Singers and musicians from Asia, Europe and America performed in Shanghai at the opening ceremony of the Shanghai International Music Festival on Sunday evening.

Among those performing at the festival were singers from Vienna Boys' Choir, which was set up five centuries ago.

The overseas performers from the Geneva Grand Theater Ballet, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the BT Scottish Ensemble, and the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) State Symphony Orchestra and their Chinese counterparts are scheduled to present 40 performances during the 10-day festival.

Twenty-four performances, featuring "fresh works performed by unknown young singers and musicians," will also be staged.

The festival was initially launched in 1960s.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2002)