Composer Tan Dun (middle) has gourds planted and made into string instruments depicted in frescos in the Mogao Caves. He will conduct the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra for the premiere of his creation Buddha Passion in Chinese instruments on New Year's Eve. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

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.

A scene from the theater production Deep in the Heart, presented at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

At the Shanghai Concert Hall, conductor Jin Yukuang will present with his ensemble the Novus-Classica Camerata, a late-night concert that will take audiences into New Year's Day. The program starts with festive favorites such as the works of Johann Strauss Jr. before featuring American compositions by George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein.

At the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center in Pudong, the New Year Concert will feature the Rainbow Chamber Singers, a renowned chorus group led by conductor and composer Jin Chengzhi.

Meanwhile, the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center announced earlier this month that it would add seven more shows of Deep in the Heart from Dec 18 to Jan 16 due to overwhelming response. The play revolves around a murder tale set in the rural communities of Southwest China's Guizhou province. The elaborate stage setting for this show features replicas of local buildings on supporting pillars, underwater scenes, and the unique heritage site of coffins etched into mountain cliffs. The producers have also installed dozens of screens around the stage to show audiences the facial expressions of the characters.

Another new play at the center is Letter to a Child Never Born, which is the first theater adaptation of Italian writer Oriana Fallaci's novel of the same title. Taking place from Dec 24 to Jan 9, the play featuring three actresses and a live music performance by Yin Yin is centered on a woman's reflection on love and existence, and life and death, says Zhou Ke, director of the play.

A more lighthearted show for families with young children will take place at Shanghai Children's Art Theater from Dec 31 to Jan 3.Featuring colorful puppets and popular children's rhymes, Baby Shark Live: The Hidden Treasure is the latest production by the theater for children aged 2 and above.