First, "Les Miserables," then, "Cats," now, "The Phantom of the Opera" - Shanghai is embracing the world's finest art every year.

This year, it is Andrew Lloyd Webber's award-winning musical, which tells the story of a disfigured musical genius who falls fatally in love with a young singer and wages a reign of terror over the Paris Opera's occupants. As this classic musical is on its way to Shanghai, I will not bother to describe the details of the music and cast. What I'd like to introduce to you is how Shanghai comes to host these major musicals.

Back in the late 80s of the last century, experts in charge of cultural exchange had the idea to bring classic musicals to China. However, at that time, there was no appropriate opera house. Although Shanghai has a rich culture and art heritage from its prosperous days as the number one city in the Far East in the 1930s, the traditional theatres couldn't accommodate international performance troupes with their vast backdrops and sets.

The plan was delayed until the Shanghai Grand Theatre was completed in 1998. This theatre lived up to the demands of big musicals. Shanghai accomplished its primary task of luring these programmes to the city, but that was just the first step.

During its honeymoon with the musicals, the Grand Theatre was very cautious in choosing the programmes to be performed. Not surprisingly, "Les Miserables" was the first to appear on the stage. The reason is not hard to explain.

The original work by Victor Hugo was familiar to most Chinese. The plot of the story was about the French Revolution and the struggle of the labouring class. Both elements cater to the taste of the Chinese people and comply with the principles guiding cultural productions.

Shanghai didn't disappoint. Although "Cats" was staged during the SARS outbreak, the theatre continued their performances uninterrupted.

According to a foreign media source, there were five criteria in judging whether Shanghai was experiencing a SARS epidemic at that time. One of them was whether "Cats" was still on at the Grand Theatre.

"Cats" withstood the tests from both the audience and the disease. The house was 80 per cent full over the run. On closing night, it enjoyed a full house with people even standing on the stairs to watch the show.

The cast and crew of the Really Useful Company were moved by the response. Andrew Lloyd Webber himself wrote a letter to the theatre extending his gratitude and appreciation to the city.

Without these early efforts, we would not have the opportunity to enjoy his masterpiece, "The Phantom of the Opera", this month. The period from 1988 to 2004, sixteen years, could take a child to college, change a youngster into a middle-aged man, but it is still only a short period in the development of a city.

We hope the day when Shanghai produces its own musical masterpieces will not be far away.