Art beat ... finger on the pulse

Beijing

A 30-meter feast

Tianjin artist Li Jin's recent solo show, titled Banquet Today, is a 30-meter-long scroll that includes several color ink-and-water paintings. He drew inspiration from a worldwide tour from China to Germany and the United States that he began in March. His works often reflect the subtle relationship between family members.

10 am-6 pm, no admission after 5 pm, closed on Tuesdays, until Jan 6. Today Art Museum, 32 Baiziwan Lu, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-5876-0600 Ext 100.

Mountains and water

The Chinese mountain-and-water painting turned a new chapter after 1949, when artists began painting to serve the interests of people and society. These important changes are given full demonstration at the National Art Museum of China's exhibition Searching For All the Marvelous Peaks. A display of 83 classic paintings from the art museum's collection outlines the genre's diverse development in different regions, such as the Beijing and Tianjin School and the Lingnan School.

9 am-5 pm, no admission after 4 pm, until Feb 23. National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6400-1476.

Romancing the piano

Ever since Richard Clayderman performed in China in 1992, he has achieved great success in the country with more than 30 tours that have drawn more than 1 million listeners in 70 cities around China. He has created and shot two music videos based on Chinese subjects and also rearranged and recorded dozens of Chinese musical works. The 59-year-old French pianist, who is known as prince of romance, is going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his first China tour. In a month, he will perform in 19 cities, with 18 classic piano pieces.

7:30 pm, Dec 25. The Great Hall of the People, West of Tian'anmen Square, Beijing. 400-610-3721.

Cross-Straits crosstalk

Xiangsheng, or crosstalk, the popular Chinese stand-up comedy genre, gained a fresh flavor as it jumps to Taiwan from the mainland. The Comedians Workshop, founded by Feng Yi-Kang and Song Shao-Qing at college in 1988, combines the traditional xiangsheng with Taiwan local comedy, establishing the most popular xiangsheng theater in Taiwan. Feng and Song will bring their latest show Flying Fish King to Beijing and Shanghai in the following weeks.

7:30 pm, Dec 23, 24. Poly Theater, Poly Plaza, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 400-620-3721, 010-65513348.

7:30 pm, Jan 1, 2. Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, 425 Dingxiang Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai. 400-646-6406, 021-68541234.

Shanghai

Valpo Symphony

Valpo Symphony from the United States will present a program including the Blue Danube Waltz from Johann Strauss, La Forza Overture by Verdi, Hungarian Rhapsody No 5 by Brahms and art songs from China and abroad.

7:30 pm, Jan 1. Shanghai City Theater, 4889 Dushi Road, Minhang district, Shanghai. 021-5415-8976.

Enter the Russian swans

The Russian State Ballet will present Swan Lake. With music from Tchaikovsky, the ballet tells the love story between an enchanted princess and a prince, against the machinations of an evil sorcerer.

7:15 pm, Dec 29-31. Shanghai Oriental Art Center, 425 Dingxiang Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai. 021-6854-1234.

Mirror, mirror on the walls

Bronze mirrors from the collection of Lloyd Cotsen are on exhibition at Shanghai Museum. Cotsen, a Los Angeles businessman, philanthropist and art collector, has been collecting ancient Chinese bronze mirrors since the 1950s and recently donated 91 of them to Shanghai Museum. Fifty-nine are selected for this show, including a precious item from 4,000 years ago.

9 am-5 pm, until Jan 20. Shanghai Museum, 325 Nanjing Road West, Shanghai. 021-6327-2829.

Guangzhou

Harlem holiday sounds

New York Harlem Singers are coming to Guangzhou to wish you a merry Christmas. Besides carols, the black vocalists will also sing famous songs of pop stars Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and jazz diva Ella Fitzgerald. They will also imitate the sounds of different jazz musical instruments with human voices. New York Harlem Singers was co-founded in 1996 by Linda Twine, a famous Broadway musical director and David K. Lee, executive producer of Arcadia Records and Music Management Inc.

8 pm, Dec 23. Symphony Hall, Xinghai Concert Hall, 33 Qingbo Lu, Ersha Island, Yuexiu district, Guangzhou. 020-8735-2222.

Song and dance

A two-day LiveStyle Festival kicks off on Dec 22 in Guangzhou, where you can dance to songs presented by avant-garde singers from across the country. The music show starts from 2:30 pm to 10 pm daily during the festival. There will also be a 3-D art show and extreme sport performances.

10 am-10 pm, Dec 22-23. Baseball Diamond, Tianhe Sports Center, 42 Tianhe Xilu, Tianhe district, Guangzhou. 020-3879-8609.

Notre Dame de Paris

The hunchbacked Quasimodo will be the New Year attraction in Guangzhou, with the English version of Notre-Dame de Paris, the most famous French musical. The performance stands out with pop music elements, including 50 romantic French songs. Will Jennings, who wrote My Heart Will Go On, the theme song for Titanic, penned the English lyrics.

8 pm, daily from Dec 28 to Jan 1. Century Hall, Guangzhou Baiyun International Convention Center, 1039-1045 Baiyun Avenue South, Guangzhou. 020-8880-0888.

Behind the news

Chai Jing, a famous TV anchor and investigative journalist at China Central Television, will be in Guangzhou on Dec 22 to give a lecture on her new book, Insight. In the book, Chai shares what she saw behind the important public events in the past 10 years including the SARS breakout, Wenchuan earthquake and the Beijing Olympics.

7:30 pm-9:30 pm, Dec 22. Fangsuo Commune, TaiKoo Hui Shopping Mall, 383 Tianhe Lu, Tianhe district, Guangzhou. 020-3868-2327.

Quick pick

New Year with Zubin Mehta

Distinguished conductor Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra are going to ring in the New Year for 2013 by presenting a New Year concert in Guangzhou on Dec 29. He's also coming to Beijing on Dec 31. The Indian Parsi conductor is known for his flamboyant, vigorous and forceful style. He also worked with Chinese film director Zhang Yimou to stage a production of the opera Turandot by Puccini in the Forbidden City, Beijing. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1936 and gained renown as "the orchestra of soloists". Mehta was appointed the orchestra's musical director for life in 1981 and has conducted thousands of performances with it.

8 pm, Dec 29. Opera Hall, Guangzhou Opera House, Exit B1 of Zhujiang New Town subway station, Guangzhou. 020-3839-2888.

7:30 pm, Dec 31. The Great Hall of the People, West of Tian'anmen Square, Beijing. 400-610-3721.

- Xu Jingxi

China Daily

(China Daily 12/21/2012 page20)