Coming up

Stage

Messiah

The Shanghai International Festival Chorus (IFC) will present G.F Handel's Messiah. In this timeless collection of songs, the IFC guides audiences through the emotionally charged piece where joy and anticipation, anguish and despair, and triumph and celebration combine to create an exhilarating musical experience.

Dec 12; 3 pm, 7:30 pm

Shanghai Community International School

1161 Hongqiao Road

虹桥路1161号，上海国际学校

Tickets: 100-500 yuan

Dec 13, 3 pm

Shanghai American School

258 Jingfeng Road, Minhang

闵行区金丰路258号，上海美国学校

Tickets: 100-200 yuan

Tel: 150 2180 6064

Web: tickets@ifcshanghai.org

Columbian sounds

The Bogot Philharmonic Orchestra will give its first concert in Shanghai, playing Symphony No 9 "From the New World" by A. Dvorak, Capriccio Espagnol by N. Rimsky Korsakoff and Four Interludes from "Carmen" among other classics. Lior Shambada will be specially invited to conduct the concert.

Dec 27, 7:30 pm

Shanghai Oriental Art Center

425 Dingxiang Road

丁香路425号，东方艺术中心

Tel: 6854-1234

Tickets: 80-880 yuan

Riccardo Muti

This New Year's Eve, one of the world's greatest conductors, Riccardo Muti will come to China for the first time to lead the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, the oldest orchestra in Asia, and one of the oldest classical ensembles in the world. The program for the evening will include G. Verdi, La Forza del Destino (Overture), G. Verdi, Ballabili Act III of "I Vespri Siciliani" and other festive favorites.

Dec 31, 7:15 pm

Shanghai Grand Theatre

300 Renmin Avenue

人民大道300号，上海大剧院

Tel: 6372-8702

Ticket prices: TBA

Wiener Johann Strauss Waltz Orchestra

Classical waltz pieces from Vienna and Austria will be played in celebration of the New Year. The orchestra was founded by Johann Strauss, father of the famous "King of Waltz" in 1824. Unique to this orchestra is its concert leader is the first violinist rather than the conductor.

Jan 2-3, 7:30 pm

Shanghai Grand Theatre

(See address above)

Tickets: 180-880 yuan

Riverdance

The dance extravaganza from Ireland will present a show featuring traditional Irish tap dancing that combines elements from Spanish Flamenco, classical ballet and modern dance, to present the glorious history of Ireland. The show premiered in Dublin in 1995, and has toured more than 90 cities.

Jan 5-10, 7:15 pm; Jan 10, 2 pm

Shanghai Grand Theatre

(See address above)

Tickets: 280-1,680 yuan

Fame

The Broadway musical Fame will run for 15 performances with a creative team tagging along for the first time in China to change the program according to local preferences. It tells the story of students from different social and ethnic backgrounds learning to get along at the New York High School of Performing Arts.

Dec 23-Jan 3, 7:30 pm (no show on Dec 28)

Dec 26-27, Jan 2-3; 2 pm

Shanghai City Theater

4889 Dushi Road

都市路4889号，上海城市剧院

Tel: 5415-8975

Tickets: 80-980 yuan

Exhibitions

Phantom of Shanghai

The exhibition presents a visual history of Shanghai through details of daily life as the artist believes all these momentary scenes form the city's collective memory. The exhibition will be made up of two parts: "Shanghai and the World" which showcases the city as China's largest business harbor with many foreign concessions providing special development opportunities, and "Pursuit of Happiness", which focuses on Shanghai after 1949.

Until Jan 4

Shanghai Art Museum

325 Nanjing Road W.

南京西路325号，上海美术馆

Tel: 6327-2829

Tickets: 20 yuan

Inside Israel

The exhibition will present pictures from dozens of famous Israeli photographers, reflecting contemporary Israeli natural scenery, lifestyles, culture and architecture. The show hosted by the Israeli Consulate in Shanghai aims to promote cultural exchanges between Shanghai and Israel.

Dec 17-Jan 10

Urban Planning Exhibition Center

100 Renmin Avenue

人民大道100号，上海城市展览规划馆

Tel: 6372-2077

Tickets: 30 yuan (half-price for students)

Chen Wenbo

Chen depicts abstract forms in specific scenes of contemporary life in bright colors. He gives ordinary objects like empty bottles and rearview car mirrors special significance. His paintings present broken pieces, and by putting them together for an exhibition, he offers his view on urban life.

Until Jan 28

Shanghai Gallery of Art 3F, Three on the Bund

外滩三号三楼，沪申画廊

Tel: 6321-5757

Ron's Solo Exhibition

Twenty-five paintings by young female artist Wang Tianrong are now on display. Her caricature-like portraits of contemporary life scenes are vivid and interesting. Born in Macao in 1983, she grew up in Singapore before arriving in Shanghai four years ago. Last year she graduated from the Art School of Shanghai University.

Until Dec 17, 10 am-6pm (Tuesday-Sunday)

M Art Center

1F, Building No 2, 50 Moganshan Road

莫干山路50号，2号楼1楼，M艺术中心

Tel: 6299-6610

New Generation

The Taipei Museum of Contemporary Art is bringing 32 young artists to the city to present an overview of Taiwan's contemporary art scene. The exhibition comprises sculptures, videos, photography and interactive installations. Through their work, the artists illustrate their common concerns about contemporary life.

Dec 15-Jan 3

3F, Shanghai Art Museum 325 Nanjing Road W.

南京西路325号, 上海美术馆

Tickets: 20 yuan

(China Daily 12/12/2009 page14)