The 40th Shanghai Spring International Music Festival is set to take place from March 23 to April 9. This year's theme, "Echoes of Spring", will be celebrated with 56 main performances, 13 special activities, and a variety of exhibitions and performances.

Festival highlights:

Performances: The festival will feature 56 main performances, including 50 pieces of music and six dance performances. In addition, there will be 13 special activities encompassing five sub-festivals, three competitions, and five educational showcases.

Opening concert: The festival kicks off on March 23 at the Shanghai Symphony Hall with a concert titled Peace Towards the Future. This concert will commemorate the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Themed performances: The festival includes a variety of themed performances, including the national orchestral concert The Light of Peace: A Chinese Symphony, the symphonic concert Chasing Light, the national orchestral suite Chinese Music & Painting, the musical Guan Su Shuang, and the dance drama The Light of Shanghai.

International exchanges: Over 30 percent of the performances involve international exchanges, enhancing the festival's global influence. La Traviata, the closing performance on April 9, will be a collaboration between the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and Finland's Savonlinna Opera Festival.

Cultural celebrations: The festival will celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy and the 50th anniversary of China-EU ties with a China-Italy Music Exchange and Exhibition Season.

Additionally, a concert themed on the Danube and Yangtze rivers will highlight the friendship between China and Hungary.

This year's festival has also attracted applications from over 10 countries and regions, including Germany, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

Among the high-quality productions are the West End classic musical Sunset Boulevard (starring Sarah Brightman) and the UK Wise Children theatre company's musical Wuthering Heights (Chinese mainland premiere).

New talents and works: Nearly 40 percent of the performances will showcase new talents and works. Initiatives like Shining New Stars, Artistic Youth, and Star Dream Voyage will provide platforms for emerging artists.

Original works: The festival will feature activities to solicit and showcase original works, with experts selecting and launching outstanding theme songs from over 9,400 submissions.

Tributes to masters: The festival will honor the 60th anniversary of Ode to the Red Flag by composer Lyu Qiming with a concert. Another highlight will be a special concert conducted by Chen Xieyang, celebrating his 60-year musical career.

Local and national participation: Major Shanghai art groups and artists from across China will participate, including the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Opera House, and more.

Over 10 performances from artistic groups in Beijing, Guangdong province, Jiangsu province, Jiangxi province, Yunnan province, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and more will be held in Shanghai.

Additional activities: This year, the festival will introduce the Shanghai Spring International String Music Culture Week, alongside the existing International Accordion Culture and Art Week and the Digital Muse Music Technology Innovation Festival, which will be held across the city.

Sources: Shanghai Spring International Music Festival Organizing Committee Office, Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles