Artists from the China Children's Art Theatre are to feature condensed dramas by Shakespeare to help youngsters in Beijing gain a better understanding of the great master's works.

They will perform excerpts from Hamlet, The Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice.

Ouyang Yibing is the general designer with Liu Libing as director.

Tickets: 10-100 yuan (US$1-12)

Time/date: 7:30 pm, August 21, 22

Location: Forbidden City Concert Hall, in Zhongshan Park,

Tel: 6559-8285, 6559-8306

Dramatic scenes

A drama called He Does Not Have Two Wives is to be staged by Tianjin People's Art Theatre.

Since it premiered in 1997 in China's Taipei, it has been performed more than 100 times in Shanghai and Beijing, winning audience laughter and applause.

This time artists from Tianjin have invited the original playwright and director Ding Naizheng to direct it, together with Lai Shengchuan as artistic director.

The plot centres around a taxi driver with two wives. After four years of neither knowing about each other, a good dead leads to the secret being unveiled.

Tickets: 40-280 yuan (US$5-34)

Time/date: 7:30 pm, August 26-29

Location: Tianqiao Theatre, Beiwei Lu, Xuanwu District

Tel: 8315-6300 (天桥剧场，宣武区北纬路30号)

The Swedish saxophone quartet Rollin?Phones brings together the talents of Tove Nylund (soprano saxophone), Kristin Uglar (alto saxophone), Jeanette Balland (tenor saxophone) and Neta Noren (baritone saxophone), and are heading Beijing for their concert.

Founded in 1986, the ensemble, performing full time as a group, has risen to become one of Europe's best known saxophone quartets.

The band has won many prizes, famed for their engaging musical vitality, skillfulness, and the impressive breadth of their repertoire.

They have toured Europe, the United States, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

The quartet repertoire spans across classical, jazz, folk music and contemporary music specially commissioned by the quartet for both Swedish and foreign composers.

Programme: Going Home, Don't Cry For Me, Argentina, Carmen, Hallelujah, West Side Story, Jasmine Flower and more.

Tickets: 10-100 yuan (US$1-12)

Time/date: 7:30 pm, August 25

Location: Forbidden City Concert Hall, in Zhongshan Park

Tel: 6559-8285, 6559-8306

中山音乐堂，中山公园内

Stage

Asian Art Festival

The opening ceremony of the Sixth Asian Arts Festival is to be staged at the Poly Theatre in Beijing.

The festival has been on since 1998. This time some 19 art troupes from 17 countries in Asia are to give performances in Beijing and in the cities of Jilin Province.

The Asian artists will display traditional and modern works from their countries, and exchange ideas with Chinese counterparts.

These troupes include Ballet Philippines, a martial art troupe from India, and national song and dance ensembles from Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Thailand (above), as well as the Chorus of the Indonesian National Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets: 180-880 yuan (US$22-106)

Time/date: 7:30 pm, August 20

Location: Poly Theatre, Dongsi Shitiao

Tel: 6506-5345, 6506-5343

保利剧院，东四十条

Singing love for music

The Sound of Music, which remains one of the most celebrated musicals of the 20th century, will be staged in Beijing by the American Broadway Touring Group.

Jennifer Avery Samrick, a ballerina and soprano, is to act as Maria in the musical.

Tickets: 200-1,200 yuan (US$24-145)

Time/date: 7:30 pm, August 20

Location: Beizhan Theatre, 1 Baishiqiao Lu

Tel: 6835-1383

北展剧场，西直门外大街

Art songs

The Youngsters and Women's Choir affiliated to China National Symphony Orchestra is to present a concert highlighting worldly famous classical art songs.

Yang Hongnian will conduct, accompanied by Tang Chongqing on piano.

Programme: Memories, Swallow, Magic Flute and more.

Tickets: 10-100 yuan (US$1-12)

Time/date: 7:30 pm, August 20

Location: Forbidden City Concert Hall, in Zhongshan Park, to the northwest of Tian'anmen Square

Tel: 6559-8285, 6559-8306

中山音乐堂，中山公园内

Cinderella loves dogs

Dogs Theatre from Uzbekistan is to tour Beijing to stage a version of Cinderella with canine characteristics.

The show combines circus, ballet and drama. In addition to her kindness and beauty, the orphaned heroine Cinderella turns into a spare time dog trainer.

Scenes and props keep changing to reflect the different flavours of various countries.

These clever dogs have a major role to play in ensuring that their best friend lives happily ever after.

Tickets: 80-300 yuan (US$10-36)

Time/date: 2 pm, 7 pm, August 21, 7 pm, August 22

Location: Beizhan Theatre, 1 Baishiqiao Lu

Tel: 6590-3737

北展剧场，西直门外大街

Percussion

Wang Jiaxun Percussion Troupe is to display the miracles of percussion art to young music fans in Beijing.

Programme: Merry Xylophone, African Blues and others.

Tickets: 10-100 yuan (US$1-12)

Time/date: 7:30 pm, August 24

Location: Forbidden City Concert Hall, in Zhongshan Park (中山音乐堂)

Tel: 6559-8285, 6559-8306

Mirthful piano

Bao Huiqiao, China's veteran pianist, is to hold a concert, together with her students.

Besides being a successful pianist in China, she is also a successful businessperson and educationalist, selling pianos and implanting the love for music in the hearts of young fans.

Tickets: 10-100 yuan (US$1-12)

Time/date: 7:30 pm, August 26

Location: Forbidden City Concert Hall, in Zhongshan Park (中山音乐堂)

Ethnic groups

Over 130 artists from 20 ethnic groups from the China Central Minorities Song and Dance Ensemble will present the best of songs and dances of their minorities, including pop music and folk song singers, dancers and musicians.

Directed by Ding Wei, the so-called Auspicious Clouds from Heaven to Earth spectacular boasts as a variety show supported with state-of-the-art stage settings and inspirational props. Real mountain springs and man-made rains made of 250-kilogram rice will appear. So do bamboos, desert scenes and plateau views.

Tickets: 280-880 yuan (US$34-106)

Time/date: 7:30 pm, September 9-12

Location: Poly Theatre (保利剧院)

Tel: 6506-5345, 6506-5343

Remembering Deng

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of late leader Deng Xiaoping's birth, a concert will be devoted to him by China Philharmonic Orchestra.

Yu Long, artistic director of the orchestra, will conduct. Famous soprano Cheryl Studer will sing.

This is the first performance of the new concert season of the troupe.

In respect to Deng, the programme has been selected by Deng's family members.

Programme: The Preludes by Liszt, The Last Four Songs, a vocal work by Richard Strauss, and Hero's Life by Richard Strauss.

Tickets: 80-680 yuan (US$10-82)

Time/date: 7:30 pm, August 22

Location: Poly Theatre, Dongsishitiao

Tel: 6506-5345, 6506-5343

保利剧院，东四十条

Cinema

Infernal Affairs III

Wu Jian Dao (2003)

Directors: Alan Mak, Andrew Lau

Starring: Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang

Ten months after the murder of Yan, Ming is reduced to mundane office work, pending an internal investigation.

Meanwhile, a new star, Yeung, has emerged in the police force. His meteoric rise mirrors Ming's own. Suspecting that Yeung could be a mole for the triads like he was, Ming begins to investigate Yeung's background only to find himself constantly shadowed by a mysterious cripple, Shen, Sam's former business partner.

Ming's gradual psychological breakdown forms into an acute case of schizophrenia, imagining himself to be "good guy" Yan (Tony Leung's character).

Tickets: 50 yuan (US$6), 30 yuan (US$4) with Student Card.

Time/date: 8 pm, August 20-21

Location: Cherry Lane Movies, Gate 29, Anjialou Street, near the 21st Century Theatre

Info: www.cherrylanemovies.com.cn

安家楼路，世纪剧院东北

Are We Men or Corporals?

Siamo uomini o caporali? (1955)

Director: Camillo Mastrocinque

Toto is an extra in a film on Napoleon, but every day is up to some mischief. After his last disaster as an extra in a film about Napoleon, Toto is left in a psychiatric ward, he explains to the doctor his theory of mankind: men who are exploited and abused, and corporals who are the exploiters and abusers.

This is a great film of classic satire and good old-fashioned slapstick comedy. The ending is very realistic, however, regarding the fate of all good men.

In Italian with English subtitles.

Tickets: Free of charge

Time/date: 7 pm, August 26

Location: Italian Embassy Cultural Office, 2 Dong Er Jie, Sanlitun

Tel: 6532-2187

意大利使馆，三里屯东二街2号

Eyes on the palace

A large-scale international photo exhibition sponsored by Yunnan Honghe Industry Company is to premiere a series of activities celebrating the 80th anniversary of the nation's prestigious Palace Museum. It will kick off on October 1.

The exhibition, entitled "Dialogue Between Civilizations," will present over 300 photos by photographers at home and abroad focusing on the age-old complex as the best-preserved palace constructed in the world today. A total of nine cultural celebrities will be joined by other figures from France, the United States and Switzerland to judge the exhibition.

A slide show and international photography forum will be held in conjunction with the exhibition.

Over 40 photographers will be given the opportunity to form their impressions of the Forbidden City through the lens.

For further information, please contact 6513-2255.

Friendship tokens

A spectacular exhibition displaying the diplomatic presents bestowed on late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping is under way at News Plaza.

The exhibition highlights the diplomatic life of Deng with 130 presents selected from the large amount of gifts he had received during his diplomatic activities. The exhibits, on loan by 44 countries and international organizations, are from a collection of specialized International Friendship Museums which house all the gifts gained in the diplomatic relations. Articles include natural fossils, sculptures, paintings and handicrafts.

Time/date: 9 am-6 pm until August 23

Location: 26 Jiannei Dajie

Tel: 6521-1188

建内大街26号

Never bound

A striking photo exhibition focusing on the custom of foot binding in feudal China and the devestating effect it had on Chinese women will start at Fafa Art Gallery on August 22.

Foot-binding was a unique aesthetic ritual that had severely harmed and alienated Chinese women in its 1,000 year history. The photos, taken by photographer Qin Junxiao, reveal and record the present day life these women. They are probably the last generation of victims affected by the malign custom in China.

Qin has researched and recorded the folk custom in central areas in China since 1986 in a race against time to chart down the unique social phenomenon which is fading away.

Time/date: 10:30 am-8 pm, August 22-September 10

Location: 1 Xiangjiang Beilu

Tel: 8450-6888 ext 310

Only the cat knows

Catch up with what the artists think at a painting exhibition at the La Gallery. On showcase are the latest modern oil paintings by artists Chen Qingqing and Yuan Yaomin who depict a mysterious spiritual world reflecting people in society.

Time/date: 10 am-6 pm until September 14

Location: inside the Cultural Palace for Working People, east of Tiananmen Square 劳动人民文化宫

Tel: 6526-5045