A total of 20,000 performances will be presented at Expo at the 32 venues in Expo Park and beyond, starting tomorrow.

May 7 will see the Philadelphia Orchestra featured. Enjoying great popularity across China, the orchestra's Expo performance will mark their sixth tour to the country. The orchestra made a historical tour to China in 1973 as the first Western orchestra to visit the country in many decades.

Highlights also include Poland's Chopin concert, the Royal Ballet (UK), Cirque du Soleil (Canada), Andrea Bocelli and the Pyongyang Art Troupe.

International artists will premiere several new works, including French actor Alain Delon, the Expo Ambassador for France, who composed a musical Douce France for the event.

Chinese composer Tan Dun will direct his latest production, Kunqu opera Peony Pavilion in June at Shanghai's ancient garden house Kezhiyuan. Teaming up with acclaimed dancer Huang Doudou and Beijing Olympic light designer Xiao Lihe, Tan hopes to enchant Expo visitors with his version of tranquility and peace with the 600-year-old piece.

Baogang Stage in Expo Park will be the largest venue to showcase China's cultural diversity through performances presented by different provinces and regions.

Wucai Hulunbuir Children's Chorus will hit the Expo stage from May 24 to 28. The 37 members of the chorus are from Oroqen and Dawoer ethnic groups.

Dubbed one of China's best ethnic children's choruses, the songs that the children pass down from their ancestors give an ethereal and sublime touch.

The flower-drum performance hua gu xi from Anhui Province, singing and dancing performances of Dong and Miao ethnic minorities, as well as other intangible cultural heritage items from China will be displayed.

Five large-scale original Chinese performances will premiere at Expo, including puppet show Journey to the West, shadow play Romance of the Three Kingdoms and multimedia acrobatic show Cha.

Expo will also see one of China's most celebrated sopranos Song Zuying join hands with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and mandopop icon Jay Chou to present a concert titled Charming China tomorrow night at Shanghai Gymnasium.

"The expo will not only demonstrate art and culture itself, but also the story behind the spotlight and the idea of art surviving the history and reaching into the future," said deputy director-general of Shanghai Expo Coordination Committee, Hu Jinjun.