"Westerners see a lot of Chinese elements in Xintiandi and Chinese people see a lot of Western ideas," he says. "Old people feel nostalgia and young people believe it is trendy. So we've been able to create something that offers something to everyone."

Lo is not the only man who has been inspired by Shanghai.

Huang Doudou, one of the greatest dancers and choreographers in China, says the city is the real engine behind his relentless exploration into new forms of expression in his dancing.

Born in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, 31-year-old Huang has been living in Shanghai since he was 12. He used to be quite shy, since he could not speak the local dialect he soon found the city embraced different cultures and backgrounds, and more importantly, success was possible regardless of one's identity.

 Now the artistic director and principal dancer of the Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble, he specializes in Chinese folk dancing but nevertheless explores different genres, which is why he danced with world-famous Chinese ballerina Tan Yuanyuan in a new experimental performance named Fusion.

Kunqu artist Zhang Jun has taken a bold step to stage a joint concert with Belgian pop-jazz pianist Jean-Francois Maljean in July.

"I try to bring alive the dialogue between different cultures as represented by traditional Chinese dancing and ballet," says the handsome Huang. "I attribute this inspiration to the city of Shanghai, which is a melting pot, celebrating differences, changes and innovation for all time. I can always feel the vibrancy and the motivation of the place. People here have a genuine wish to do well and do better for themselves in future."

Put another way, everything traditional in Shanghai has the potential to be reborn as new and modern, without undermining its essential cultural legacy.

Shanghainese Kunqu artist Zhang Jun has taken a bolder step in this respect.

As deputy director of the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe, he staged a joint concert with Belgian pop-jazz pianist Jean-Francois Maljean in July, in which the two artists, despite different languages and professions, worked together to give the ancient Chinese art form a modern twist.

The concert was a breakthrough for Kunqu, with a far wider spectrum of audiences introduced to the 600-year-old traditional opera.