Listings
Shows
Leon Random Run 2017
Date: Jan 6 - 8:30 pm
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Arena
Price: 380-1,680 yuan
Leon Lai-ming is a Hong Kong actor and Canton pop singer. He is one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" of Hong Kong. He uses the stage name "Li Ming" or "Lai Ming" which literally means "dawn". Lai was born in Beijing, as Lai Chit, initially, but opted for Lai Ming instead. He is of Hakka ancestry. His family was originally from Meixian. His parents divorced when he was four. He migrated with his Indonesian Chinese father, Lai Xinsheng to Hong Kong during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). At the age of 15, he attended Lewisham College in the United Kingdom and returned to Hong Kong at the age of 18 in 1984.
Contact: 400-610-3721
Kooza in Beijing
Date: Dec 15-Feb 1 - 7:30 pm
Venue: Chaoyang Park
Price: 280-1,980 yuan
As a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil, Kooza tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world. Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, Kooza explores world with audiences in a light and delightful atmosphere, and also offers a nice family time together. As the largest theatrical producer in the world, Cirque du Soleil stands out for its theatrical, character-driven approach and the absence of performing animals. It combines two circus traditions to Kooza: acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. Kooza has Balancing on chairs, Contortion, High wire, Hoop, Unicycle duo, Wheel of death and more to develop the storyline. The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement.
Contact: 400-610-3721
Disney on Ice in Shanghai
Date: Dec 2-3 - 3:00/7:30 pm
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Arena
Price: 180-980 yuan
The two-hour live show, produced by Feld Entertainment, will feature more than 50 timeless Disney characters, including the stars of Frozen, The Lion King, Zootopia, Beauty and the Beast and Finding Nemo. Additionally, audiences will be offered singalong scores to melodious masterpieces, such as Hakuna Matata, You've Got a Friend in Me, Let It Go, At Last I See the Light and A Whole New World, among the stunning choreography, beautiful costumes and intricate sets. "This is a show, more than any other. It is truly for everybody," said producer Kenneth Feld. "When I sit with the audience members, I see those who are grandparents, like I am, enjoying a lot of the classic Disney stories, while young kids and young parents really respond to Frozen and all the latest Disney stories and animation."
Contact: 010-8209-9175
Richard Clayderman Piano Recital Concert
Date: Dec 16 - 8 pm
Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall
Price: 280-1,380 yuan
Richard Clayderman is a French pianist who has released numerous albums including the compositions of Paul de Senneville and Olivier Toussaint, instrumental renditions of popular music, rearrangements of movie soundtracks, ethnic music, and easy-listening arrangements of popular works of classical music. Clayderman has recorded over 1,300 melodies, and has created a new romantic style through a repertoire which combines his trademark originals with classics and pop standards. He has devoted much of his time to performing concerts, going as far as playing 200 shows in 250 days.
Contact: 400-610-3721
Wang Feng 2017 The Times Tour
Date: Dec 9 - 7:30 pm
Venue: Blue Note Beijing
Price: 280-1,680 yuan
Wang Feng is a Chinese rock musician and composer. He was the founder and lead vocals of the rock band No. 43 Baojia Street. He also composed the music for Wang Xiaoshuai's 2001 film Beijing Bicycle. After two albums No 43 Baojia Street (1997) and No 43 Baojia Street 2 (1998), he signed a solo contract with Warner Music Beijing Co Ltd. The third album Fireworks (2000) was the beginning of his solo career. With a number of songs like Flying Higher, and Blooming Life (2005) on his following albums, Wang entered the media spotlight and became popular in the mainland. His 2009 album Belief Flies in the Wind won him an award as the Most Popular Male Singer on the Chinese Mainland at the Channel V's 14th Chinese Music Awards. He is also a coach on The Voice of China, a TV show which helped him gain immense popularity.
Contact: 400-610-3721
Mozart, L'opera Rock
Date: Jan 2-14 - 7:30 pm
Venue: Shanghai Culture Square
Price: 200-1,000 yuan
Mozart, l'opera rock ("Mozart, the rock opera") is a French musical about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart from age 17, using both original pop-rock compositions as well as existing music composed by Mozart. With classical Baroque-styled costume design and magnificent stage design, this show perfectly illustrated the incomparable talent of Mozart. The musical premiered on Sept 22, 2009 at the Palais des Sports de Paris and caused a huge sensation. With the engaging narrative, vivid characters and breathtaking costume and stage design, this musical was deemed as "a real revolution in musical theatre". The musical starts with the young, 17-year-old Mozart. It then uses rock music to introduce the opportunities and difficulties he encountered when he struggled to earn acknowledgment in the world of music. From his hometown Salzburg to Mannheim, from Paris to Vienna, his musical talent led him to break free from the prejudice people held toward German operas and the limitation of his time. He dedicated his life to his gift for music.
Contact: 400-610-3721
The Reminders Tour
Date: Dec 25 - 7:30 pm
Venue: Beijing Tianqiao Performance Art Center
Price: 99-660 yuan
The Reminders are a rare and remarkable musical duo seamlessly blending soulful sounds and roots music with insightful messages and thoughtful lyrics. The group consists of Brusselsborn emcee Big Samir and Queensborn emcee/vocalist Aja Black, a collective creative force that's hard to beat. Big Samir weaves intricate rhythmic patterns with a bilingual French/English flow, displaying his streetsmart credibility in both his lyrics and cool demeanor. This is beautifully complimented by Aja Black's confident delivery, diverse cadences, and unique vocal stylings. The two have an undeniable magical chemistry as they share more than lyrical abilities and stages; the couple shares a partnership in both music and life as Samir and Aja have been married for almost a decade. Releasing their debut album Recollect in 2008 and their latest Born Champions in 2012, the Reminders have been recognized and applauded for their work internationally through concerts, tours, music awards, TV and radio appearances, and their incredible and dedicated fan base. Having shared the stage with artists such as Les Nubians, Snoop Dogg, Fishbone, Barrington Levy, Nas, Mos Def, Big Boi, KRS-One, Rakim, K'Naan, and others, the Reminders have established a firm place in today's ever-evolving music scene, garnering international acclaim while paving a path all their own. Beyond performances and appearances, the duo is constantly and actively engaged with community organizations, schools, and universities delivering workshops, talks, and specially catered performances.
Contact: 400-610-3721
NCPA New Year's Concert
Date: Dec 31 - 11:00 pm
Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts
Price: 200-1,080 yuan
Zhang Yi, one of today's influential young conductors in China, serves as the music director, chief conductor and deputy director of the National Ballet of China. Learning to play the violin at the age of 5, he was later recommended to Central Conservatory of Music, where he studied conducting with Professor Xu Xin and Professor Ji Ruikai. From 2000 to 2003, he earned his Master's Degree in the Saarbrucken HFM: Hochschule fur Musik Saar, where he learned with Professor Max Pommer, a renowned German conductor. As a major young conductor in China, Zhang has performed in hundreds of concerts, operas and ballets. During the past two decades, he has cooperated with lots of orchestras at home and abroad, including China National Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra and Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra etc. In his performances around the world, Zhang collaborated with numerous artists such as Emmanuel Pahud, Wenzel Fuchs, Renaud Capucon, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Myung Wha Chung, Sarah Chang, Lang Lang, Chen Sa, Ning Feng and Li Weiqin. Aiming to make more Chinese music and musicians known worldwide, Zhang conducted for the recording of Ye Xiaogang's symphony works New Music from China with Saarbrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2002, which was published by Wergo (Germany). In 2013, he went to London with the cellist Qin Liwei and collaborated with London Philharmonic Orchestra to record Britain music works. The record was published by DEECA Music Group. Fascinated in modern music, he conducted many world premieres of Chinese and foreign works. In May 2012, he was given the "Award of Outstanding Contribution" at the Beijing Modern Music Festival for his numerous performances of Chinese and western modern music pieces.
Contact: 010-6655-0000
Chinese Young Choreographers' Works
Date: Dec 2-3 - 7:30 pm
Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts
Price: 120-240 yuan
The dance theater Beijing-Hong Kong Correspondence, which was co-created by young artists of the two places, was launched by the Young Artist Program with the Hong Kong Arts Festival. The most active young choreographers and dancers in the mainland and Hong Kong acted out three different versions of love, friendship and domestic affection in the contemporary artistic form of expression under the theme of "Man and City" through the exchange and collision among different cultural backgrounds, knowledge structures and creative ways.
Contact: 400-610-3721
Activities
Kevin Harris Project
Date: Dec 29-30 - 7:30 pm
Venue: Blue Note Beijing
Price: 99-660 yuan
When the unmistakable musical influences of Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker intersect with J.S. Bach, Scott Joplin, and the folkloric rhythms of Cuba, could one possibly conceptualize the celebration that occurs at that intersection? New York-based jazz pianist Kevin Harris plays a distinctive combination of traditional and contemporary music that seeks to explore such a crossroad. Fred Hersch talks of Harris as one who "plays and writes with flair and real soul" and Downbeat Magazine writes that "Harris' compositions deal with themes of strength, love, courage, and self-awareness. It's a heavy task he's set up for himself, and he meets the challenge gracefully." One of the captivating elements of the Kevin Harris Project is the level of comfort and understanding they have with one another as they dive into soulfully expressive conversations and playful exchanges of ideas. Both live and recorded performances reflect Harris's determination to capture his audience through explorative interactions that Terri Lyne Carrington describes as "an exciting commitment to quality". Harris thrives on communication. A typical performance always involves interacting with the audience that in turn inspires a sense of joyful connectedness and community.
Contact: 400-610-3721
Baijiu Culture Forum in Beijing
Date: Throughout the year
Venue: Conrad Hotel, Beijing
Price: Free entry
The "Forever Friends" liquor series was launched by Beijing Forever Friends Electronics & Trade, Aigo Group and Gweichow Moutai group at Conrad Hotel in Beijing on Nov 29. The three parties officially announced their strategic partnership. President Ma Jiangteng from Beijing Forever Friends Electronics & Trade introduced their definition of Chinese baijiu culture by categorizing their new series into nine flavors, which according to Ma, represents Chinese attitude toward life. The same themed forum will be carried out within a month in Beijing to let more people understand the baijiu culture.
Contact: 400-111-1919
Photo Exhibition: China Story VS Germany Story
Date: Dec 5 - 5:30 pm
Venue: German Center Beijing
Price: Free
On Dec 5, 2017, photos of the renowned Chinese photographer Steve Zhao will be on display at German Center Beijing. Steve Zhao has traveled to Germany several times to capture details of German everyday life. In this exhibition, he matches them with pictures from his home, China. This unique dialogue exposes unexpected and often moving parallels and similarities.
Contact: 010-6590-6919
(China Daily 12/02/2017 page20)
