only account for 20 per cent of seating capacity.

He clearly understands the market and thus has a different perspective on the problem of high prices than the one offered by the Chinese media. Li says that high ticket prices are the result of poor attendance at shows, not the cause. He even says that there is significant demand for high-priced tickets.

"These production companies are certainly not stupid," says Li.

"It's not as if they don't know expensive things are harder to sell. They are aware that there are still people who will buy tickets at high prices."

The most expensive theatre tickets in China often include extra services, such as dinner in the VIP lounge or opportunities to meet the cast. These kinds of bonuses are determining factors for more affluent customers who attend theatrical productions to see and be seen.

Another factor hurting the industry is that theatre tickets worth 100 yuan (US$12.3) cannot be given as gifts because they are too cheap. A significant proportion of tickets in China are bought as gifts for employees by large enterprises, institutions and government agencies.

New government regulations on the commercial performing arts enforced from September therefore will not affect Tianqiao's pricing policy. The company must still cover costs, and theatregoers will still buy expensive tickets.

Co-operation with foreign production companies has helped Li learn how to understand and respond to the Chinese market. His experience is extensive, and Tianqiao's historical status as a centre for cultural exchange still defines its activities. Over the past year Li has hosted the United Kingdom's Rambert Dance Co, the Monte Carlo Ballet, and the Italian opera "Lucia Di Lammermoor" at Tianqiao.

"We've come up with a lot of fresh ideas by co-operating with foreign companies," says Li, adding that the highly market-oriented approach of American and German companies particularly impressed him.

Tianqiao's manager welcomes new regulations that will further open the market to increased co-operation with foreign interests. He says that the company would also welcome the possibility of an international joint venture.

Joint ventures are not yet under immediate consideration, but other plans are. Tianqiao intends to expand domestic operations to cover other theatres, if Li has his way.

"China's performing arts industry is on the rise. There will always be new theatres that need new management and investment."

Tianqiao's high standards can be successfully applied to other ventures, Li adds.

Li's six years in the industry have been productive. He has just finished writing a pair of books on arts and theatre management.

"It's only when artists put their heads together with managers that a really marketable arts product can be produced," he says.
(China Daily 09/05/2005 page7)

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-09/05/content_475013.htm

__________________

with kind regards,

Matthias Arnold
(Art-Eastasia list)

http://www.chinaresource.org
http://www.fluktor.de

__________________________________________

An archive of this list as well as an subscribe/unsubscribe facility is
available at:
http://listserv.uni-heidelberg.de/archives/art-eastasia.html
For postings earlier than 2005-02-23 please go to:
http://www.fluktor.de/study/office/newsletter.htm


	September 07, 2005: [achtung! kunst] theatre : Li Yu and the Tianqiao Theatre

	China Daily, 2005-09-05 Performance oriented LOUISA WINKLER Li Yu's career path has closely paralleled the growth of the theatre he manages. The Tianqiao Theatre, an oasis pocket of cultural refinement in Xuanwu, a chaotic commercial district in southwest Beijing, has played an important role in the development of China's performing arts scene. As manager of the theatre, Li has come to grips with the industry and what it takes to sell art. He started working for the Tianqiao Theatre Management Co Ltd, a subsidiary of the State-owned China Performing Arts Agency, in 1999. Li was completely new to the industry. "I was simply a lover of culture," says Li. "Originally, I had a very romanticized idea of the industry. Over time, I've learned that if you pursue a career in the arts, there are endless practical problems to overcome. You actually have to be very hard-headed." Tianqiao has been a big name in China's performing arts scene for decades. The first grand theatre in China was established in 1954 to host national cultural events. Former Soviet and German experts supervised its construction. In the early years it mainly staged former Soviet operas and ballets, which were replaced with politically correct Peking Operas during the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976). By the time the country opened up and reforms took hold, the tables had turned. "In those days," says Li, "there were relatively few theatres, and there were lots of opportunities." The scene and the industry are completely different today. "The industry grew and by the late 1990s all forms of ownership were represented. State-owned and privately-owned theatres, individual investors, they were all there." Li is operating in a buyer's market and now has to ensure the theatre is run according to market demand. Despite being a subsidiary of a State-run firm, all of Tianqiao's revenue must be generated commercially. The theatre has fared well so far. Tianqiao Theatre and rival Poly rank as the best venues in the capital. "There is a strong demand in Beijing for good, well-marketed art, and it makes a big difference to have the stars involved," says Li. Tianqiao put on a highly successful production last year of the avant-garde Chinese comedy, "Toilet." The cast members included celebrated Chinese actors Tao Hong and Zhao Liang. "Many people know these actors from television, so they jump at the chance to see them on stage. They are a huge draw." Li has also been successful with overseas productions. Tianqiao's presentation last year of the renowned Irish dance show, "Riverdance," was performed nine times in the Great Hall of the People and brought in three million yuan (US$370,370). The numbers are impressive, but Li says they are the norm rather than the exception in this industry. Despite these figures, the market's potential has yet to be fully exploited. Education, money and time are the three main problems plaguing the development of performing arts in China, Li adds. Li characterizes the majority of theatregoers in China as well educated, young to middle-aged professionals with reasonably high disposable incomes. "You need an education to appreciate high culture," says Li. Time is another consideration. Plays and operas typically run for several hours. Many people in modern China are too busy with work to go to the theatre regularly, particularly those in the highest income bracket. The performing arts also must compete with other forms of popular entertainment, such as bars, restaurants, and movies. "Entertainment products are cheaper than theatre tickets," Li says. "You can spend just 30 or 40 yuan (US$3.7 or US$4.9) and get a movie ticket or something to eat. This sort of thing is both cheap and widely accessible. The profit margins in the entertainment industry are smaller, but the market is huge, so it's worth a lot of money." A show like "Riverdance" can't be held every week in Beijing. The demand for performing arts simply isn't high enough. Li estimates that yearly ticket sales at most venues in Beijing only account for 20 per cent of seating capacity. He clearly understands the market and thus has a different perspective on the problem of high prices than the one offered by the Chinese media. Li says that high ticket prices are the result of poor attendance at shows, not the cause. He even says that there is significant demand for high-priced tickets. "These production companies are certainly not stupid," says Li. "It's not as if they don't know expensive things are harder to sell. They are aware that there are still people who will buy tickets at high prices." The most expensive theatre tickets in China often include extra services, such as dinner in the VIP lounge or opportunities to meet the cast. These kinds of bonuses are determining factors for more affluent customers who attend theatrical productions to see and be seen. Another factor hurting the industry is that theatre tickets worth 100 yuan (US$12.3) cannot be given as gifts because they are too cheap. A significant proportion of tickets in China are bought as gifts for employees by large enterprises, institutions and government agencies. New government regulations on the commercial performing arts enforced from September therefore will not affect Tianqiao's pricing policy. The company must still cover costs, and theatregoers will still buy expensive tickets. Co-operation with foreign production companies has helped Li learn how to understand and respond to the Chinese market. His experience is extensive, and Tianqiao's historical status as a centre for cultural exchange still defines its activities. Over the past year Li has hosted the United Kingdom's Rambert Dance Co, the Monte Carlo Ballet, and the Italian opera "Lucia Di Lammermoor" at Tianqiao. "We've come up with a lot of fresh ideas by co-operating with foreign companies," says Li, adding that the highly market-oriented approach of American and German companies particularly impressed him. Tianqiao's manager welcomes new regulations that will further open the market to increased co-operation with foreign interests. He says that the company would also welcome the possibility of an international joint venture. Joint ventures are not yet under immediate consideration, but other plans are. Tianqiao intends to expand domestic operations to cover other theatres, if Li has his way. "China's performing arts industry is on the rise. There will always be new theatres that need new management and investment." Tianqiao's high standards can be successfully applied to other ventures, Li adds. Li's six years in the industry have been productive. He has just finished writing a pair of books on arts and theatre management. "It's only when artists put their heads together with managers that a really marketable arts product can be produced," he says. (China Daily 09/05/2005 page7) http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-09/05/content_475013.htm __________________ with kind regards, Matthias Arnold (Art-Eastasia list) http://www.chinaresource.org http://www.fluktor.de __________________________________________ An archive of this list as well as an subscribe/unsubscribe facility is available at: http://listserv.uni-heidelberg.de/archives/art-eastasia.html For postings earlier than 2005-02-23 please go to: http://www.fluktor.de/study/office/newsletter.htm