The 41st Shanghai Spring International Music Festival will take place from March 26 to April 12, with related activities extending the celebration into a 40-day citywide festival season. As one of China's longest-running music festivals, this year's edition highlights Shanghai's role as a meeting place for artistic dialogue and cultural exchange.

A global lineup for cross-cultural exchange

A total of 21 international exchange performances will account for approximately 30 percent of the main program, bringing artists and ensembles from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United States, Finland, Hungary, Brazil, and other countries to Shanghai.

World-renowned orchestras, including the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, and the Budapest Festival Orchestra, will take center stage in the city. They will be joined by acclaimed artists such as Finnish conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, Hungarian conductor Ivan Fischer, and British pianist Imogen Cooper, all set to deliver performances of the highest standard.

The closing performance, Mozart's opera Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), will be staged on April 12 at the Shangyin Opera House. The production is a collaboration between the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg (University of Music Freiburg) in Germany, with participation from Theater Kiel, bringing together Chinese and international artists on a shared platform for artistic collaboration and talent development.

In celebration of the China-Brazil Year of Culture and the 40th anniversary of the Shanghai-Hamburg friendship city ties, the festival will also feature special China-Brazil and China-Germany music exchange programs. These events will bring diverse musical traditions into dialogue.

Leading artists and ensembles take center stage

The festival presents a remarkable array of talent from both China and abroad. Performing groups will represent more than 10 provincial-level regions across the country, showcasing the richness and diversity of Chinese musical culture, from the refined sounds of Jiangnan silk-and-bamboo music and Guangdong music to the folk songs of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and the horse-head fiddle traditions of Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Shanghai's leading performing arts institutions will also play a prominent role. The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Opera House, Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, Shanghai Dance Theatre, and Shanghai Ballet will each present signature productions that reflect the city's vibrant cultural scene.

The lineup features a strong mix of international and Chinese musicians. Conductors Ivor Bolton and David Stern will appear alongside leading Chinese artists such as Ye Xiaogang, Liao Changyong, and Kong Xiangdong, offering audiences a series of performances marked by artistic depth and virtuosity.

Innovative programming and community engagement

This year's festival introduces a new format featuring a core program and an extended period of related activities. The core program runs for 18 days, while related activities before and after the opening and closing events extend the overall festival cycle to 40 days.

The main program includes 68 performances — 59 music performances and 9 dance productions — complemented by a range of special events such as the International Violin Culture Week and the International Accordion Culture and Arts Week.

Accessibility and public engagement remain central to the festival's mission. Performances will be staged at more than 30 venues across Shanghai. In addition, a series of 16 themed outreach activities featuring piano, violin, erhu, and other instruments will be held in communities, schools, and commercial areas across all 16 districts of Shanghai. These events, which include mini-concerts, guided listening sessions, and pop-up performances, are designed to bring the joy of music directly to the public and meet residents' diverse cultural needs.

Performance highlights

Source: WeChat account of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism at "shanghaitourism"