China's capital of cool stays in high gear following the Shanghai Formula One race with the month-long China Shanghai International Arts Festival.
The seventh annual festival in this metropolis of 17 million people will host acts from around the world, cementing its reputation as one of the world's 'in' cities.
This year's festival, which runs from October 18 to November 18, is heavy on tradition, with a calendar featuring more than 150 dance, music and cultural events.
With a mandate to 'present the best in world culture, promote Chinese ethnic arts and enhance Sino-foreign cultural exchange', the festival does just that with its eclectic mix of acts.
Collaborations between east and west abound. Graeme Murphy's production of Mulan (October 18 to 20, Opera Hall of the Oriental Arts Centre) fuses a cast from the Sydney Dance Company with the Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble. A similar union will take place musically as the Stuttgart Radio Symphony, led by conductor Sir Roger Norrington (October 29 to 30, Concert Hall of the Oriental Arts Centre), plays Invisible Voice, the latest work by renowned Chinese composer Chen Qigang, in its performance.
This year, the festival's showcase country is Egypt. On an occasion that marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt, Egypt Culture Week (November 4 to 11) features an array of events highlighting the ancient civilisation.
