Listings: Beijing
STAGE
Taiwan pop star Jolin Tsai is a popular performer. Her albums Dancing Diva, Dancing Forever and others have stirred audiences with their rhythmic moves, easy-to-follow lyrics and fast songs. Her latest song, The Prologue, marks her debut as a composer.
7:30 pm, April 4, 5
Workers' Gymnasium, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District
6501-6655
The Huangmei Opera Huizhou Women is coming to the capital. A local opera in Anhui province, Huangmei Opera is derived from local dancing and singing. Huizhou Women looks into the married lives of young people today.
7:30 pm, March 30-April 1
The Great Theater of China Nationalities, 49 Fuxingmennei Dajie, Xicheng District
6602-2530
Have you ever tried to watch a show that lasts 10 hours, or spend four nights at the same show? Now
Shanghai Kunju Opera Troupe will give you this opportunity. It's latest production The Palace of Eternal Youth will be presented in Beijing at the Poly Theater, with one full-length Kunqu Opera (pictured right) play over four days.
Written by Hong Sheng (1645-1704) in 1688, the Palace of Eternal Youth, based on the love story between Emperor Li Longji and his concubine Yang Yuhuan in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), is a masterpiece of Kunqu Opera. However, the play, which consists of five acts and 50 scenes, has rarely been staged in its entirety. Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe has spent three years on the new production, which omits only a few parts.
The show will feature renowned artist Cai Zhengren as Emperor Li and rising actress Shen Yili as Yang.
7:30pm, April 31 - May 3
No 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie Street, Dongcheng District
6506 5343, 6506 5345
The Chinese Acrobatics Group, established in 1950, has toured more than 80 countries, won numerous international awards and has helped foster friendships between China and other nations. Its performance includes traditional acrobatics, a circus show, magic, old Beijing folk plays and more. The show blends music, dance, local opera and martial arts.
7:30 pm, daily
Tiandi Theater, Dongsi Shitiao, 100 m north of Poly Theater, Chaoyang District
6416-9893
CONCERTS
The on-going China Philharmonic Orchestra's 2007-08 Musical Festival will perform Beethoven's Concerto for violin, violoncello and piano in C Major, Op 56 and Bela Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra. It features violinist Chai Liang, cellist Sun Xiaoqi, pianist Shi Jiajia and conductor Yu Long.
7:30 pm, April 12
Forbidden City Concert Hall in Zhongshan Park, Northwest of Tian'anmen Square
6559-8285
To mark May Day, the Beijing Concert Hall will host a traditional instrument concert titled What a Beautiful Jasmine. Under the guidance of Peng Jiapeng, the concert will include such classic melodies as Colorful Cloud Chasing the Moon, Two Springs Reflect the Moon, and Dancing Song of Yao.
7:30 pm, April 30
Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng District
6605-7006
The Ivan Valentini "Slanting" quintet will be staged in Beijing, as the closing gala concert of the Italian Jazz Weekend at Peking University.
7 pm, April 7
Peking University Concert Hall, Peking University, Haidian District
6275-2279
Exhibitions
Chen Qiandong's solo exhibition in Beijing has more than 30 oil paintings. The works are mostly landscapes in an abstract style with creative color schemes. The Dreamy Lake is dominated by cool tones to reflect the moon in the sky on the water's surface. While the Trip to Desert is filled with warm colors, from vermilion to yellow.
9 am-5 pm, until April 1
National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng District
6401-7076
Born in Sichuan province, Huang Meiyao has been a nature lover since he was young. After graduating from Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in 1959, he was assigned to the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute as a teacher. He is known for landscape paintings on ceramic works.
9 am-5 pm, until April 1
National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng District
6401-7076
Flying White is the fourth solo exhibition for artist Wu Yang, who comments on China's fast developing urban landscapes with striking black-and-white abstract images on photographic paper. The artist calls her series Public Space, highlighting the growing importance of public spaces on our everyday lives.
Critics say Wu's artistic language is contemporary but have the ambience of Chinese ink paintings. Respected art critic Fang Zhenning curates the exhibition.
10 am-5:30 pm, March 16-April 15
FANGART, Room 510, Block 16, Houxiandai-cheng, 16 Baiziwanlu, Chaoyang District, Beijing
8776-5159
Dialogue is about two women artists' passion for life. Oil paintings with floral motifs by Jiang Jin combine with soothing images of cheese and cake by Wu Yang.
10 am-4:30 pm, till March 30
Songzhuang A District Gallery, Xiaopu, Songzhuang, Tongzhou, Beijing
6959-3773
Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto hosts his solo exhibition in Beijing. Pistoletto started his innovative art in the early 1960s and continues with his 2007 new series Harmonious Apple. In his work the image of an apple leads viewers into a labyrinth of corrugated cardboard. At the end of the labyrinth there is a cube composed of mirrors, making the viewer feel rejected.
11 am-5 pm, until March 30
Galleria Continua, 2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
6436-1005
Ma Yuan focuses on the faces of children. Their innocent expressions transmit the truth of life. Vivid colors and simple compositions are employed by Ma.
10 am-5 pm, until March 30
Art Line Gallery, 9 Huizhong Lu, Asian Games Village, Chaoyang District
6496-6933
Photographic works by Qu Yan, titled Religion Space, present a contemplative scene for viewers.
10 am-5 pm, until March 30
Art Channel, 249-3 Caochangdi Village, Chaoyang District
Three artists from the United States, Monica Ponce de Leon, Nader Tehrani and Brandon Clifford, present their installation series, which is a cross between art and architecture. Based on a mathematical diagram, the geometry of the installation is filled with the shapes of bowls, arches and domes.
10 am-5 pm, until March 31
Pekin Fine Arts, 241 Caochangdi, Cuigezhuang, Chaoyang District
5127-3220
Installations and oil paintings by four South Korean artists are on show. Instead of being interested in ancient culture and tradition, like many expats, they focus on social issues, including traffic and reform.
10 am-5 pm, until March 30
Art 8 Space, 8 Guanyintang, Wangsiying, Chaoyang District
6720-1945
Huang Jun's digital works add three-dimensional effects. Red T Gallery supplies the works.
10 am-5 pm, until March 31
The Lobby Gallery at JW Marriott Beijing, 83 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District
8911-5762
Post-human, a solo exhibition by Swiss artist Saul Zanolari features more than 30 works. Zanolari's works are neither photographs, paintings or digital designs, but an original combination of them all. Starting from a simple figurative picture, he digitally transforms the photo into a portrait.
10 am-6 pm, until March 31
F2 Gallery, 319 Caochangdi, Chaoyang District
6432-8831
Sponsored by the artistic committee of the China Publishing Society, a painting and calligraphy exhibition is ongoing at the art gallery of the Friendship Store. Exhibits include Liu Honglin's figure painting, Xiao Wanqing's lions and tigers, Song Guangsen's galloping horses, Liu Huihuang's ancient beauties and Pu Zhe's flower paintings.
9 am-5 pm, until March 31
Art gallery of the Friendship Store, Jianwai Dajie, Chaoyang District
New works created by the artist group in Songzhuang are on show, conveying their lives and explorations during winter. Included are oil paintings and engravings, covering such topics as memory of history, puzzlement and expectation.
9 am-10 pm, until March 31
Artist Village Gallery, 1 North of Rencun, Songzhuang, Tongzhou District
6959-8343
Tian Ye's latest series, En Route, includes 19 easel works. The images of traffic signs, courtyards and Beijing's symbolic architecture are represented with vivid color and in detail. This is the second show, after its Paris debut in January.
10 am-5 pm, until March 31
Museum of Imperial City, Nanchizi Dajie, Dongcheng District
8511-5104
Entitled Different Perspectives, Han Qing, Chen Yufei and four other artists refer to Chinese aesthetics and traditional philosophy. The links to European surrealism, cubism and expressionism are devices employed by these artists to invent new and distinctly Chinese iconography and symbolism.
10 am-5 pm, until April 1
Red Gate Gallery, Dongbianmen Watchtower, Chongwen District
6525-1005
French photographers Gilles Perrin and Pascal Bollinger have explored contemporary China in their works. Perrin specializes with large format photography in panoramic views, using panoscopic cameras. Bollinger focuses mostly on urban China and has a poetic feeling. The effect is close to a dream, where the softness but also the strength of opposing colors, combines to create a balanced work.
10 am-7 pm, until April 2
Yan Club, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
8457-3506
(China Daily 03/28/2008 page20)
