Life

Shows that shone

By Raymond Zhou and Chen Jie (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-12-28 08:04

Shanghai Expo shows

The Expo presented an estimated 20,000 live shows, scattered across 32 venues. There's no way we could rate them all individually, but they invariably brought applause galore and breezes of fresh air to the hot humid summer of Shanghai. Varying in length, style and quality, they ranged from routine outdoor performances to galas in posh theaters.

On the upscale side of the spectrum were two complete cycles of Richard Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung, a four-night affair that had graced the Chinese stage only once before, and this time by the Cologne Opera House. On the other end were boisterous renditions of Chinese pop songs by African teenagers in the Expo Garden's Africa Square, eliciting waves of heartfelt cheers from the outdoor audience. Taken as a whole, they added sparkle to exhibitions highlighting the best from the world.