The 2026 Waterside Melodies will bring two outdoor concerts to Shanghai's riverside landscape this National Day holiday, blending classic film scores with youthful choral performances.

Scheduled for Oct 6 and 7 at Shangda Central Park South Garden in Qingpu district, the two shows serve as key waterfront programs of the 25th China Shanghai International Arts Festival's Art Space initiative.

The festival opens on Oct 6 with Tan Dun's Martial Arts Trilogy, a cinematic symphony concert led by renowned composer Tan Dun and performed by the Shanghai Opera House Orchestra. The repertoire features iconic concerto pieces from three classic Chinese martial arts films — Hero, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and The Banquet, presenting a sweeping exploration of martial arts aesthetics, faith, fate, and humanity.

The second concert, on Oct 7, will feature conductor Jin Chengzhi and the Shanghai Rainbow Chamber Singers. The choir will perform a selection of representative works. One of them draws on everyday life in Shanghai, with images of elderly women selling magnolia flowers, stray dogs chasing sprinkler trucks, and commuters hurrying to work.

If you go

When: Oct 6 to 7

Where: Shangda Central Park South Garden, No 833 Qing'an Road, Qingpu district

Ticket prices: 100 yuan ($14.92) to 280 yuan

Ticket purchase: Available through the Damai platform

Source: Qingpu district administration of culture and tourism