Listings: Beijing

STAGE

The Chinese National Orchestra's vocal concert will feature classical Chinese folk songs of the past century. Led and presented by veteran conductor Yan Bozheng, the troupe will perform Jasmine Flower, Bosom Friend, Love for Grassland, and Old Beijing.

7:30 pm, Oct 24

Beijing Concert Hall,

1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng district

6605-7006

Under the baton of Nick Smith, the International Festival Chorus will sing Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue, Coleridge Taylor's Hiawatha's Wedding Feast and Whitacre's Cloudburst.

7:30 pm, Oct 25

Forbidden City Concert Hall in Zhongshan Park, Northwest of Tian'anmen Square

6559-8285

The Peony Pavilion, the classic Kunqu Opera, is on at the Imperial Granary, a perfect venue. The Imperial Granary was rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) 600 years ago, exactly the time the Kunqu Opera was written. To further emphasize the origins of the Granary and the opera, the entire show will take place without the benefit of electricity.

Open to individuals on every Friday and Saturday; Group reservations available from Sunday to Thursday

6409-6477/6499

22 Dongsi Shitiao, Dongcheng district

380-1,980 yuan, including Royal Peking Roast Duck Buffet

The Chinese Acrobatics Group, established in 1950, has toured more than 80 countries, won numerous international awards and 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 symphony orchestra of the China Broadcasting Performance Arts Troupe is to give a concert featuring the theme music of Norwegian movies as well as folk music from Norway and Sweden.

7:30 pm, Oct 29

National Center for the Performing Arts, west of Tian'anmen Square

6655-0000

Young German cellist Jan Filip Tupa is hosting a concert in Beijing. Accompanied by Chinese pianist Lin Ye, he will perform Brahms' Sonata No 2 in F Major Op 99, David Popper's Fantasy on Russian songs, Op 43, Shostakovich's Sonata in D Minor Op 40 and Martinu's Variations on a Theme of Rossini.

7 pm, Oct 28

Peking University Concert Hall, Peking University, Haidian district

6275-2279

A magic concert will be held inside the Water Cube, combining classical music with laser lights against the backdrop of water. The program include selections from Strauss, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Mozart, as well as local folk music.

7:30 pm, until Oct 31

National Aquatics Center

8221-0721

Exhibitions

The seventh national exhibition of fine brush works is underway at the Beijing World Art Museum. On display are 640 works collected from across the country.

9 am-5 pm, until Oct 28

Beijing World Art Museum, China Millennium Monument, A9 Fuxinglu, Haidian district

5980-2222

The approach in Beishui's fish series goes beyond the conventional as the images resemble fossil-like creatures.

9 am-5 pm, until Oct 24

Art Guide Space, 2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang district

5130-5574

American artist Stella Lai opens her solo exhibition Fat Children Ruined My Life. Coming from California, Lai's works are set against a beautiful landscape of bright sunshine, blooming flowers, colorful clouds and towering mountains. However, these auspicious scenes mask an all-pervading crisis.

Drainpipes discharge water into ponds, clouds of smoke flow out of chimneys, and pretty mothers are surrounded by fat children. The work satirizes the results of modernization.

10:30 am-6 pm, Oct 26

F2, 319 Caochangdi, Chaoyang district

6432-8831

In Li Guinan's oil paintings, the portraits of men and women - young, old, pretty and ordinary - are executed in contrasting colors, powerful brushstrokes and exaggerated compositions. The sharp outlines cut images from the background abruptly, letting the subject matter stand out like bas-relief.

10 am-5:30 pm, until Oct 28

East Gallery, 3F Deshengmen Watchtower, Bei Erhuan Zhonglu, Xicheng district

8201-4962

Five artists are jointly presenting their works at ShanghART Beijing. Shi Qing's lens focuses on the life of a taxi driver; Zhao Bandi's photos show his visit to the Sichuan quake-hit area; Wang Youshen's mixed-media Washing offers a trip back in time; Sun Xun's 21G chalk paintings examine the question: Is everything that you see a farce? Zhu Jia's works are a reflection of the inner balance that is present in everyone.

11 am-6 pm, until Oct 29

ShanghART Beijing, 261 Caochangdi, Old Airport Road, Chaoyang district

6432-3202

After living and working in Beijing for five years, Alessandro Rolandi explores through a new series of multimedia works, Signs and Shadows, the relationship between language and signs.

11 am-6 pm, Oct 25-Nov 23

Art Channel, 249-3 Cao Chang Di Village, East End Art Zone BChaoyang district

6433-5080, 135-2171-4691

Ai Bia Jia A Ya (literally "efforts bring success") is a well-known song in Fujian province and Taiwan, two areas together known as Min-Tai. The Ai Bia Jia A Ya exhibition showcases the work of 19 artists from the Min-Tai district, including Cai Wenshan, Chen Wenling and Chen Yijie. It reveals that Min-Tai artists have added new interpretations to local paintings.

9 am-5 pm, until Oct 30

798 Times Gallery, 798 Art Zone & D-PARK 751, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu

8459-9230

The iMart, a fashion bazaar organized by the Guangzhou-based City Pictorial magazine and the grass-roots Nanluoguxiang Commercial Association, will make a comeback to the 800-year-old Nanluogu Xiang Alley today and during this weekend. Each day, more than 40 handicraft booths will sell original works, like dolls, notebooks and metal ornaments. There will also be folk art and culture performances at 10 am and 2:30 pm, each day a display of traditional Chinese handicraft and foods to the west of the Central Academy of Drama, as well as fashion shows, tea art and modern dances.

10 am-5 pm, until Oct 26

Nanluogu Xiang, Dongcheng district

Love of Art is an exhibition comprising more than 60 oil paintings by a coterie of vanguard artists from China, Japan, South Korea, UK and the United States. On loan from leading art collectors across China, the works range from experimental inks, sculptures, installations, to videos and photographs.

10 am -5 pm, until Nov 10

Today Art Museum, 32 Baiziwan Lu, Chaoyang district

5876-0600

Young Shanghai photographer Jin Jiangbo is hosting a solo exhibition, Boom. Jin has spent last two years capturing images of manufacturing plants, trade fairs and wholesale malls in Yiwu, Zhejiang province and Dongguan in Guangdong province. These photos reveal how a global economic slowdown has impacted the lives of numerous migrant workers on assembly lines.

10 am - 5pm, until Nov 2

Wall Art Museum, 34 Dongsanhuan Zhonglu, Chaoyang district

6564-8233

(China Daily 10/24/2008 page22)