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100 minutes including intermission, ages 8+
East Coast Premiere, In Person Only​
Now entering the fourth year of its creative process, the 5th edition of the new Delaware-born
musical Shanghai Sonatas will be presented on the Master Players stage as a concert production. Conceptualized and composed by Xiang Gao​, t​his newly created hybrid performance combines
live instrumental music with musical theater to promote the unifying power of classical music and
awareness of the Holocaust, genocide and racial violence. The book of Shanghai Sonatas is written
by Alan Goodson, with lyrics written by UD Professor Joyce Hill Stoner.
Based on real historical events, it shares the memoirs of Jewish classical musicians who escaped
Nazi Germany, found refuge in Shanghai, China in the 1930’s, and went on to survive the war and
educate the first generation of Chinese classical musicians. Today, there are roughly 60 million
classical musicians worldwide who are of Chinese descent. Many of them are directly or indirectly
connected to this part of history.
This concert production is directed by New York City-based stage director Chongren Fan and music directed by Asher Denburg. Broadway singing actors and orchestral musicians will share the stage with
stellar UD faculty musicians, students and alumni.
This event is in collaboration with Memor NYC Inc. and ShowTown Theatricals (General Management)​.