Top-tier artists and troupes lined up for Shanghai Grand Theater's new season

World renown artists and troupes like Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theater, tenor Juan Diego Florez, and La Scala Ballet are featured at the Shanghai Grand Theater's newly announced 2023-24 performance season. The program includes 480 performances in 58 stage productions, presented through next spring.

The international programs cover opera, classical music concerts, ballet, musicals and dramas, with near 70 percent of them making their Shanghai or China debuts.

A new version of Wagner's classic opera "Lohengrin" will hit the stage on September 17 and 19, serving as the curtain raiser for the theater's new season.

The new opera has also become the first joint collaboration between the Shanghai Opera House, the Shanghai Grand Theater and the Bavarian State Opera. Well-known Wagnerian dramatic tenor Klaus Florian Vogt, dramatic soprano Johannes van Oostrum and bass-baritone Andreas Bauer Kanabas will perform along with Shanghai Opera House artists under the baton of conductor Xu Zhong.

Beloved Russian conductor Valery Gergiev will lead the Mariinsky Theater for another Wagner opera epic "Der Ring Des Nibelungen" on October 16-22.

Ballet followers can prepare for a feast beginning with American Ballet Theater's "Giselle and Mixed Bill" scheduled for November 2-5. In March, Italy's La Scala Ballet will give their demonstration of "Giselle," the very demanding ballet classic on the Shanghai Grand Theater's stage.

Russian ballerina Svetiana Zakharova and her violinist husband Vadim Repin will bring two sets of programs integrating ballet, music and fashion to Shanghai in May.

"White Snake," which is based on the popular Chinese folktale "The Legend of the White Snake," will make a return in February. Produced by the Shanghai Grand Theater Creative Center, the dance is having renowned ballerina Tan Yuanyuan as its artistic director.

Recitals by renowned singers and musicians are also a highlight among the upcoming performances.

Russian soprano Anna Netrebko will be paying tribute to Maria Callas' 100th birthday with a recital featuring the work of Russian composers on October 6-8.

Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez, who is considered one of the best tenors in the world currently on stage, will again bring his mellifluous voice to Shanghai on May 20.

Russian pianist Dmitry Masleev's recital has been scheduled for November 1. American Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato will present the concert "Eden" on June 9.

As for musicals, the Chinese version of "Mozart L'Opera Rock" is making a return in December. It will be followed by the original West End musical "Matilda." Another original West End production "The Last 5 Years" will be staged in October.

Other recommended shows include "The Law's Amour" by Beijing-based popular drama troupe The Nine; Yang Liping's dance work "The Peacock," and Shanghai Opera House's original dance drama "The Orchid Pavilion."