Chinese musical "Nan Kong", featuring a historical story, made its debut outside China on Oct 24 and 25 in Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay, Singapore's national performing arts center. 

The musical is based on the life story of Kong Zhu, the 53rd-generation descendant of Confucius, who gave up his noble title to promote Confucian culture in Quzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, as an ordinary resident. 
The two-hour performance received a standing ovation from the audience, leaving a deep impression on the local people, especially the professionals in the arts and culture sector. 
"This is my first time watching a traditional Chinese musical, and I was deeply moved. I hope the musical ‘Nan Kong’ will have more and more opportunities to be seen by audience worldwide," said Mou Yat-sin, a Singaporean art industry professional. 
"Both the performers and the stage design clearly demonstrate that this is a major Chinese production aimed to reach a global audience, bringing a visual and auditory feast to our Singaporean audience," said Tommy Xu, a teacher at the Shelton College International in Singapore. 
Before the performance, members of the musical group held a flash mob event at Merlion Park, a landmark in Singapore. The melodious tunes echoed in the square, attracting many locals and tourists. 
The musical, which debuted in 2023, blends traditional Confucian themes with modern stagecraft and has been staged more than 140 times in over 40 cities across China. Following Singapore, the group moved on to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for performances on Monday and Tuesday.