The 18th China Shanghai International Arts Festival, with the duration of one month, concluded successfully on November 15 at Shanghai Grand Theatre. Guests from home and abroad were present at the closing ceremony for appreciating the opera Prince Igor performed by the Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow.

Dong Wei, Deputy Director of the Organizing Committee of China Shanghai International Arts Festival and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture of China, made a speech and declared the closing of the Arts Festival. Dong Yunhu, Deputy Director of the Organizing Committee of China Shanghai International Arts Festival, Member of Shanghai Municipal Standing Committee and Director of Shanghai Municipal Publicity Department, leaders of relevant departments, representatives from consulates of various countries, and guests from home and abroad were all present at the closing ceremony.

Dong Wei, Deputy Director of the Organizing Committee of China Shanghai International Arts Festival and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture of China

In his speech, Dong Wei said, China Shanghai International Arts Festival has been all the time taking “to become the world-class arts festival” as the positioning orientation and development target, actively promoting dialogue and cooperation in cultural arts between home and abroad, cultivating youth arts talents and development of original works, exploring arts innovation and cultural development, emphasizing benefits to the public society and popularization of the arts among the general public. The public people have gained benefits from the development achievements of cultural building and communication by enjoying the rich cultural activities.

Prince Igor by the Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow

At the closing ceremony, guests from home and abroad jointly appreciated the performance of Prince Igor presented by the Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow. The program Prince Igor is a representative folk opera of the Russian people, and is also a representative work with distinct personal features of Alexander Borodin, a representative figure of Russian folk music. The performance version by Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow presents more meditation on humanities. Though the performance is as long as three hours, the audience present all paid their full attention to appreciate this grand and excellent opera.

New Oriental Chinese Music Scene by Shanghai Chinese Orchestra

When it comes to the fruitful autumn each year, Shanghai would fall into the ocean of the arts. The annual event of China Shanghai International Arts Festival this year is launched as an appointment for a cultural gala. About 13,000 arts workers from 64 countries, various regions in Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau were present here in Shanghai. And variety of activities brought benefits to 4 millions people.

Beijing Fayuan Temple by National Theatre of China

In total 101 times of 49 stage performances were presented, and the average ticket selling rate and presence rate were both above 90%. The ticket selling rate for 16 programs including New Oriental Chinese Music Scene by Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, Romeo and Juliet by Mariinsky Ballet and Beijing Fayuan Temple by National Theatre of China reached 100%.

Series of performances of the Arts Space during this Arts Festival covered 24 outdoor and indoor sites across 16 districts, and in total 86 times of performances of 41 programs were launched. And, more quality programs also went to remote districts such as Jinshan, Fengxian and Chongming etc.

This year marks the fifth year of the “Rising Artists Works”. In the past five years, the Arts Festival have commissioned 59 youth artists to develop 50 original works in total. This year, the “Rising Artists’ Works and R.A.W. Land” presented 10 commissioned works in total, 190 times of performances of 61 programs, and nearly 40 cultural activities including master lecture, workshop and exhibition.

The module of Arts Education launched 103 times of 63 activities in total at schools, communities, and commercial circles. This year, the Arts Education even went to schools at various levels ranging from kindergarten to university, and 27 primary and middle schools in Shanghai have become the first batch “Arts Education Cooperation Schools” of China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

This year, more than 420 organizations and institutions from 60 countries and regions in total participated in the arts trade fair. Among them, more than 165 of them came from the overseas, and 45 arts works were promoted. According to the statistics, during the arts trade fair, more than 387 cooperation agreements on international project and investment were reached. Among them, 146 cooperation agreements on domestic arts works for “Going Out” were reached, and about 196 cooperation agreements on overseas arts works for “Coming In” were reached. Excellent original works have become the majorities of the market for “Going Out”. Representatives from various countries recognized that the quality of the programs promoted on the fair and the works selected for “Going Out” increased significantly.

In order to express appreciation to artists from home and abroad for their support and contribution to China Shanghai International Arts Festival, the honor of “Special Contribution” this year was awarded to the famous music conductor Charles Dutoit and the well-known dance master Tan Yuanyuan.

The famous music conductor Charles Dutoit

The well-known dance master Tan Yuanyuan

Charles Dutoit is one of the most active music conductors with most frequent performances in the world, and is well-known around the globe for his splendid conduction. As early as at the first China Shanghai International Arts Festival in 1999, Charles Dutoit already led the French National Symphony Orchestra to visit Shanghai, and hence he becomes one of the most significant figures with extensive impact on the Arts Festival. Tan Yuanyuan is known as the most excellent ballet dancer cultivated in China. She participated in the performance of Que Qiao (Magpie Bridge), the closing program of the Arts Festival in 2007, acted as the leading dancer in the opening program of Shanghai Expo in 2010, and brought excellent performances back in Shanghai with San Francisco Ballet at the 17th China Shanghai International Arts Festival in 2015, winning praises both from arts professionals and the general public.