Shanghai Grand Theatre to close for renovations

The Shanghai Grand Theatre will temporarily close February 15 to undergo major renovations for the first time since the venue opened in 1998, local media reported Monday.

The work will begin in March and last six to eight months, according to a report in the Youth Daily.

The renovations will not alter the theater's appearance. Rather, they will provide the audience with a safer and more comfortable environment, theater director Zhang Zhe said in the report.

The theater will upgrade its air conditioning, electrical and fire safety facilities, the report said.

The theater will not need to undergo major renovations again for another 20 years, Zhang told the Youth Daily.

The venue will host a special concert called Never Say Goodbye on February 14, the last day the theater will be open before the renovations begin. The concert will feature five acts, including classical music, dance, drama and opera.

After the renovations are completed, part of the theater will open to the public in advance of its official reopening in the fall, when it will present Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi's opera Attila, the report said.

Zhang spoke over the weekend at the Two Sessions meetings to argue for more local government support for the city's theaters, the report said. The director was concerned that high ticket prices have prevented some residents from enjoying theater performances.

Although the average ticket price at the Shanghai Grand Theatre fell from 293 yuan ($47.05) to 256 yuan over last year, the price remains high, accounting for 7.3 percent of a Shanghai resident's average monthly salary in 2012, Zhang said in the report.

The director said that theaters should lower their prices to make performances more accessible to the public, according to the report. He also suggested that the government could provide theaters with more financial support, such as subsidies and tax cuts, to help them reduce ticket prices.