Nightlife & the Arts in Shanghai

Shanghai Nightlife

Fueled equally by expatriates and an increasingly adventurous population of locals, Shanghai boasts an active and diverse nightlife. It's hardly the buyecheng (city that never sleeps) of the 1930s—most places peter out after 1 or 2 am—but until then there's a bit of something for everyone.

When it comes to the arts, Shanghai lacks the sort of performing-arts scene one would expect from a city its size, but it's getting there. The city has two world-class, state-of-the-art spaces in the Shanghai Grand Theater and the Oriental Art Center, but stodgy government management means their offerings are spotty at best. Recent years have witnessed an enthusiasm for importing popular Broadway shows, such as Mamma Mia! and Hairspray, and international music acts like Linkin Park and Avril Lavigne descend with erratic frequency. Things like acrobatics are solely of interest to tourists, and unrelated to this modern city's cultural life; however, traditional forms of Chinese opera remain popular with older citizens and are even enjoying a resurgence among young people. The city also has several competent symphonies. The Shanghai Ballet and the Shanghai Folk Dance Troupe are excellent, although forced by official directive to restrain their creativity; both perform at the various theaters around town.

The Arts

For modern culture more in tune with Shanghai's vibe, head to the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center. Despite being a state-owned institution, it manages to offset sumptuous historical epics with small, provocative plays that examine burning social issues like infidelity, divorce, finances, and AIDS. The center also does projects in conjunction with the city's handful of struggling but plucky modern-dance pioneers, who also perform at private venues like Zhijiang Dream Factory and Downstream Warehouse and, occasionally, on larger stages.

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