Shanghai Audio Tour: Between Modern Art, Theaters, and Huangpu Gardens

Hello! Right in front of you is the Gran Teatro de Shanghái: to find it, just look towards the enormous, gleaming glass building with a huge white roof that seems to float like a spaceship on glass columns-it's hard to miss! Now, make yourself comfortable, because I'm going to tell you the story of one of Shanghai's modern treasures, the Gran Teatro. Imagine standing here in the 1970s: back then, Shanghai was a vibrant city, but something was missing... Although international artists with exciting talents arrived, there wasn't a proper theater in the city for grand shows! So, Shanghainese people watched international operas, ballets, and concerts in small venues, dreaming of a music palace worthy of their ambitions. Let's fast forward to the 1990s: the municipal government decided to take matters into its own hands. Some say it was because officials were great opera lovers, others say it was all to impress foreigners (and not have to put up with their complaints anymore, hehe). The fact is that in 1994, with an investment of 1.3 billion yuan, this adventure began. They would build the most amazing theater in China, and perhaps the world! This is when French architect Jean-Marie Charpentier enters the scene. Along with the East China Architectural Design Institute, he envisioned a stage as brilliant as a gemstone. Thus emerged this crystal palace that seems to defy gravity, covered by a monumental roof that you could almost use as a skating rink if you dared to climb up there. The theater has eight floors above ground and two underground. Just by looking at it, one wonders: how many famous artists and how many ovations will fit here? So many! The building is divided into three main theaters. The Auditorium, the golden and red heart of the theater, is for grand performances: operas, symphonies, ballets, and dramas. Here, over 1600 people can applaud almost in unison. The technology is state-of-the-art: the stage can be raised, tilted, and rotated with just the push of a button. You know, just in case one day the director wants to make the opera 'Carmen' happen on the Moon. The Buick Theater, decorated with warm walnut woods, is on the first floor to the west. Here, chamber concerts, more intimate works, and charity and art education activities take place. Imagine the soft echoes of a string quartet floating among the 575 seats, while behind the stage, up to 50 artists prepare at once, laughing, checking their costumes, and tuning their instruments, perhaps in a hurry because the curtain will rise at any moment. And let's not forget the Studio Theater, all in dark gray tones. Here, magic happens up close, with seats that can be combined depending on the show. A flexible 'black box' for experimental works and the most 'chic' of the international or Chinese scene. There are even lockers to leave your belongings and a 'VIP lounge' with tea for the most demanding artists. Asian luxury at its finest! This place, besides attracting talent, has witnessed magical encounters. From the first Shanghai version of the Shaoxing Opera's 'Dream of the Red Chamber' to the famous 'Mariinsky Music Festival' celebrating friendship with St. Petersburg. Plácido Domingo and Pavarotti have sung here, and a concert was even simultaneously broadcast with the Sydney Opera, showing you that in Shanghai, no distances are impossible. And another thing: the Gran Teatro has transformed into a meeting point of cultures. It has brought operas, ballets, and concerts from half the world, but always adding a Chinese touch, so that the local audience feels at home, and outsiders are fascinated. It's as if the theater were a great melting pot where global culture is cooked, but always with a dash of soy sauce! So, there you have it. In front of you is much more than a theater: it's the place where magic and technology, East and West, tradition and future, shake hands every night, under that giant roof that seems to shelter dreams. Now, a question... Would you dare to see an opera with dragons flying across the stage? I would... but only if I don't have to sing, because I don't want to spoil the show! If you are interested in discovering more about the origin, the theater buildings, the architectural style, or the import and export of culture, head to the chat section and interact with me.

To find the Cine Daguang or “Grand Theatre,” look towards the multi-story white building with giant letters that say “GRAND THEATRE” and a red marquee right in the center; it's to your right, across the avenue. Now that you're here, imagine Shanghai in 1928: the streets smell of freshly brewed tea and the excitement of new things, while people crowd in front of this magnificent building, waiting to enter what was then the most luxurious cinema in all of Asia. The place was so elegant that, apart from the projection room, it had a tea room, a billiard room, a smoking area (when it was thought to be just aroma, not a problem), and even a waiting room where you could show off your best suit. At its inauguration, none other than the great Mei Lanfang, master of Peking Opera, cut the red ribbon. Can you imagine the applause, the old cameras, and flashes exploding like fireworks? But it wasn't all glamour: two years later, an insulting foreign film was screened, and the furious audience caused such a commotion that they had to temporarily close. In 1933, the cinema was reborn like a phoenix thanks to Hungarian architect Hudec. The new design was so impressive that everyone began calling it 'The First Cinema of the East.' Great Hollywood classics were screened here... until a Chinese film finally hit the big screen, amidst cheers and flags waved by the spectators. They say that when the projector was turned on, the hum made even the soles of your shoes vibrate. This place saw actors, dreams, and countless romantic dates pass under its softly lit lamps. In fact, in 2019, it became one of the few 24-hour cinemas in Shanghai. So if you ever wake up at three in the morning craving popcorn and movies, this is your spot! Ready to continue the route, or are you tempted to stay and watch a movie?

In front of you, you'll see a vast expanse of perfectly manicured gardens and trees, all surrounded by modern skyscrapers: to recognize Parque Popular de Shanghai, just look for that green oasis right in the middle of the city's concrete and steel jungle. Now, make yourself comfortable and enjoy: the curious thing about this park is that today you're strolling where horses once... galloped! No joke: this was once Shanghai's old racecourse, but in 1952, the sound of hooves was replaced by the whispers of this garden's strollers. Imagine the city growing around it, children running among the hedges, and couples stealing moments of peace because-let's face it-sometimes the city can be a bit chaotic. And speaking of chaos, here, at the famous 'English Corner,' every Sunday you can find a sea of voices practicing English with the same dedication with which others seek love... which brings us to the most curious corner: the 'marriage market.' Have you ever seen a blind date orchestrated by anxious moms and dads armed with umbrellas and their children's resumes? It's real here: hundreds of parents gather, mainly on weekends, advertising their offspring's virtues and looking for the perfect match. Don't be alarmed if, as you cross the park, they ask your age and zodiac sign. They're looking for love… but for their children! And if you want to take a deep breath away from the city's hustle and bustle, just cross over to the large green area of the 'dajiǎojiǎo' (or big triangle): from that lawn, you can watch the comings and goings on Nanjing Road and Tibet Road, with the urban lights and life vibrating in the distance. If you're lucky, you might even see a couple having their first arranged date right next to you. That's Parque Popular de Shanghai: a corner where every bush and every shadow has a story, and where, if you listen closely, every now and then you can hear the distant echoes of horses and Cupid's sighs working overtime.

And now, welcome to the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Shanghai, or MoCA! You're standing in front of a modern gem nestled right in People's Park, like an artistic surprise hidden among trees and pathways. If the building seems to glow like a giant glass fish tank, it's no coincidence! It turns out that this museum was, in its greener days, the park's greenhouse. Imagine tropical plants whispering secrets to each other amidst the steam and water droplets here. But, as in the best stories, everything changed in 2005. A few art enthusiasts decided to give it a radical twist, and thanks to the architects of Atelier Liu Yuyang, the old plant house transformed into this futuristic space, with two levels connected by a steel ramp so elegant it looks straight out of an exhibition. Since then, MoCA hasn't stopped surprising and thrilling visitors (literally and artistically). The curious thing is that this was the first independent, non-profit museum dedicated exclusively to contemporary art in Shanghai. Here, not only do renowned Chinese artists and rising stars rub shoulders, but international creative celebrities have also passed through: from Chanel and Salvatore Ferragamo, to pure luxury with the Van Cleef & Arpels exhibition, or even the colorful universe of Pixar. They say that one day, one of the Pixar characters tried to escape the setup but came back because they really liked the dumplings at the cafe. These walls have seen it all! That said, MoCA likes to travel without leaving the building. It has collaborated with the Guggenheim of New York itself to bring the best of American art, and has also connected Asia from side to side with the Korea Foundation, exhibiting pieces from China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. Even Finnish design made a stop here! And every two years, the MoCA Envisage Biennial puts the most pressing questions of contemporary Chinese art on the table: Where is it going? Is there any artist here who hasn't been to a hipster cafe? Nobody knows... Speaking of coffee, if you go up to the third floor, 'MoCA on the Park' awaits you: a restaurant with a terrace and views, ideal for feeling like an artist even if you're just thinking about lunch. Among sculptures, photographs, and works by figures like Raymond Choy or Xiang Jing, you can enjoy anything from an exhibition to a cocktail. Just try not to confuse modern art with the menu, though it often happens... So, my explorer friend, if you dare to cross those glass doors, prepare for a visual journey where anything can happen. Here, art is alive, the past flourishes, and the future always appears with a brushstroke of surprise!

In front of you, you'll see a curved, towering glass tower, with many silver stripes that look like enormous rings of light-just look up so you don't miss this modern giant! Ready for the last stop? Imagine yourself amidst the hustle and bustle of the famous West Nanjing Road, when suddenly you find yourself at the foot of this glass and steel colossus: the Tian An Centre, or as we affectionately call it, “Un centro.” This building is not only gigantic, but it vibrates with the energy of the modern city. Here, beneath its shining facade, hide stories of businesses, creatives, and fast-paced people moving up and down like in an action movie. They say that when it was built, the neighborhood people thought that one day the clouds would end up renting an office, because the tower reached almost up to them. Did you know that inside there's a shopping center that looks like a small labyrinth of shops, fragrances, and laughter? Everything shines, smells of freshly brewed coffee, and footsteps echo on the marble, as if each visitor leaves a small imprint on history. But don't leave without looking at the offices: there are artists there, like those from Longmen Art Projects, who transform business stress into pure creativity. They say that on stormy afternoons, lightning seems to jump from one window to another, as if the building plays with Shanghai's energy. That's what this place is like: modern on the outside, but full of stories on the inside. You never know who or what awaits you behind those glass walls! Ready to discover your own adventures at Un Centro?