From March 16th to 20th, a bridge to Shanghai was built in the fourth-floor atrium of Shanghai Starriver Bilingual School. Walking by, you’d see the bustling streets of the famed Bund, a glimpse of old Shanghai’s splendor brought back to life—a scene from the Shanghai opera Sunrise, quietly waiting in the exhibition to meet the students.

One of the curators of this Shanghai opera exhibition, Zhang Dijiashuo, is from Class 5, Grade 11. She said that the week-long exhibition originated from a public welfare club she participates in—“Shanghai Walk.” It is a project initiated by a group of high school students to spread Shanghai-style culture, as they explore how to share Shanghai’s unique culture and history with more of their peers. Previously, they had exhibited Shanghai opera Sunriseat the Xinhua Subdistrict Party-Mass Service Center, a high school in the United States, and two high schools in Shanghai. This time, they brought the exhibition to their own school.

People often ask: did the love for Shanghai opera come first, or the desire to create an exhibition? Honestly, it was the latter at the beginning. Zhang Dijiashuo said: “Several classmates and I formed a club called ‘Avenue Pioneers,’ hoping to design fun citywalk routes for young people. Along the way, we found that most traditional cultural exhibitions are too ‘dull’ for teenagers, so we wanted to make a change. During preparations, we contacted the Shanghai Opera Theater, had in-depth conversations with professional actors, and studied the plot and characters of Sunrise—gradually, we all fell in love with Shanghai opera. The beautiful, smooth melodies, the delicate emotional expressions, and the stories closely connected to Shanghai life captivated us more and more.” Unlike the typical story of pursuing passion first and then putting it into practice, this journey of discovery allowed the club members to find what truly moved them, giving them a deeper understanding of Shanghai opera.

Sunrisewas chosen because of its vivid characters and complete storyline, making it ideal for an interactive exhibition. The club members used NFC technology to create voice-activated stickers—by scanning the codes, visitors can hear recordings of the Shanghai Opera Theater actors’ performances for each character. They also set up character standees and a costume photo area, allowing everyone to immerse themselves in the fates of the ordinary people depicted in Cao Yu’s work.

Shanghai opera is the voice Shanghai has given to the new generation of young people, and it is the most vibrant symbol of Shanghai’s culture. It is the only opera born and developed in Shanghai, performed in the Shanghainese dialect, with its distinctive melodies forming a unique auditory memory of the city. Its themes are always tied to Shanghai’s social life, and through it, you can see a real, warm Shanghai. More importantly, Shanghai opera embodies an inherent spirit of inclusivity and innovation, constantly absorbing modern art forms—just as we integrated NFC technology into the exhibition.

Some say, “The Shanghainese dialect is fading,” but what the students of SSBS aim to do is take up the baton. This exhibition is not only a dynamic inheritance of intangible cultural heritage but also a dialogue between generations—allowing young people to engage with Shanghai opera while showing the older generation new possibilities for this art form. They hope that through new technologies and innovative methods, old stories and culture can gain renewed vitality, more broadly and deeply, in Shanghai and even around the world.