"It has become tradition that, if we had a Chinese production for the opening, the closing production would be from overseas," according to Li Ming, president of the CSIAF Center. This practice reflects the festival's dedication to introducing quality art productions from abroad, as well as promoting the outstanding Chinese culture, Li says.

The festival features a wide variety of programs consisting of performances, exhibitions and activities spanning eight main sections, with the main performance section comprising 55 stage productions.

The Mariinsky Orchestra from Russia performed under the baton of its artistic director, Valery Gergiev, and presented a "symphonic marathon" of nine complete symphonies in five consecutive days.

"It is extremely rare for a composer's complete symphonies to be performed in a single country, city or theater within a short period," says Gergiev. He praised the courage and boldness of the festival, adding: "Choosing such a massive and challenging project is by no means easy; it requires tremendous effort and challenge, reflecting the festival's vision and responsibility."