Concertgoing has for years been a popular way of celebrating the new year in Shanghai, and this year would prove to be no different, given the slew of performances scheduled to take place.

In fact, many shows, such as the New Year Concert at the Shanghai Grand Theater and the play Deep in the Heart at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center, were sold out weeks ago.

To ring in the new year, the Shanghai Grand Theater will present an interpretation of Tan Dun's Buddha Passion with Chinese instruments.

Before the rehearsal for this performance kicked off a few months ago, Tan and musicians of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra studied the instruments depicted in the frescos in the Mogao Caves in Gansu province's Dunhuang to re-create them for use in the concert.

For instance, the musicians have recreated the gourd-shaped pipa seen in the frescos by planting and harvesting gourds in Yunnan province before transforming the plant into a string instrument. Instrumentalists of the orchestra also took up dance training so that they can vividly express the imagery depicted in the ancient cave paintings.