Composer Tan Dun (L) and pianist Lang Lang promote Tan's piano concerto "Fire" at a press conference in Shanghai on August 25, 2008. The concerto will be staged at the Shanghai Grand Theater to celebrate the theater's 10th anniversary. [Photo: xinmin.cn]

Shanghai Grand Theater will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Wednesday with an exhibition, concert and special ballet performance.

More than 5 million people have seen more than 5,000 performances since the theater opened in 1998.

Highlights of some of those performances will be shown with a special exhibition of 158 posters from the theater. These include posters for the Royal Ballet's performance of "Romeo and Juliet," the Broadway musical "Cats," a concert by the New York Philharmonic and the Chinese opera "Thunderstorm."

Wednesday night's "Grand Theater and its Friends" celebration concert will open the performance hall's new season and will feature operatic hits, folk music, symphonic music and the premiere of composer Tan Dun's piano concerto "Fire," played by celebrated pianist Lang Lang.

The Shanghai Ballet will present the English National Ballet's version of "Swan Lake" at the Shanghai Grand Theater on Friday and Saturday.

Beatrice Knop and Dmitry Semionov from Berlin Opera Ballet will cooperate with local dancers.

(Shanghai Daily August 26,2008)