Beijing

Power of Shostakovich

The prestigious Russian conductor Valery Gergiev will lead the St. Petersburg-based Mariinsky Theater Orchestra in a concert of Dmitri Shostakovich's works in Beijing. Gergiev, 59, has been a champion of humanitarian ideals in the past years - as well as one of the world's authorities on Shostakovich's music.

7:30 pm, Sept 15, 16, Concert Hall, National Center for the Performing Arts, 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district. 010-6655-0000

Solo of Penny Tai

The Malaysian-Chinese pop singer and composer Penny Tai will perform a solo concert in Beijing on her tour around the Chinese mainland. Tai, 34, made her debut in 2000 in Taiwan and has released 10 self-produced albums. She is among the female singers with most self-written songs in the Chinese language music circle.

7:30 pm, Sept 16, The Star Live, 79 Heping Xijie, Dongcheng district. 010-6425-5166

Korean culture

A special exhibition which reflects the daily life of Korea's Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) is on the stage of the Capital Museum to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationships between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Korea. The 279 items present a panorama of Koreans' daily life in the dynasty that the organizers say will greatly contribute to the Chinese people's understanding of Korean culture.

9 am-5 pm, until Sept 23 except Mondays. Capital Museum, 16 Fuxingmenwai Dajie, Xicheng district. 010-6337-0491

Shanghai

Retrospective show

Zhu Qizhan Art Museum is presenting a joint exhibition of Zhu Qizhan and Guan Liang, titled The Reunion. The two modern Chinese artists were both active in the first half of the 20th century. They went to study in Japan in 1917, and taught at the Shanghai Art School, one of the first modern art teaching institutions in China. Both worked at the same institute after 1949 and maintained a close friendship.

9 am-5 pm, Sept 5-Oct 7. Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, 570 Ouyang Lu. 021-5671-0741

Cragg comes to China

The works of Tony Cragg, the Turner-Prize-winning British artist and director of the Kunstakademie Dusseldorf, holds his largest solo exhibition in China, presenting about 50 of his major sculptures and 127 drawings. This will also be the opening exhibition of the Himalayas Art Museum's new venue.

10 am-6 pm, until Nov 18 except Mondays. Shanghai Zendai Himalayas Art Museum, 869 Yinghua Lu, Pudong district. 021-5033-9801

Body of work

The Other Gallery Shanghai is presenting a solo exhibition titled From the Ashes of Zhang Huan. Contemporary artists Zhang came to international fame for using his body as the medium for creation, presenting performances that were often physically demanding and even cruel. In the past few years, he established a studio factory in suburban Shanghai, and created paintings using ashes from burning incense.

10 am-8 pm, until Nov 4. Other Gallery Shanghai, Rm 101, Building 9, 50 Moganshan Lu. 021-3353-2273

Hong Kong

Angelic strings

Hong Kong Sinfonietta's concert master James Cuddeford will be the featured violin soloist, tackling Austrian composer Alban Berg's violin concerto To the Memory of an Angel - one of the most distinctive pieces of early 20th-century music. The evening's program will also include Bach and Webern's Ricercare and Brahms' second symphony helmed by guest conductor Daniel Raiskin with the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie and Arthur Rubinstein Lodz Philharmonic Orchestra.

8 pm, Sept 14. Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central. Enquires 852-2836-3336

Celluloid memories

Lithuanian artist Deimantas Narkevicius launches his first solo exhibition in Asia with About Films. Narkevicius explores memory and how contemporary society confronts its sometimes painful history through films. He challenges the concept of objectivity by replacing the narrator with objects, drawings and other surrogates. His work has previously been shown at New Museum in New York City, and in solo shows at London's BFI Southbank Gallery.

Opening reception at 7 pm on Sept 14; artist talk 3 pm on Sept 15; exhibition continues until Nov 18. Para/Site Art Space, G/F 4 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan. 852-2517-4620

Macao

Making creative count

In a city dominated by the lure of casino money post-handover, is it possible to make a living as a creative professional? A series of four Saturday afternoon discussions aim to address the topic through personal accounts by some of the city's most active designers. Graphic designers Filipa Simoes, Kelvin Mac, Pat Lam and Rita Ferreira discuss their local and international projects in the first session, while product designers Keith Pang, Nuno Soares, Sofia Bobone and Venus Chan talk about the commercialization of their work later in the afternoon.

2:30-4:30 pm, 4:45-6:30 pm, Sept 15. Creative Macao, G/F Macao Culture Center Building, Xian Xing Hai Avenue. 853-2875-3282

China Daily

(China Daily 09/09/2012 page15)