Vitas brings unique and eclectic concert to Shanghai

Star singer Vitas, known for his unique falsetto and eclectic musical style, is staging a concert at Shanghai's National Exhibition and Convention Center on October 21.

It has been four years since the last time the Ukrainian-Russian singer visited China. His performances incorporate elements of operatic pop, techno, classical, jazz, and folk. Songs such as "Opera #2" and "The 7th Element" – both from his 2001 debut album "Philosophy of Miracle" – are among his most popular hits, building his recognition out of Russia and Asia.

Vitas has Russian, Lithuanian and Jewish roots. He took the name Vitas in his teen years as he thought his real name "Vitaliy Grachev" was too long.

Despite his later success, his early music career was not a smooth one. After being rejected from a musical college in his native Odesa, his family could not afford to send him to a private institution, so that Vitas started performing at night clubs where he had acts that involved dancing, singing, comedy and magic tricks.

During a play at the experimental theater, he was spotted by producer Sergey Pudovkin, with whom Vitas headed to Moscow and started working on his debut for the Russian audience.

To sustain himself and his girlfriend, Vitas worked for a TV channel and recorded a music video for "Opera #2", in which he portrayed an eccentric lonely man with fish gills. The music video premiered in December 2000 and brought him wide public attention.

Ti Gong

Since then, he has performed in concert halls, TV shows, festivals, and made his first tour in the United States in 2002.

In June 2006, Vitas was invited by China Central Television to take part in an event entitled "The Year of Russia in China" in Beijing. He performed "The Star" and "Opera #2," marking the beginning of his popularity in China.

Coming to his 2023 Shanghai concert, the National Exhibition and Convention Center has prepared a "V"-shaped stage for Vitas, as well as huge projection screens and complex light effects to assure audiences of a rich visual experience during the concert.

With the theme "Cheers," the concert features not only his most well-known hits, but also integrates electronic music with Chinese songs to create a unique show for the audience.

Performance info

Dates: October 21, 7:30pm

Tickets: 399-1599 yuan

Venue: National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) 国家会展中心(上海)

Address: 333 Songze Avenue 青浦区崧泽大道333号