The presentation of the fourth edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai 2019 to some 400 well-known architects and interior designers, real estate promoters and sectoral professionals, took place during the now traditional Red Night, held in the atmospheric and contemporary setting of the MIFA 1862 Theatre, an ancient shipyard restructured and converted into an Art Centre to a design by the acclaimed architect Kengo Kuma. Guests were welcomed to the building, which was bathed in Salone red light for the occasion, and spent an evening savouring the emotional connection between East and West created by such a unique event.

The theme of the event was THE URBAN THEATRE, paying a tribute to the partnership between Salone del Mobile and La Scala, the most renowned theatre of the world. Thus, the night was a sprawling, interactive and immersive experience of the Italian and Chinese performing arts. Traditional theatre shows are a passive affair: on the contrary, during the Red Night, the wall which usually separates both physically and verbally the performers from the audience was torn down. The event venue was turned into a vast world that the guests could explore and interact with. A dreamlike retelling of the tale of the two cities, meshing Chinese and Italian aesthetic with astonishing dance performances, engaging music, physical theatre, magic interaction and immersive digital installations across the rooms. Invitees built their own journey from an original vision, filled with personal moments that only they could discover and then share with others. Everything was a powerful emotion.