SHANGHAI - During an evening in July this year, amateur singers from China and abroad performed in the largest show since the Shanghai World Expo opened on May 1. The famous Chinese folk song "What a Beautiful Jasmine", Australian song "Sheep Shearing", and Russia's "Moscow Evening" were all included in the list.
"I've never learned German or Danish. I learned the pronunciation of the lyrics of foreign songs using Chinese pinyin and practiced them again and again, and finally I'm here," said Liu, who is in his 60s.
Artists from all over the world have showcased more than 20,000 performances since May through early October at the 5.28-square kilometer Shanghai World Expo site. The performances have attracted some 27 million spectators.
At the Expo, Chinese audiences had the chance to experience different foreign cultures without going abroad as top artist groups, musicians and dancers descended on the Chinese city to perform.
One example of that: the English National Ballet and Shanghai Ballet Troupe jointly performed for the UK National Pavilion Day on Sept 8.
An Italian Jazz Festival was also held between Oct 15 and 19. Famous Italian jazz musicians, including Stefano Bollani, shared the depth and variety of Italian music with audiences.
Earlier, the Arabian Art Festival had kicked off in June, highlights of which were carpet dances from Egypt and scimitar dances from Saudi Arabia.
Yan Hong, 60, an entertainment agent, said she had never seen such spectacular stage shows in China.
"It's really of a high standard," she said.
Indeed, the renowned Lebanese show "2001 Nights", energetic Spanish flamenco dances and soulful renditions by the famous South African Soweto Gospel Choir have all been part of the unforgettable memories for Chinese visitors to the World Expo.
Hu Jinjun, deputy director of the Bureau of the Shanghai World Expo, said the event had given international performers a stage like never before.
"Performers highlighted the characteristics of different cultures to the audiences. You can feel their confidence in their culture when you watch their performances," Hu said.
Some 150,000 foreigners are currently living in Shanghai; many of them have also taken to the stage during the Expo.
Seven-year-old Gillian Reixach was born in Australia and now lives in Shanghai with her German father and American mother. She danced during the opening ceremony of the Expo and "Shanghai Week" with her friends in the Little Companion Art Troupe. She said she enjoyed the experience very much.
Along with glimpses of international culture, Chinese culture has also come under the spotlight. A tea ceremony from China's Song dynasty (960-1279) was held at the Expo Center. More than 700 Chinese intangible cultural heritage shows were also conducted at the Expo site, which were viewed by 1.4 million people.
Tan Xuecong, a farmer from central China's Hubei province, was part of them. He performed the traditional "Sayerhe dance" of the Tujia ethnic group with six other performers on Chinese Pavilion Day.
He participated in the dance despite it being the time of harvest back home and having to ask neighbors and relatives for help to take care of his land.
"It's great that more people know about our dance and the culture of the Tujia ethnic group through our performance on the Expo stage," Tan said.
Hu Jinjun said that since the World Expo was such a large gathering of global culture and art ambassadors, it required good management to organize so many performances within and outside the Expo site.
He said it was a great opportunity for different cities in the world to exchange cultural experiences. The Shanghai World Expo is being held under the theme "Better City, Better Life".
He Chen, Curator of the Spanish Bilbao Case Pavilion, said some Chinese cities have started to agree with the urban renaissance strategies of Bilbao, which encouraged innovative industries.
Salina Yan, Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said Hong Kong was also willing to share its experiences in cultural industry management with Shanghai.
Hong Kong has organized nearly 700 performances in Shanghai during the Expo, a record number of the government's cultural promotional activities outside the region. Yan said Hong Kong saw the Expo as an opportunity to learn from other cities on developing the cultural and performing arts industry.
She said in the future, there would be more communications between Hong Kong and Shanghai and other cities in the Chinese mainland on the subject.
"We are willing to share the experience of supporting cultural development and talent training with them," she said.
Chen Dong, Vice Director of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of the China Shanghai Committee, said the Shanghai Expo would not only improve the quality of facilities, but also help the development of innovative ideas in the cultural sphere.
She also hoped local talent would be inspired through the Expo.
Late in the night, after performing all day, singers and drummers usually played music on the shuttle bus back to the World Expo Village. Chinese staff also joined them, singing, applauding and laughing together.
"It's just another stage," said Magda Puchi, music director of the Mawaka group from Brazil.
