Star-studded line-up set to grace Shanghai international arts festival

The world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Dresden and Mariinsky orchestras will deliver master interpretations of classical repertoire at the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival (CSIAF), which runs from Oct 17 to Nov 27.

This year's festival will feature performances, exhibitions and activities spanning eight main sections, with the main performance section consisting of 55 stage productions.

It was announced at a press conference on Wednesday that a series of productions, including Der Fliegende Hollander and Otello by the Bayerische Staatsoper, Romeo and Juliet by the Stuttgart Ballet and the CSIAF-commissioned and co-produced revival of Pina Bausch's Kontakthof - Echoes of '78 will make their Chinese debut at the festival.

Gu Haohao, director of Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe, introduced the festival opening production, True Elegance of Supreme Harmony: The Kunqu Opera Classics from the Imperial Palace (Season One) at Wednesday's conference.

"We collaborated with the Palace Museum in Beijing, and conducted extensive research on the scripts, music and costumes of the classical opera in the collection of the museum," Gu said.

"We picked three stories featuring the Mid-Autumn and Double Ninth festivals to create the season in one production... We hope to take the classical scripts back to the stage and breathe new life into the cultural relics."

According to Kong Lun, deputy head of international exchange and cooperation at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the CSIAF has worked with over 800 art troupes from more than 80 countries and regions over the past 20 years. Over 66,000 artists have performed in Shanghai, reaching more than 80 million people both domestically and internationally, Kong said.