Beijing

Nordic visual feast

The sixth Nordic documentary film festival hits Beijing, screening new, creative and cutting-edge contemporary documentaries from five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Some 20 documentaries and a selection of short films cover a diversity of themes.

10 am-5 pm, until Nov 20. Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang district. 010-8459-9269

Croatian rhapsody

Maksim Mrvica, a Croatian pianist playing classical music, will seduce Beijing music lovers with his own crossover musical style and charm. His performance brims with passion, heat and surging rhythm. His first recording, Gestures, became one of the fastest-selling classical released in Croatia.

7:30 pm, Nov 16. Beijing Mastercard Center (formerly Wukesong Arena), 69 Fuxing Lu, Haidian district. 010-8822-8118

Prints of Tibet scenes

An ongoing exhibition at the Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy, entitled "Steps in Tibet - Print Paintings from Li Xiaoke", displays more than 100 prints featuring the architecture, landscapes and local customs of Tibet. Over the past two decades, Li has traveled to Tibet more than 20 times, taking tens of thousands photographs. Based on these photos, Li has represented the scenes through prints, with vivid expression and bold outline.

9 am-5 pm, until Nov 21. Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy, 1 Liulitun Beili, Chaoyang district. 010-6507-1285

Shanghai

Shakespearian classic

The closing show of this year's Shanghai International Art Festival will be a ballet adaptation of the Shakespearian classic The Taming of the Shrew. The Bayerische Staatsballet in Munich is well known for its excellent arts performances and its rich accumulation of repertoires. The Taming of the Shrew is one of the most successful ballet comedies in history.

7:15 pm, Nov 17-19, Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 Renmin Avenue. 021-6386-8686

Modern ballet

Dutch modern ballet company Introdans will give a gala performance. One of the three biggest dance companies in the Netherlands, Introdans is one of the most important ambassadors of Dutch modern ballet. Artistic director Roel Voorintholt's 2011 China tour program consists of three well-known works choreographed by Jir Kylin and a piece by Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Evening Songs, Sechs Tanze and Indigo Rose are representative works that demonstrate Kylin's creative genius.

7:30 pm, Nov 19, 20. Shanghai Centre Theater, 1376 Nanjing Xilu. 021-6217-2426

Commercial art

Industrial designers, graphic designers and advertisers - known as "creative workers" but rarely getting much space for personal expression - have come together to present their art. The show, titled "Double Life", has provided a rare opportunity for them to realize their wildest ideas, without the least consideration for a client's demands.

10 am-6 pm, Nov 12-17. Zendai Art S-Supermarket, 2F, 28 Lane 199, Fangdian Lu, Pudong New Area. 021- 5033-6156

Hong Kong

Art for good

To support ongoing research and programming in contemporary regional art, the Asia Art Archive Annual Fundraiser 2011 auction and dinner will be held at The China Club on Nov 19. Although tickets for the prestigious event are sold out, you can still get a glimpse of the 68 works by significant internationally recognized artists at Sotheby's. This year's highlights include an ink painting from the early 1980s by Wu Guanzhong, an installation by Nam June Paik and a piece from Takashi Murakami's flower series.

9:30 am-6 pm, Nov 14-18. Sotheby's Hong Kong, 3101-3106, One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty. 852-2815-1112

Macao

Hop to it

Grasshopper, one of Hong Kong's most energetic Cantopop boy bands from the 1980s, woos new fans at its 25 Grasshopper Live in Macao spectacle. Though they are all well into middle age, the energetic trio of Edmond So Chi-wai, Calvin Choy Yat-chi and Remus Choy Yat-kit still know how to work an audience with glam costumes and on-stage antics. They will perform 25 show-stopping tunes in celebration of their 25th anniversary, paying tribute to mentor Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung and Shirley Kwan.

8 pm, Nov 19. CotaiArena, The Venetian Macao, Estrada da Baia de N. Senhora da Esperanca, s/n, Taipa. 853-2882-8818

Need for speed

Cheer on as the sleepy historic center of Macao morphs into a roaring rush of hot cars and smoking action during the 58th Macao Grand Prix. The leading street-circuit competition in the region, it features the best professional and amateur drivers from around the world competing in motorcycle, touring and Formula 3 races around hairpin turns on a 6-km track. The spectator stand near Hotel Lisboa is the best place for sports fans to see an underdog attempting to sneak past the lead, while those parked at the finish line by the ferry terminal get to ogle celebrities and the big winners.

Nov 17-20. 853-8796-2210

China Daily

(China Daily 11/13/2011 page15)