The Shanghai Oriental Art Center (SHOAC) celebrated the opening of its 2025/26 season on Wednesday with the performance of Eugene Onegin by the Vakhtangov Theater from Moscow.

Eugene Onegin was adapted from the masterpiece by Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin (1799-1837) and directed by Rimas Tuminas (1952-2024), laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation and of the National Prize of Lithuania.

Premiered in 2013, Vakhtangov Theater's Eugene Onegin, which has toured in China twice before, is one of the company's most popular pieces.

The Vakhtangov Theater will also present Uncle Vanya at SHOAC on Saturday and Sunday. Also directed by Tuminas, the play was created in 2010 during the celebration for the 150th anniversary for the birth of the playwright Anton Chekhov (1860-1904).

"This is the fifth time I have visited Shanghai," Kirill Krok, general manager of the Vakhtangov Theater said.

"I have found audiences in Shanghai are particularly interested in Russian literature. They are young and passionate, and understand our play very well... We hope to come back often and bring more and newer productions to Shanghai."

Ten world-class symphony orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic and Berliner Philharmoniker, will also present concerts at the SHOAC. Alongside ballet, theater and recitals by renowned soloists, the theater will put on a total of 77 shows from 48 productions in what is its 20^th birthday season.

"Starting from this week, we will kick off a very busy new season," says Luo Xueqin, deputy general manager of SHOAC.