Zhang Yu, general manager of the China Performing Arts Agency, said Friday that he had just signed the agreement with Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group International Touring Productions.

He said it would be the first time for Chinese audiences to be entertained with a whole Western musical.

Early in 2000, a selection of Webber's ten most famous pieces were brought to Beijing and Shanghai and attracted hundreds of thousands of people.

However, the excerpts could not satisfy the Chinese, said Zhang, adding he hoped the premier of "Cats" would lead to the staging of more of Lloyd Webber's works.

(Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2003)