As the first major cultural event after the SARS outbreak, the upcoming Shanghai International Arts Festival will be both an artistic extravaganza for local residents and a platform for regional cultural exchanges, the festival organizing committee said yesterday.

From october 18 to November 18, the festive event will draw an A-list of talent, committee officials revealed.

More than 150 performances of 70 plays from 24 countries or regions will be staged during the festival, featuring world-renowned artists and troupes. International highlights participating the festival include conductor Christoph Eschenbach with the NDR Symphony Orchestra Hamburg and Canada's classic multimedia opera "Letimotiv" by Les Deux Mondes.

Officials said this year's festival is the first to be shifted to mid-October, a month earlier than previous events. The change is intended to show the world that Shanghai has recovered quickly from the SARS outbreak.

The festival will be divided into six sections including "Classic and Today," "Master and Orchestra," "Playwright and Play," "Exotic and Unique," "Innovation and Exploration" and "Festival of Festival."

The opening ceremony will be held on October 17 at Changfeng Park - the venue of the ongoing Italian Baroque Luminarie.

In addition, the festival has sche-duled a daily show on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall to ensure residents have the opportunity to demonstrate their talents and passion for art.

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