East meets West as Shanghai's cultural showcase hits Spain

Similar cross-cultural touches ran through Shanghai's guest-city program.

Later that evening, at Doctor Pla i Armengol Gardens, the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Jazz Ensemble incorporated the suona, a traditional Chinese wind instrument, into contemporary jazz arrangements. Its bright, piercing sound mingled with trumpet and percussion as audience members danced along.

Two nights later at Barcelona's Cathedral Square, the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra presented the AI-composed concert Zero/One: Colors of China, featuring Shanghai-style traditional music as well as an adaptation of the Spanish flamenco work Gitana Hechicera.

"One of the most attractive things about Shanghai is the way tradition is combined with highly innovative projects, and that is very similar to Barcelona's understanding of culture," Carames said.

That cultural dialogue was also visible onstage.

Castells, or human towers, are among Catalonia's best-known folk traditions, with participants climbing onto one another's shoulders to build towers several levels high.

Echoing that tradition, the Fengxian performers added a "stacked rolling lantern" sequence, lifting the lanterns layer by layer.

Beyond the stage, the program invited local residents to take part.

At Estacio del Nord Park, a Chinese games corner organized by the Confucius Institute Foundation of Barcelona drew more than 6,000 participants. Visitors learned Chinese numbers and simple greetings through games and joined handicraft activities.

Wang Jinwei, co-director of the Confucius Institute Foundation of Barcelona, said such activities had no clear boundary between performers and spectators, allowing children and parents to experience Chinese culture through play.

After a performance by the Shanghai Dance School in the same park, one Barcelona resident said that if they performed again, he would return during the holiday with his family.

The Chinese presence also took to the sky.

On Sept 24, 750 drones rose into the night above the Barceloneta waterfront to mark the 25th anniversary of the sister-city relationship. The drones formed images including the Monkey King and the Oriental Pearl Tower alongside familiar Barcelona landmarks such as the Sagrada Familia.

Tens of thousands of residents and tourists gathered along the waterfront, cheering as new images took shape in the sky.

Videos of the drone show later spread across Chinese social media. On Xiaohongshu, a video captioned "Seeing Shanghai's skyline in Barcelona" drew thousands of likes and comments. One Shanghai user wrote: "Wishing my family in Barcelona good health and all the best. "The video was posted on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional occasion for family reunions in China.

Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni said at the opening ceremony that the 25-year relationship between Barcelona and Shanghai is not only a link between municipal governments, but also a human bond built day by day by Barcelona's Chinese community.

Xavier Marce, Barcelona city councilor for culture and creative industries, said the events had opened a door to further exchanges.

"This is only the beginning," he said. "We are very confident that, taking this event in Barcelona as a starting point, there will be more exchanges and cooperation between Barcelona and Shanghai in the coming years."

XINHUA