Seasons to relish

Shanghai's performing arts scene is all set for the spring and summer seasons, with new productions to be introduced and acclaimed repertoires revived.

The Shanghai Opera House kicked off its 2022 spring and summer performing season with two new opera productions, Turandot over Feb 18-19 at the Shanghai Grand Theater, and Das Land des Lachelns on Friday and Saturday at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center.

"Premiering two full-length opera productions in a month proved quite the challenge, but I believe that a world-class opera house should be able to make at least five opera productions a year," Xu Zhong, director of the Shanghai Opera House, told local media on Feb 16.

"We have to first build up the quantity of our production before working on the quality in order to become an internationally recognized company."

The opera house is an "aircraft carrier of a performing art institution" with a more than 100-piece orchestra, a large chorus and a dance troupe.