The 23rd edition of China Shanghai International Arts Festival opened its curtain Thursday night with the premiere of a new dance theater production Li Qingzhao at Shanghai Culture Square.

The festival, hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and organized by the Shanghai Municipality, will take place from Oct 18 to Nov 17 this year. More than 2,000 artists from 500 institutions from all over the world will take part in the performances and other events this year.

Li Qingzhao (1084-1155) was arguably the greatest woman poet in China, and the new production from Shanghai Dance Theater showcases her life experiences, highlighting some of her most celebrated creations.

Zhou Xiaohui, who performs the title character in the show, said that, "I have liked Li Qingzhao since I was a child, and used to recite lots of her poems." Dancing the role has helped her to gain new understanding of the poetry, she said.

The stage design by Hu Yanjun highlighted the aesthetics of China's Song Dynasty (960-1279), which is characterized by minimalism outlines and delicate shades of colors.