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The sensational 1920 murder of a high-class prostitute in old Shanghai will be retold as a pingtan show - storytelling to music - to attract a younger audience.The city was transfixed by the plot by Yan Ruishen to strangle Wang Lianying, a socially prominent figure and his former lover, because she would not help him repay his debts from gambling and high living. He deceived her into thinking he was solvent and then took her - draped in jewels as usual - for a ride in a luxury auto borrowed from a friend.This is one of the stories to be performed by the Shanghai Pingtan Troupe in a series of weekly performances featuring classic tales, modern takes on old stories, and new scripts. The new stories are about the history of Shanghai.