Linda Wong Davies: Staging Semele in Shanghai - part two

Available for over a year

In the second of this two-part documentary….the pressure is mounting. Producer Linda Wong Davies and the multinational cast and crew have reached Shanghai and have little more than a week before opening night, so there is a lot to do in a very short amount of time. The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra – who are celebrating their 140th anniversary – have no experience of performing the baroque music required for Handel’s musical drama, Semele. Shanghai Symphony Hall – a concert hall not designed to house a theatrical set – is about to welcome one through its doors for the first time. Plus, the lighting and petals are causing a bit of a stir! With unrestricted access to the making of this cultural event in China, Ella-mai Robey tries to keep up with the action. Presented and produced by Ella-mai Robey for the BBC World Service