Shanghai announced the program for the upcoming 25th China Shanghai International Arts Festival at a news conference on Sept 29.

Established in 1999, the festival has developed into a key hub for artistic exchange between Shanghai and the global scene. Taking place from Oct 17 to Nov 15, this year's edition features nearly 400 programs and approximately 1,100 performances and events divided into eight sections.

The main stage program comprises 60 productions and 170 performances, said Li Ming, president of the China Shanghai International Arts Festival Center. Nearly 90 percent are Shanghai premieres, and 13 productions are Shanghai exclusives — their only stop in China.

The festival opens with Shanghai Grand Opera House and Friends, doubling as the opening concert of the new venue, and closes with American Ballet Theatre's Swan Lake.

The opening concert brings together celebrated singers from China and abroad, led by three conductors — Yu Long, Zhang Guoyong, and Xu Zhong.

"The concert captures the development of contemporary Chinese music," Zhang, chairman of the Chinese Musicians' Association, said.

Art Space, one of the eight sections, is dedicated to building "a theater without walls". This year it extends into an unprecedented range of venues: more than 80 quality performances will be staged in public spaces, including a series of waterfront concerts in Suhewan and Qingpu district, as well as a Spanish aerial music and dance production on Fuxing Island.

The festival is releasing discount tickets in two rounds at an average of half price. The first batch, which included more than 4,300 tickets, is now sold out. The second batch will be available for purchase in late October.

The discounted tickets have attracted buyers not only from the Yangtze River Delta but also from online users across 27 provinces and municipalities nationwide, all competing to snap them up. Some tickets also include exclusive offers at participating merchants and attractions.

Source: China Daily Website