Shanghai International Arts Festival Announces Exceptional Program

The 23rd Shanghai International Arts Festival in China will feature 57 stage productions and over 168 performances, including concerts, operas, dances and plays. More than 90% of the productions will be presented for the first time in Shanghai.

Scheduled from October 18 to November 17, this year’s Arts Festival will bring together renowned artists and troupes from 36 countries and regions. About 60 percent of the festival’s programs will come from abroad.

Shanghai Dance Theater’s “Azure After the Rain,” a dance drama adapted from the life story of Song Dynasty poet Li Qingzhao (1084-1155), will open the festival on October 18 at Shanghai Culture Square.

The closing ceremony will be a concert presented by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Russian conductor Tugan Sokhiev at the Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall on November 17. Chinese pianist Zhang Haochen will join the performance.

World-renowned conductor Valery Gergiev will return to Shanghai with the Marinsky Orchestra for a concert on October 20 at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Andris Nelsons and the Vienna Philharmonic will also return to the same venue on October 30-31.

The Marinsky Ballet presents a gala evening and “La Bayadère” at New Bund 31 from October 23 to 26.

Before that, the Bolshoi Ballet will present “Spartacus” and a gala evening from October 17 to 21 at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.

Another major recommendation is the dance piece “Oasis Reunion,” featuring talented Chinese dancer Hu Shenyuan. Commissioned by the festival, the dance piece will showcase the charm of Dunhuang frescoes on October 19 and 20 at the Shanghai International Dance Center Theater.

In theater, the Beijing People’s Art Theater is presenting five plays, including its flagship play “Tea House,” in Shanghai. The Shanghainese dialect plays “Everlasting Regret” and “Blossoms” will also return during the festival.

“I have always enjoyed coming to Shanghai,” said Pu Cunxin, a veteran actor based in Beijing. “This month-long festival will be extremely enriching for art lovers in Shanghai and China.”

Pu praised Shanghai’s way of cultivating the art market and audience.

“Shanghai residents regard going to theaters, galleries and exhibitions as a lifestyle choice,” Pu said. “Compared with other Chinese cities, Shanghai’s maturity in the art market can be proven by the quality of its audience and art consumption.”

“With the visa exemption policies introduced for foreign visitors, I hope more foreign audiences will come to Shanghai to appreciate Chinese and international artworks,” he added.

According to the organizers, about 200,000 tickets are available for this year’s festival. In addition to the stage performances, 20 art exhibitions will be open to the public during the festival.