A triumphant comeback

A little more than a year after the outbreak of the pandemic, Shanghai's arts and cultural scene is once again a hive of activity.

Shanghai's arts and cultural scene appears to have fully recovered from the pandemic, with the authorities announcing on March 18 that theaters and other public entertainment facilities could operate at full capacity.

The Chinese play Deling and Cixi, which was performed at the Shanghai Grand Theater from March 19 to 23, was the first theater production in the city to have a full-house audience since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic last year.

Theaters and other public facilities in Shanghai were forced to close down for months because of the epidemic last January. Starting in March 2020, the city cautiously reopened theaters and other cultural institutions as the situation improved. In August, cinemas and theaters were allowed to operate at half of usual capacity. In mid-September, the cap was raised to 75 percent.

Zhang Xiaoding, general manager of Shanghai Grand Theater, says that being able to operate at maximum capacity also means the theater can provide more low-price tickets.

Although artists and musicians still face difficulties in traveling internationally, artworks and exhibitions from around the world have nonetheless been making their way to the city.