The 25th China Shanghai International Arts Festival will run from Oct 17 to Nov 15.

Nearly 400 programs, comprising almost 1,100 performances, exhibitions, and other activities, are planned, ranging from world-class stage performances and international cultural exchange to outdoor shows and digital art projects.

The festival's opening performance will also serve as the opening concert of the Shanghai Grand Opera House on Oct 17. The opening concert, Shanghai Grand Opera House and Friends, will bring together conductor Zhang Guoyong and other leading artists for a program of Chinese and international opera classics.

The festival's closing performance will be American Ballet Theatre's production of Swan Lake at the Shanghai Grand Opera House.

World-class performances and Asian premieres

The festival will present new productions of three operas, each making its Asian premiere: Staatsoper Unter den Linden's production of Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier, conducted by Christian Thielemann; the Mariinsky Theatre's production of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida, conducted by Valery Gergiev; and Teatro La Fenice's production of Giacomo Puccini's Tosca.

Two complete concert cycles will also be presented. Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra will perform all 15 of Shostakovich's symphonies, and pianist Rudolf Buchbinder and the Staatskapelle Berlin will perform all five of Beethoven's piano concertos.

The festival will also present two Dusseldorfer Schauspielhaus productions directed by theater director Robert Wilson, Dorian and Moby Dick.

Expanding international cultural exchange

Presented in collaboration with the festival, the first Shanghai edition of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels will run from Oct 14 to Nov 8 and feature 15 contemporary dance productions.

The festival will also include the "Focus on Germany" Cultural Week, featuring six productions across 15 performances and showcasing German classical art alongside contemporary avant-garde works.

The China Shanghai Performing Arts Fair and International Dialogues will be held at BOCOM New Bund 31 Performing Arts Center. The event is expected to attract around 500 organizations and more than 2,000 Chinese and overseas guests, providing a platform for international exchange across the performing arts sector.

Performances across the city

More than 80 performances will be staged in public spaces across Shanghai, including aerial shows, waterfront concerts, and events in parks and commercial areas.

Spanish company Voala will present its aerial music and dance production Voala Station, set against Shanghai's cityscape.

The 2026 Waterside Melodies will feature the Shanghai Rainbow Chamber Singers and other well-known Chinese ensembles in an outdoor music program along the waterfront in Qingpu district.

The Shanghai Exhibition Center will host Tan Dun: Nushu Meets French Impressionism, a large-scale outdoor symphony concert performed by the China National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Tan Dun.

Other performances will take place in parks, green spaces, and commercial areas, including events at the Shanghai City Lawn Music Plaza and at Xintiandi.

Exploring new forms of digital art

A new digital art section, X-TRA, will debut at this year's festival, showcasing works by emerging digital artists from China and abroad.

Its first exhibition, Terra Nova, will run from Oct 30, 2026, to Jan 24, 2027, at Tank Shanghai. It will feature a range of digital art forms, including AI-generated art and cross-media game and video installations.

The festival will also present Celebrate, Coexist, Resonate, a public art project featuring digital paintings and light installations. The project will be displayed on the facade of the Center for China Shanghai International Arts Festival through Nov 15.

Branch venues and specialized programs

More than 180 performances and events will be held at branch venues in Jiangsu, Anhui, and other locations.

The festival will also feature four specialized programs: the Shanghai International Magic Festival, the Shanghai International Puppet Festival, JZ Festival Shanghai, and the Silk Road Traditional Performing Arts Festival.

Source: China Shanghai International Arts Festival