Who's in
Lang Lang gives New Yorkers taste of first all-Chinese album
Chinese keyboard talent Lang Lang attended the promotion event for his first, all-Chinese music album in New York on Monday, once again impressing his audience with his skill and passion.
At the Lila Acheson Wallace Auditorium of Asia Society, he played four of the 11 pieces of his latest album Dragon Songs, and gave an on-the-stage interview to Deanna Lee, vice-president of communications of Asia Society.
Asked why he had chosen to make an all-Chinese music album, Lang Lang said: "Chinese music is somewhat regional and has not been recognized in the world. So I always feel the responsibility to rediscover the possibility of a global vision of Chinese music and bring new life to it."
The new album was released by Universal/Deutsche Grammophon on January 9. It includes classic Chinese music pieces such as Yellow River Piano Concerto, Autumn Moon on a Calm Lake, The Cowherd's Flute, Spring Flowers in the Moonlight Night on the River, and At Night on the Lake Beneath the Maple Bridge.
"Chinese music leaves a lot of space to imagine things for yourself. It's just like a water-color painting," Lang Lang said.
Karen Mok's goodwill visit to poor province
After visiting Gansu Province in Northwest China for eight days, UNICEF Hong Kong Ambassador Karen Mok said all childbirths in China's poorest regions need to take place in hospitals and performed by medically trained staff.
"With so many poor families in the province, I was able to see for myself how children very desperately need the basic healthcare UNICEF is providing, so as to have that all-important chance to develop their fullest potential," Karen Mok told the press conference on Saturday in Beijing.
Gansu Province, is one of the poorest places in China with maternal mortality rates nearly twice the national average and only just over 80 percent of children completing the fifth grade of primary education, according to the UNICEF.
Taiwan actress dies after car accident
Popular young Taiwanese pop idol Beatrice Xu (pictured) died in hospital on Sunday, two days after her car smashed into a truck.
The 29-year-old singer and actress suffered head injuries in the accident after her assistant lost control of the car she was in and collided with a truck.
Xu won her fame mainly for her performances in TV series and music videos.
Borat creator named one of Britain's most powerful
Sacha Baron Cohen, creator of the hit comic character Borat, has been named one of Britain's most powerful men on a list that puts him one place behind Prince William.
The 35-year-old comedian debuted in 19th place on GQ magazine's annual list, announced on Monday. The publication said the ranking showed men "shaping the fabric and direction of the nation" over the next 12 months and beyond.
'Super' deal for pin swapper
The Chinese Supergirl-cum- swapper-cum-blogger ended her paperclip-to-house swap with a recording contract.
However, it seems the online swapping campaign was nothing more than a PR campaign for Wang's album, which is scheduled to be released in March. Six songs have already been recorded.
Ai Qingqing, whose real name is Wang Xiaoguang and a former Super Girl contestant, traded a jade bracelet of 128,000 yuan ($16,000) with a record company based in Guangdong Province.
Wang said at a press conference that about 20 percent of the sales revenue will be donated to a leukaemia boy in a hospital in Beijing.
In the 100-day swapping journey, Ai traded items including a mobile phone, a pearl necklace and two bottles of wines.
Wang's online swapping effort was a copycat performance of Canadian Kyle MacDonald, who swapped a pin-clip for a house.
China Daily-Agencies
(China Daily 01/31/2007 page18)
