Six days, fifteen symphonies, and nearly half a century of a composer’s creative life. The series is timed to coincide with the 120th anniversary of the birth of Dmitri Shostakovich and will be one of the main musical events of the autumn season in Shanghai. The programme includes both widely known works, including the Seventh «Leningrad» Symphony, and compositions that are less frequently performed in concert halls, such as the Third, Thirteenth «Babi Yar», and Fourteenth Symphonies. After concluding the symphonic cycle, on 30 and 31 October and 1 November, the Mariinsky Theatre will present a new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s «Aida» under the baton of Gergiev. The performance will be the Asian premiere. The opera is based on the love story of the Ethiopian princess Aida and the Egyptian military commander Radamès, set against a backdrop of war and courtly intrigues. The production is part of the international programme of the festival, alongside the Asian premieres of Puccini’s «Tosca» and Richard Strauss’s «Der Rosenkavalier.» The performances will take place at the new Shanghai Grand Opera House, which opened on 17 October on the banks of the Huangpu River. Its white curved roof resembles an unfolding fan and transforms into a public space: a spiral staircase leads up to a vantage point offering panoramic views of the city and river. Inside, there are three auditoriums with a total capacity of about 4,200 spectators. The architecture of the theatre is designed to serve not only as a venue for performances but also as an open urban space. Concerts and an opera production are included in the programme of the 25th Shanghai International Arts Festival, which runs from 17 October to 15 November. This year, the festival brings together nearly 400 programmes and about 1,100 performances, exhibitions, and other cultural events. Performances by the Mariinsky Theatre will be part of a grand international season in which Shanghai is focusing on gatherings of leading global ensembles and premieres being presented to an Asian audience for the first time.