Shanghai festival kicks off with dance drama from Henan

The 13th China Shanghai International Arts Festival (CSIAF) kicks off at the Shanghai Culture Square on Tuesday with an original dance drama from Henan province titled, Goddess and the Dreamer.

Ever since the CSIAF's first edition in 1999, it's the norm that if opened by a Chinese project, it will end with a performance from abroad, says Liu Wenguo, the festival's art director.

"We have chosen the ballet, The Taming of the Shrew, from Bavaria for the closing performance this year," he said at a press conference on Oct 16.