Arts Festival announces opening performances

The 22nd China Shanghai International Arts Festival is raising curtain this weekend with three opening performances featuring both domestic and international artists and troupes.

Conductor Christoph Eschenbach is leading the China Shanghai International Arts Festival (CSIAF) Orchestra for a gala concert on Saturday evening at the Shanghai Exhibition Center's fountain square.

Renowned Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu and Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov will join the performance.

This will be a world debut for the CSIAF Orchestra, which gathered principal singers and outstanding musicians from domestic troupes like the National Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra, Shanghai Opera House Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, and symphony orchestras from Suzhou, Ningbo, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Fuzhou.

Eschenbach and conductor Xu Zhong, who is also the director of Shanghai Opera House, have been named artistic directors of the new orchestra. They will perform classic works by Tchaikovsky, Ravel, Mendelssohn and Puccini.

"It will be a new experience, both for us and for the audience," said Eschenbach. "I'm looking forward to perform in the new outdoor space. We hope to spread happiness, joy and peace to audience with this gala concert."

It will also be the first time for the Shanghai Exhibition Center in downtown Jing'an District to host a large-scale outdoor concert.

Ti Gong

The other two opening performances are Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe's "The Peony Pavilion" at Shanghai Culture Square on Sunday, and symphony concert "Ode to the Silk Road" at Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall on October 19.

Conductor Yu Long will lead the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra for "Ode to the Silk Road." Famed cellist Wang Jian, sheng performers Wu Tong and Zhao Zhen will join the performance.

The one-month festival will present 400 activities including performances and art exhibitions from October 15 to November 15.