Yuyuan Garden Launches Music Season With East-West Lineup
A vibrant music festival blending Chinese intangible cultural heritage with contemporary international sounds is underway in Shanghai, bringing traditional opera, folk music and electronic beats to two landmark venues.
The "Grand Yuyuan · Intangible Cultural Heritage Music Season" runs on weekends from September 19 to November 15, with performances at Yuyuan Garden and the BFC Bund Finance Center.
The dual-venue program offers visitors two distinct musical experiences, pairing the historic atmosphere of Yuyuan Garden with the modern waterfront setting of the Bund.
At Yuyuan Garden, performances focus on traditional Chinese music and folk culture, with Yue Opera, Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera sharing the stage with contemporary electronic music.
The program also features northwest Chinese folk songs, the Kazakh morin khuur, or horse-head fiddle, and a musical exchange between the Chinese pipa and African drums.
At BFC Bund Finance Center, the "Heartbeat Terrace" brings a more international and electronic flavor. Performances span French jazz, Brazilian bossa nova, Dominican island music, Colombian electronic music and Mexican carnival-inspired sounds, with Italian Neapolitan songs rounding out the program.
The festival also includes the "Walking the Moon" Grand Parade, led by the "Pingsheng Buwan," or "Not Late in Life," Moon Goddess troupe. The parade winds through the historic streets around Yuyuan, adding a theatrical element to the evening program.
A shuttle bus will connect the two venues, allowing visitors to move between Yuyuan Garden and BFC during the festival.
Together, the two venues create a contrast between traditional Chinese architecture and contemporary music, offering visitors a different way to experience Shanghai's historic neighborhoods and nighttime cultural scene.
If you go
Venues: Yuyuan Garden, Jiuxi Bridge Water Stage; BFC Bund Finance Center, Heartbeat Terrace
Date: September 19-November 15, weekends
Time: Evening performances; opening night is Sept 19
Admission: Free entry; some special or VIP experiences may require reservations
