Michelle Qiao/Shanghai Daily news

The Seventh Shanghai International Arts Festival announced a slimmer program list of 45 performances from 18 countries yesterday.
Chen Shenglai, the president of organizing committee, said the festival had reduced the number of programs from 60 last year, but improved their quality. "The strictly selected programs range from classic to pop for audiences of all kinds," he said.
Chinese baritone Liao Changyong's opera "The Barber of Seville" will kick off the festival at the Shanghai Grand Theater on October 18. Other highlights include Yo-Yo Ma's cello concerto concert, Ballet "Raymonda" by the Bayerische Staatsballett, Balanchine's dance works by New York City Ballet, and "The Taming of The Shrew" by Teatr Dramatyczny of Warsaw, Poland. The list has 22 foreign shows.
"The complete version of the large-scale 'Raymonda' has never been shown in Shanghai while the New York City Ballet will bring an amazing show of perfect music and outstanding dancers," said Lin Guiming, chairman of the Shanghai Dancers' Association.
Rong Guangrun, deputy chairman of the Shanghai Dramatists' Association, added that Shakespeare's popular comedy "The Taming of The Shrew" will have a contemporary look this time. "A few traditional Chinese local dramas from Yunnan, Zhejiang, Shanxi and Jiangsu provinces have special features, which have seldom been on show in Shanghai before," Rong said.
The monthlong festival running through November 18 will also include a theater forum and an Egyptian Culture Week.