Best Places to See Opera Shows in Shanghai
Browse more guides: China travel | Asia destinations Best Places to See Opera Shows in Shanghai Last updated: April 2026 · 11 min read Shanghai's opera scene splits cleanly into three lanes: Western opera and ballet at Shanghai Grand Theatre and Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Chinese traditional opera (Peking opera at Yifu Theatre, Yueju at the Shanghai Yueju Opera House, Kunqu in select rooms), and the visually-driven acrobatic shows at Shanghai Centre Theatre that most foreign visitors end up at by accident. I've seen four operas at Shanghai Grand Theatre , including a startlingly good La Traviata , and one Peking opera evening at Yifu where I understood maybe twelve percent of what was happening on stage. Both were worth the ticket. This guide tells you which is which. TL;DR: For Western opera, go to Shanghai Grand Theatre on People's Square. For Peking opera, Yifu Theatre is the room locals fill on Saturday nights. The all-female Yueju (Shaoxing opera) tradition ...