Suspense novel set in Tang Dynasty becomes musical

According to An Dong, the musical's composer, the novel was a lengthy two-volume epic, and condensing it into a two- to three-hour musical was an immense challenge.

He has been working on the musical for about a year, and wanted to write music that best conveyed the Tang Dynasty capital.

"A hallmark of Chang'an at the peak of the Tang Dynasty was its fusion of cultures and arts from different countries. Back then, the city was a melting pot of ethnicities, languages and cultures," he says.

So rather than using predominantly traditional Chinese music, he blended ethnic and folk art forms, such as Qinqiang Opera, with international influences and contemporary pop music. He also insisted on having traditional Chinese musicians onstage.

The production crew also worked to reflect the prosperity and outlook of the ancient capital through the stage design. For example, the stage floor has a checkerboard design to represent the city's 108 blocks, as well as three movable watchtowers to indicate different locations.