2026 Shenzhen Art Festival of ICIF highlights

Themed “Luminous Convergence, Artistic Quintessence,” the 2026 Shenzhen Art Festival of ICIF will present 19 performances from May to July across the city. 

From symphonies bridging East and West to dance dramas inspired by Eastern aesthetics, from Shenzhen-Hong Kong collaborations to high-quality originals, the festival celebrates the arts — combining cultural enrichment with public participation and cross-industry cooperation, and further expanding Shenzhen’s cultural influence at home and abroad.

International highlights

Royal Opera of the Palace of Versailles

Conductor Gaëtan Jarry will lead the Royal Opera of Versailles and four vocalists in performances of Baroque masterpieces by Lully, Rameau, Purcell, Handel, and Vivaldi.

Time: 8 p.m., May 8

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D

Mariinsky Orchestra

Conductor Valery Gergiev will lead the Mariinsky Orchestra in performances of all six of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies across three concerts. This is the only stop on the orchestra’s China tour this year to feature the complete Tchaikovsky symphony cycle.

Time: 11 a.m., May 16; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., May 17

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D

Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra

Valery Gergiev will then conduct the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s “Symphony No. 5” and a Chinese piece by Wang Danhong.

Time: 8 p.m., May 18

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D

Shenzhen-Hong Kong collaborations

‘To Be or Not to Be’

Cantonese opera “To Be or Not to Be: The Legendary Story of Lu Wenlong” brings together talented performers and creative teams from Shenzhen and Hong Kong. With renowned Hong Kong director Fredric Mao serving as artistic director, playwright, and director, the production reinterprets the classic story of General Lu Wenlong, based on the novel “The Story of Yue Fei.”

Lu, born into a military governor’s family in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), is taken in by a Jin general after his parents die during the Jin conquest. Raised as a formidable warrior, he defeats Song generals — until he discovers the truth about his origins and grapples with loyalty to the nation versus the bonds formed through his upbringing.

Time: 8 p.m., May 23-24

Venue: Shenzhen Grand Theater, Luohu District (深圳大剧院)

Metro: Line 1, 2 or 5 to Grand Theater Station (大剧院站), Exit B

‘Tides Rise Amid Mountains and Seas’

Co-commissioned by the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, “Tides Rise Amid Mountains and Seas” celebrates the partnership between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Blending folk instruments, voice, and symphony, it captures the spirit of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) — united, dynamic, and forward-moving.

Time: 8 p.m., June 5

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit D

‘An Evening with Cantonese Musical Magic’

This show highlights how musical theater — born in the West — found a home in Lingnan. It celebrates the journey of Cantonese musical works, from early experiments to original, mature productions in the GBA.

Time: 8 p.m., July 16-17

Venue: Shenzhen Grand Theater, Luohu District (深圳大剧院)

Metro: Line 1, 2 or 5 to Grand Theater Station (大剧院站), Exit B

Shenzhen original works

‘The Voyage of Life’

Produced by the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theater, “The Voyage of Life” explores the intersection of technology and humanity. Directed by and starring Chang Hongji, the dance drama breaks traditional boundaries and showcases the local arts community’s drive to explore and innovate.

Time: 8 p.m., June 6-7

Venue: Shenzhen Poly Theater, Nanshan District (深圳保利剧院)

Metro: Line 2, 11 or 13 to Houhai Station (后海站), Exit E

‘The Orphan of Zhao’

Starring Zhang Jianguo, head and artistic director of the Shenzhen Peking Opera Theater, “The Orphan of Zhao” presents a timeless tale of loyalty and righteousness.

Time: 7:30 p.m., June 20

Venue: Luhu Art Center, Longhua District (鹭湖艺术中心)

Metro: Line 4 to Guanlan Station (观澜站), Exit A

Classic revivals

‘Yan Zhenqing’

Centered on calligrapher Yan Zhenqing’s timeless work “Manuscript on the Sacrifice of a Nephew,” this dance production weaves the spirit of ink brushwork with devotion to family and country — turning it into a living tapestry. It brings calligraphy into the modern stage in a vivid return to the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Time: 8 p.m., May 21-23 (May 23 also at 2:30 p.m.)

Venue: Nanshan Cultural and Sports Center Theater, Nanshan District (南山文体中心聚橙剧院大剧院）

Metro: Line 12 to Nantou Ancient City Station (南头古城站), Exit B

‘Sunrise’

A former student turned courtesan, trapped in a luxurious life she despises, attempts to save a young girl from the underworld — only to fail. When her benefactor goes bankrupt, she takes her own life as the sun rises. Starring He Saifei, Winston Chao, and Xu Li, this Chinese play, written by Cao Yu in 1935, commemorates the playwright’s 116th birth anniversary.

Time: 7:30 p.m., July 22-23

Venue: Shenzhen Poly Theater, Nanshan District (深圳保利剧院)

Metro: Line 2, 11 or 13 to Houhai Station (后海站), Exit E

Discounts and activities

Every major performance offers discounted tickets at 100 yuan or below. The festival will also feature artist talks, meet-and-greets, pop-up performances at the ICIF main venue, and the “ticket-stub plan” — turning performance tickets into cultural tourism vouchers to boost urban consumption.

On May 16, the opening ceremony of the 2026 Shenzhen Art Festival of ICIF will be held at Shenzhen Concert Hall, followed by a signing event. Leading performance companies, organizations, and troupes will collaborate on original production tours, international program imports, and cross-sector collaborations.