TheinteractiveshowShearMadnessSalonbyMahuaFunAgeisacomedyhitstagedatRuihongTiandiHalloftheMoonshoppingmallinShanghai.CHINADAILYAlmostadecadeago,impresariosesongJianpingcameupwiththeunconventionalideathatmodern-dayshoppingmallscouldhelpsaveclassicalmusicperformances.AshoworganizerfriendofhiswhohadjustreturnedfromatriptoEuropein2015tostudythestagingofclassicalmusicconcertstoldhimmostoftheaudiencesattheperformanceswereelderlypeople."Thereisnohopeforclassicalmusic,"Song'sfrienddeclared.Song,43,isfounderandchairmanofMusicFans,aBeijing-headquarteredcompanythathasorganized5,000performancesaroundthecountryformorethanadecade.Hisfriend'sbleakprognosisforclassicalmusicconcertsinspiredthemallidea."Whynotbringconcertsclosertopeople,especiallyyoungpeople,whichallowsthemtoenjoyclassicalmusicmoreeasilyandcomfortably?"Songsaid,notingthatmallshadtheaddedattractionsofgrocerystores,fashionbrands,cinemas,coffeeshopsandchildren'splayareas.Whenhestartedhiscompanyin2012,Songfocusedonclassicalmusicconcerts,featuringsoloists,orchestrasandchambermusicperformers.Likemanycompaniesthatputonliveperformances,heincurredthecostsofrentingspaces,themajoritytraditionaltheaterswithacapacityofabout1,000seats.From2012to2015,someoftheshowsthathiscompanystageddidn'tsellverywell,Songconceded.Hehadalsostartedtorealizethatgoingtoaclassicalmusicconcertatatheaterwasnotveryappealingtomanypatrons,especiallyyoungpeople,whohaveafast-pacedlifestyleandneedtheconvenienceofrestaurantsandeasyaccesstotransportation.OnDec24,2019,thecompanylauncheditsfirstperformanceatTaikooLiSanlitun,ashoppingcomplexindowntownBeijing.TheconcertfeaturedcelloplayerZhaoXuyangandpianistLiuYuntianperformingBeethoven'scompletecellosonatas.Ticketpricesrangedfrom100to380yuan($14to$53),andtoSong'ssurprisetheconcertsoldout.12345NextPageLastPage51Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.