Shanghai pays musical tribute to Taiwan star

Hsiao Hong-ren plays the lead role in More Than Words, a musical in memory of Taiwan pop singer and songwriter Chang Yu-sheng.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Pop singer and songwriter Chang Yu-sheng is remembered through a new musical production that will be staged at Shanghai Culture Square from Feb 27-28.

Chang was from Taiwan and rose to stardom in the 1990s. He was killed in a car accident in 1997, at the age of 31. Chang is best remembered for his high-pitched vocals, as well as his achievements as a composer and music producer.

The musical will be the first production from Taiwan to participate in the annual Original Chinese Musicals Festival at Shanghai Culture Square, says Fei Yuanhong, artistic director of the theater dedicated to the performance of musicals.

The musical titled More Than Words is named after a song in Chang's debut album, released in 1988. Bringing together 23 songs from Chang's most-beloved music creation, the musical tells a 21st century love story between a young man from Taipei and a woman from Beijing, says the play's producer, Wang Limin.

In the musical, the man wants to open a small cafe in Taiwan, while the woman he loves has bigger dreams.

Besides More Than Words, the original Chinese Musicals Festival this year will feature five other productions, which will run through March 27.

"We have witnessed a significant increase in the numbers of Chinese musicals since we started the festival in 2012," Fei says.