Schatten & Glanz: German Musical Stars Gala Concert @ Shanghai Culture Square
Where 'shadow' (Schatten) and 'radiance' (Glanz) intertwine through melody, the timeless drama of German musicals comes to life.
Schatten & Glanz is a spectacular reunion of four stellar performers intimately connected to Shanghai’s stage.
Jan Ammann captivated audiences with his poignant portrayal of the romantic, tormented king in Ludwig². Martin Markert masterfully revealed dual facets of humanity in the same production.
Annemieke van Dam displayed breathtaking range, transitioning from the Empress in Elisabeth to the enigmatic housekeeper in Rebecca. Antonia Kalinowski made her unforgettable international debut in the latter with her powerfully expressive voice.
Now, these beloved stars reunite exclusively for Shanghai. Through iconic selections from landmark works, they will trace the brilliant artistic lineage of German-language musicals.
Witness classics reborn and experience the magic as stellar lights reignite the Shanghai stage.
Language: German
Click below to get your tickets now:
Apr 29–May 1, 7.30; RMB280-880
Shanghai Culture Square 597 Fuxing Zhong Lu, by Shaanxi Nan Lu, Huangpu District 复兴中路597号，近陕西南路
Edmar Castañeda Quartet @ West Bund Theatre
Hailed by The New York Time s as a virtuoso who “reinvents the art of fingerstyle harp,” Colombian maestro Edmar Castañeda brings his groundbreaking quartet to Shanghai.
Known as the 'Harp Wizard,' he transforms the traditional llanera harp into a powerhouse of rhythm and melody, blending Colombian folk roots with contemporary jazz.
Joined by vocalist Andrea Tierra, saxophonist Birsa Chatterjee, and drummer Julian Miltenberger, Castañeda presents pieces from his album Family, including a tribute to Jaco Pastorius and a reimagining of the classic 'My Favorite Things'.
This 90-minute performance delivers a mesmerizing display of technical brilliance and soulful energy, offering a fresh perspective on what the harp can achieve.
Don’t miss this chance to experience the spellbinding magic of a true South American innovator.
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Fri May 1, 7.30pm; RMB
West Bund Theatre 2290 Longteng Da Dao, by Longyao Lu, Xuhui District 龙腾大道2290号, 近龙耀路
Hofesh Shechter Company: Theatre of Dreams @ SIDC
The acclaimed Hofesh Shechter Company brings its hypnotic new work, Theatre of Dreams, to the Grand Theater at the Shanghai International Dance Center for three performances only from May 1-3.
This full-length evening plunges audiences headfirst into the subconscious, exploring a world of fantasy, fear, and desire through Shechter’s signature raw, visceral movement.
Performed by an extraordinary cast of dancers accompanied by live musicians, the 90-minute work weaves together poetry and reality.
Featuring Shechter’s trademark cinematic composition and Tom Visser's evocative lighting design, the production delivers the exhilarating physicality and haunting emotional depth for which the company is globally renowned.
It is a breathtaking dive into the dreams that shape our waking thoughts.
Click belw to get your tickets now:
Fri & Sat May 1 & 2, 7.30pm
Sun May 3, 2pm
RMB180-880
Shanghai International Dance Center 1650 Hongqiao Lu, by Shuicheng Lu 虹桥路1650号, 近水城路
Kenny Barron Quartet @ West Bund Theatre
Experience an evening of world-class jazz with the legendary Kenny Barron, one of the most esteemed pianists in contemporary jazz and a true master of the Bebop era.
Hailed by the Los Angeles Times as a “world-class jazz pianist” and praised by Jazz Weekly as possessing “one of the most melodic touches of his generation,” Barron is an NEA Jazz Master with 15 Grammy nominations to his name.
For his highly anticipated Chinese mainland debut, Barron leads his quartet through an elegant and deeply expressive 90-minute performance.
The program showcases his signature blend of poetic lyricism and rhythmic depth—from classic collaborations to modern interpretations.
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Sat May 2, 7.30pm; RMB
West Bund Theatre 2290 Longteng Da Dao, by Longyao Lu, Xuhui District 龙腾大道2290号, 近龙耀路
Amatis Trio @ Shanghai Concert Hall
This May Day holiday, experience the golden age of Vienna as the award-winning Amatis Trio makes its way to Shanghai Concert Hall.
The acclaimed ensemble—hailed by The Strad for their "truly breathtaking" performances—presents a journey through the pinnacle of Classical and Romantic chamber music.
Comprised of German violinist Lea Hausmann, British cellist Samuel Shepherd, and Dutch pianist Mengjie Han, the Amatis Trio are celebrated BBC New Generation Artists and ECHO Rising Stars.
Their meticulously curated program features three cornerstones of the piano trio repertoire: the elegant classicism of Haydn's Hob. XV:27; the fiery innovation of Beethoven's Op. 1, No. 1; and the sublime lyricism of Schubert's monumental D. 898.
For one evening only, let the "extraordinary energy" of this internationally renowned trio transport you to the salons of Vienna.
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Sun May 2, 7.30pm, RMB180-380
Shanghai Concert Hall 523 Yan'an Dong Lu, by Jinling Zhong Lu, Huangpu District 延安东路523号, 近金陵中路
Maya Hakvoort @ Shanghai Culture Square
Over three decades and more than a thousand performances, Maya Hakvoort has brought over 20 powerful female characters to life—from Sisi to Norma, from Eva to Lucy.
After two sold-out, acclaimed solo concerts at Shanghai Culture Square, and a Magnolia Award for her role in the original Chinese musical Lady Macbeth, Maya returns.
For this special concert, she joins forces with original Mozart! star Yngve Gasoy-Romdal and dramatic powerhouse Rob Fowler.
Together, they create an unforgettable journey through musical theater’s finest moments—from Vienna to Shanghai.
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Fri & Sat May 8 & 9, 7.30pm; RMB280-880
Shanghai Culture Square 597 Fuxing Zhong Lu, by Shaanxi Nan Lu, Huangpu District 复兴中路597号，近陕西南路
Cyrano de Bergerac @ Shanghai Culture Square
The French musical Cyrano de Bergerac is a bold contemporary reimagining of Edmond Rostand’s classic 19th-century play.
It retains the story's heart—Cyrano’s secret love for Roxane, whom he helps the handsome but inarticulate Christian woo through eloquent letters and songs—while setting the tale in a modern context.
Through powerful music and dynamic staging, the production breathes new life into this timeless romance, now told freshly from Roxane’s perspective.
The score, composed by Philippe Hattemberg and Stéphane Brunello (known for Le Roi Soleil and Mozart, l'Opéra Rock), transforms Rostand’s poetic text into emotionally charged songs that give voice to Cyrano’s inner turmoil and devotion.
Following its successful 2025 online release, the musical now embarks on a China tour with an upgraded production starring French musical theatre stars Laurent Ban and Chiara Di Bari. Don’t miss its premiere in Shanghai!
Language: French
Click below to get your tickets now:
Thu-Sun May 14-17, 2pm & 7.30pm; RMB380-1,080
Shanghai Culture Square 597 Fuxing Zhong Lu, by Shaanxi Nan Lu, Huangpu District 复兴中路597号，近陕西南路
A Man Named W @ SIDC
A quietly powerful work about loss, numbness, and the slow return to life.
At 65, Mr. W lived a steady, closed loop: work and his wife's warmth. When she passes, the loop shatters.
He drifts through empty days, mechanically performing routines that no longer hold meaning—until small, unspoken kindnesses seep into his sealed world like faint light.
Co-directed by Tao Wang, Yudi Chen, and Haoyue Li, this 60-minute contemporary dance piece moves with emotional restraint and physical precision.
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Fri & Sat May 15 & 16, 7.30pm; RMB180-280
Shanghai International Dance Center 1650 Hongqiao Lu, by Shuicheng Lu 虹桥路1650号, 近水城路
Antje Weithaas & Ning Feng @ Shanghai Concert Hall
Experience a profoundly meaningful duo recital featuring Antje Weithaas, a true titan of the German violin school, alongside her distinguished former student, the globally acclaimed Ning Feng.
From the classical elegance of Mozart and Leclair to the folk-infused energy of Bartók's violin duos and the virtuosic intensity of Ysaÿe, the evening promises a captivating journey.
Each work highlights the unique interplay possible between two master string players. Their performance promises a seamless blend of technical precision and profound emotional expression.
This special concert is a compelling dialogue across generations—don't miss this opportunity to witness a powerful onstage conversation between mentor and protégé.
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Sat May 16, 7.30pm, RMB180-380
Shanghai Concert Hall 523 Yan'an Dong Lu, by Jinling Zhong Lu, Huangpu District 延安东路523号, 近金陵中路
Dance Drama: Crested Ibises @ SIDC
Witness the ethereal beauty of Shanghai Dance Theatre's acclaimed production Crested Ibises.
This award-winning dance drama tells the poignant story of the "bird of good fortune"—a rare, graceful species that once lived in harmony with humanity during agrarian times.
As modernization accelerates, the ibises' natural habitat of blue skies and clean water vanishes, pushing them to the brink of extinction.
The narrative turns hopeful with the rediscovery of seven wild ibises in China's Shaanxi Province, inspiring a global conservation effort.
Through stunning choreography and evocative imagery, the production explores environmental balance, sustainable development, and the timeless values of truth, goodness, and beauty.
Don't miss this moving fusion of art and ecological awareness. Secure your seats for an unforgettable evening of dance.
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Fri May 15, 7.30pm; RMB180-680
Sat May 16, 2pm & 7.30pm; RMB180-680
Shanghai International Dance Center 1650 Hongqiao Lu, by Shuicheng Lu 虹桥路1650号, 近水城路
Kodály Quartet 60th Anniversary Concert @ Shanghai Concert Hall
Celebrate a milestone in chamber music as the legendary Kodály Quartet marks its 60th anniversary.
As Hungary’s national treasure and a Rosette winner of the Penguin Guide to CDs, this esteemed ensemble carries the legacy of composer Zoltán Kodály.
Their program traces the evolution of the string quartet: Mozart’s elegant String Quartet No. 16 in E-flat major, Kodály’s folk-infused String Quartet No. 2, and Smetana’s deeply autobiographical 'From My Life.'
Founded in 1966 by Liszt Academy students and officially named after Kodály in 1972, the group has recorded over 70 CDs, including complete Haydn and Beethoven cycles.
Recipients of Hungary’s Kossuth Prize, these artists deliver an evening of masterful interpretation and historical depth. Secure your tickets for a night of exquisite artistry.
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Sun May 22, 7.30pm, RMB180-380
Shanghai Concert Hall 523 Yan'an Dong Lu, by Jinling Zhong Lu, Huangpu District 延安东路523号, 近金陵中路
Querencia @ SIDC
Experience the soul of Spain as Compañía Antonio Najarro brings Querencia to the Shanghai International Dance Center.
Directed by the renowned former director of the Spanish National Ballet, Antonio Najarro, this 75-minute journey showcases the rich tapestry of Spanish dance.
With 14 virtuosic dancers, the company performs a stylized exploration of Escuela Bolera, folklore, and flamenco.
Querencia, meaning the pull to return to one's roots, is expressed through Najarro’s signature choreographic vision.
The stage comes alive with the beauty of traditional accessories—the Castilian cape, Manila shawl, and the dramatic long-tailed flamenco dresses, or bata de cola—as the dancers themselves master the intricate rhythm of castanets.
This large-scale production, accompanied by the Orquesta de Extremadura, is a celebration of the aesthetic and interpretive depth of Spanish culture.
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Fri & Sat May 22 & 23, 7.30pm; RMB280-680
Shanghai International Dance Center 1650 Hongqiao Lu, by Shuicheng Lu 虹桥路1650号, 近水城路
'La La Land' Candlelight Concert @ Shanghai City Theatre
ECM European Chamber Orchestra presents a candlelight concert featuring award-winning film music, including pieces from La La Land, The Great Gatsby, The Last Emperor, Interstellar, The Phantom of the Opera, and Bohemian Rhapsody.
The six-member ensemble from Europe performs in a candlelit setting, offering a more intimate experience than a full orchestra, while the concert focuses on themes of dreams, love, and perseverance, drawing from iconic movie moments across the past century.
The playlist includes includes over 10 Oscar and Grammy-recognized tracks, including 'City of Stars,' 'Young and Beautiful,' 'Rain,' 'Por Una Cabeza,' 'This Is Me,' the Harry Potter theme, 'Singin' in the Rain,' a Disney medley, and 'One Day More,' among others.
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Sat May 30, 3pm; RMB90-190
Shanghai City Theater 4889 Dushi Lu, Minhang District 闵行区都市路4889号保利上海城市剧院
'Twilight' Candlelight Concert @ Shanghai City Theatre
ECM European Chamber Orchestra's second candlelight concert, featuring iconic film music, including themes from Twilight, The Avengers, Titanic, Interstellar, In the Mood for Love, Call Me by Your Name, Pirates of the Caribbean, Game of Thrones, The Phantom of the Opera, Mission: Impossible, and more.
The concert blends emotional depth with energetic highlights. Each piece connects to key movie moments—action, romance, longing, and adventure. The chamber music setting offers a more intimate experience than a full orchestra, with candles adding to the atmosphere.
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Sat May 30, 7.30pm; RMB90-190
Shanghai City Theater 4889 Dushi Lu, Minhang District 闵行区都市路4889号保利上海城市剧院
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet: The Complete Piano Works of Ravel @ Shanghai Concert Hall
On June 13, Shanghai audiences will experience a first: a Ravel piano marathon.
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, a leading figure of the French piano school and hailed by Gramophone as a definitive Ravel interpreter, performs the composer's complete solo piano works in a single concert—nearly three hours of pure mastery.
From early gems like 'Pavane for a Dead Princess' and 'Jeux d'eau' to the pinnacle of virtuosity, 'Gaspard de la nuit,' and the neoclassical elegance of 'Le Tombeau de Couperin,' Bavouzet guides us through Ravel's entire creative universe.
The program unfolds across three sections, separated by two intermissions.
With seasoned artistry and luminous touch, Bavouzet celebrates the 150th anniversary of Ravel's birth, offering a rare chance to hear every note the composer wrote for solo piano—from the familiar to the hidden—in one unforgettable evening.
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Sat June 13, 7pm, RMB180-580
Shanghai Concert Hall 523 Yan'an Dong Lu, by Jinling Zhong Lu, Huangpu District 延安东路523号, 近金陵中路
Chords of Fate @ Majestic Theatre
The first China-Russia collaborative musical script, Chords of Fate features four renowned Russian musical actors and a live band in original costumes.
In a world where singing determines status and magic, a vanished legend returns. Ivan Ozhogin (Merited Artist of Russia, the only actor to play Graf von Krolock in both German and Russian Tanz der Vampire) reunites with Daria Burlyukalo (the stunning mezzo-soprano Dark Queen Takhisis).
Together, they watch as young graduates Vilena Sokolova and Maxim Rakovsky chase their dreams in the World Vocal Competition—only to uncover a hidden conspiracy.
Language: Russian with Chinese subtitles
Click below to get your tickets now:
Sat Aug 1, 7.30pm; RMB280-680
Sun Aug 2, 2pm; RMB280-880
Majestic Theatre 66 Jiangning Lu, by Nanjing Xi Lu, Jing'an District 江宁路66号, 近南京西路
Art Exhibitions
No.223 | Under the Sunlight, There is No True Intimacy @ Fotografiska Shanghai
Fotografiska Shanghai and Three Shadows Xiamen Photography Art Centre jointly present Under the Sunlight, There is No True Intimacy, the first solo exhibition by No.223 (a.k.a. Lin Zhipeng), a defining voice in contemporary Chinese image-making.
Curated by Teng Qingyun and Li Zijian, the show features over 100 works, and traces two decades of No.223's photographic practice, initiating a profound dialogue on intimate experience, visual resistance, and bodily narrative.
The exhibition’s title reflects No.223’s enduring creative philosophy—beneath the seemingly ordinary surface of daily life lies another, more complex topography shaped by the body, desire, and emotion.
His lens moves as a calm yet poetic observer through urban corners, natural fragments, and private scenes, capturing those fleeting, unclassifiable moments often overlooked.
Within contemporary visual culture, desire persists as an ambiguous force of resistance, navigating the space between social discipline and individual expression.
This exhibition unfolds around this very tension, exploring how desire becomes a form of subversive everyday practice.
No.223 is more than an artist’s alias—it is a creative stance: a refusal to be confined to a single identity, insisting instead on dual expression through both image and text.
In an era shaped by social media and instant visual stimulation, his work, marked by subtle endurance, reawakens the viewer’s connection to their own experience.
Click below to get your tickets now:
Until June 14
Daily, 10.30am-11pm; RMB50-100, ticket covers all ongoing exhibitions in Fotografiska
Fotografiska Shanghai 127 Guangfu Lu, by Jinyuan Lu, Jing'an District 光复路127号, 近晋元路
Vivian Maier | Unseen Work @ Fotografiska Shanghai
Unseen Work, the first Shanghai exhibition of legendary nanny-photographer Vivian Maier (1926–2009), marks the centenary of her birth.
Dubbed "the most mysterious photographic genius of the 20th century," Maier worked as a nanny for five decades while secretly creating over 150,000 photographs.
Discovered by chance in 2007 when her negatives were purchased at auction, Maier lacked formal training yet possessed an uncanny ability to seize the "decisive moment."
Walking the streets of American cities between childcare duties, she captured fleeting moments of ordinary life with masterful composition and social observation.
Her work blends compassion, humor, and acute social insight, prompting The New Yorker to hail it as "an achievement that rewrites photographic history."
Her travels extended globally, including to Hong Kong and Macao.
This show presents over 200 vintage and modern prints, including previously unseen images from her travels in Asia, along with her 8mm footage and personal artifacts like her Rolleiflex camera.
Structured thematically, the exhibition traces her career from introspective self-portraits through reflections to later color experiments.
Maier never printed most negatives nor sought recognition—she created purely from inner calling.
This show invites visitors into her solitary, richly expressive world for a dialogue across time.
Click below to get your tickets now:
Until July 19
Daily, 10.30am-11pm; RMB80-120, ticket covers all ongoing exhibitions in Fotografiska
Fotografiska Shanghai 127 Guangfu Lu, by Jinyuan Lu, Jing'an District 光复路127号, 近晋元路
Huang Peishan | Crack in the Curtain @ Fotografiska Shanghai
Crack in the Curtain, the first institutional solo show by Huang Peishan, explores the evolving dialogue between image and space in the digital era.
As AI and post-processing reshape photography’s claim to truth, Huang transforms images into tactile presences.
Using digital editing, AI generation, composite printing, and resin, she creates works that resemble documentary evidence, yet reveal deliberate fissures—becoming “interfaces of illusion” between reality and fiction.
The exhibition reconstructs everyday elements—shower curtains, mirrors, flowing water—into landscapes both familiar and strange.
These destabilize boundaries between private and public, intertwining shelter with discipline, intimacy with exposure.
The “crack” is the curatorial motif: apertures in curtains, ruptures in fabric, fractures in mirrors disclose fluid truths beneath surfaces, offering new ways of seeing.
Suspended between revelation and concealment, this liminal space defines Huang’s creative terrain.
Ultimately, the exhibition invites viewers to reexamine the authenticity of images and the politics of vision itself.
Click below to get your tickets now:
Until July 19
Daily, 10.30am-11pm; RMB80-120, ticket covers all ongoing exhibitions in Fotografiska
Fotografiska Shanghai 127 Guangfu Lu, by Jinyuan Lu, Jing'an District 光复路127号, 近晋元路
Michael Najjar: Morphing Equilibrium @ Fotografiska Shanghai
"We are not bystanders to change; we are immersed within it." — Michael Najjar
In his major solo exhibition, Morphing Equilibrium, artist, explorer, and future astronaut Michael Najjar presents a powerful video inquiry into humanity's relationship with a changing planet.
The exhibition features monumental works like liquid landscape and arctic dystopia, created from the German's expeditions to Iceland's volcanoes and the High Arctic.
Najjar transforms flowing lava and fracturing ice into visual metaphors for a world in a state of dynamic imbalance.
Through cutting-edge imagery, he examines our 'liquefied' global order, inviting viewers to contemplate their role within Earth's profound transformations.
This is more than a visual spectacle; it is a call to reflect on our shared future.
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Until May 17
Daily, 10.30am-11pm; RMB50-100, ticket covers all ongoing exhibitions in Fotografiska
Circus
Era 2: Spirit of Shanghai @ Shanghai Circus World
Acrobatics, dance, theater and even extreme sports – long-running Shanghai multimedia spectacular Era's second season is in full swing at Shanghai Circus World.
The latest show, Era 2: Spirit of Shanghai, is a collaboration between a French choreography team and Chinese artists, featuring a completely new storyline and scenes, thrilling acrobatic skills, magnificent stage effects and the latest technologies.
Fans of the first season of Era, which attracted more than 5 million visitors over its 15-year run, will also be happy to hear they retain some of the classic attractions too, such as the bowl balancing act and thrilling, white-knuckle motorbike ball finale.
Tickets
Era 2: Spirit of Shanghai is on at the following times:
Tickets are priced RMB380-880.
Click below to get yours now:
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