On July 23, the closing ceremony of The Academy Awards of Musicals 2019 was held at the concert hall of National Library of China. A total of 29 musical groups out of 150 came into the finals and performed during the ceremony, making that dazzling evening a dream of fantasies.

If you ask what are some of the top trends in China this year, musicals are undoubtedly one of them. In 2019, we witnessed a boom of musical culture among the younger generations of Chinese people. A number of musical actors and actresses began to grab public attention and won popularity nationwide, such as Zheng Yunlong (郑云龙), who won the Best Musical Actor title during The 3rd Academy Awards of Musicals.

The Peking University School of Arts has been celebrating the best musicals and musical performers on campus annually with The Academy Awards of Musicals for four years. The Awards offers opportunities for musical professionals to practice and share with each other while it commits to establish aesthetic norms led by universities and institutions. Co-organized by the Peking University Office of International Relations and supported by the Chinese Theater Association, the event has always been a part and a highlight of the Peking University International Culture Festival.

The 2019 award winners included four categories: Best Group Performance, Outstanding Group Performance, Outstanding Solo Performers, and the Yuanpei Scholarship. As for this year's Best Actor/Actress award, the appraisal committee resolved not to award this title as none of the contestants had reached the required standards. Preciseness and high standards are core values of the Awards, ensuring its legitimacy and authority.

As the first professional and authoritative award for musicals in China, The Academy Awards of Musicals thrives on the profound cultural heritage of Peking University and undertakes the duty of setting benchmarks for the industry. In the future, the Awards will spare no efforts and keep leading the exploration and development of Chinese musicals!