Shanghai will host the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival from Oct 17 to Nov 27.

Themed "A Festival of Arts, a Gala for All", the festival will feature more than 500 performances and exhibitions across 1,200 sessions. Events are divided into eight sections, including stage performances, international dialogues, and public cultural activities.

Nearly 60 percent of the 55 mainstage performances are expected to be international productions, with around 90 percent making their Shanghai debut.

The opening performance, Taihe zhengyin: The Kunqu Opera Classics from the Imperial Palace (Season One), is a collaboration between the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe and the Palace Museum. The festival will close with a concert conducted by Daniel Harding, leading the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in works by Giuseppe Verdi, Maurice Ravel, and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

The program emphasizes artistic innovation. A highlight is the Asian premiere of Kontakthof: Echoes of '78, a restaged version of Pina Bausch's dance-theatre classic, co-commissioned by the festival and presented exclusively in Shanghai.

A platform for emerging artists drew 226 submissions from 19 countries and regions. Selected works include stage productions, visual art projects, and a special recommendation. This year also features technology-driven creations such as experimental environmental theatre and digital art exhibitions.

Chinese original productions inspired by traditional cultural and historical events will receive particular prominence.

Regional collaborations will expand with events in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces, along with a Greater Bay Area Cultural Week featuring Cantonese opera, dance, and theatre.

More than 90 performances will be staged under the "Art Space" public program, energizing urban landmarks and public spaces across the city with artists from over 30 countries and regions. Major exhibitions are planned at the China Art Museum and the Liu Haisu Art Museum.

The festival will also launch a new art program "Artra", presenting interdisciplinary works that fuse visual and performing arts, including large-scale installations and digital performances.

Source: Official WeChat account of Shanghai Municipal People's Government at "shanghaifabu"