Interview: London's Royal Albert Hall hopes to attract more Chinese artists, spectators: CEO

LONDON, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- London's iconic Royal Albert Hall hopes to attract more Chinese audiences and performers in the future, its chief executive Craig Hassall told Xinhua on Tuesday.

Hassall said that the world-famous venue, which can seat up to 5,900 people, wants to cater to the large expat Chinese community in London.

"We want more Chinese performers, whether they're soloists or performing groups like dance groups, or rock and pop groups coming from China," he said during an interview in the stalls overlooking the stage.

"Before the (COVID-19) pandemic, we set up an alliance with the Shanghai Concert Hall ... an international partner of the Royal Albert Hall. We're very proud of the association," he said.

Hassall said the venue's plan is "to revive that partnership now that COVID is hopefully moving away from us all, and have exchanges of music students and people from Shanghai to London and vice versa."

Hassall, who joined the Albert Hall in 2017, would step down at the start of the 2023 season. His successor has not yet been appointed.

Although the past three years have been a rollercoaster ride due to the pandemic and its impact on live venues, Hassall said he is cautiously optimistic about the new year.

The Royal Albert Hall, one of UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, was opened by Queen Victoria on March 29, 1871.