The curtains came down on the annual Shanghai International Arts Festival last night, with a performance of the Argentine dance drama Tanguera.

An audience of around 420,000 watched 165 performances (of 71 programs) in theaters, and nearly 1 million watched about 100 outdoor shows during the month long gala, organizers said.

The municipal government appropriated 1 million yuan (US$120,480) to lower prices of some of the tickets. Some 100,000 people bought these "discount tickets," costing 30 to 50 percent less.

"This was a new practice for the 5-year-old festival. Because of the cheap tickets, many people saw their first show at the Shanghai Grand Theater," said Chen Shenglai, president of the festival organizing committee.

Meanwhile, about 500,000 people visited 15 exhibitions during the festival, with the Egyptian Relics Exhibition, from October 18 to November 17, drawing 250,000.

Two art fairs also set some festival records.

The Performing Arts Fair drew agents from 27 countries and regions and 112 performing contracts or letters of intent were signed. The Shanghai Art Fair attracted 40,000 visitors and deals worth more than 20 million yuan were sealed.

Organizers revealed that planning for next year's festival is under way, with plans for a "French Culture Week."

(Shanghai Daily November 19, 2003)