What's on

Parsifal

When: Nov 24, 4 pm

Where: Jiangsu Center for the Performing Arts, Nanjing

Parsifal, by the Mariinsky Theater, is an opera in three acts by German composer Richard Wagner. It is loosely based on Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach, a 13th-century epic poem of the Arthurian knight Parzival and his quest for the Holy Grail.

The work was first performed at Bayreuth, Germany, in 1882, not long before Wagner's death.

Based on one of the medieval epic romances of King Arthur and the search for the grail (the chalice allegedly used by Christ at the Last Supper), the five-and-half-hour opera recounts over three acts how a "wild child" unwittingly invades the sacred precincts of the grail, fulfilling a prophecy that only such a child can save the grail's protectors from a curse.

The Mariinsky Theater is based in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The Little Match Girl

When: Dec 1, 7:30 pm

Where: Beijing Exhibition Theater

Based on a short story by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen in 1845, the musical is about a dying child's dreams and hope.

It begins on a cold, snowy winter night. A poor girl tries to sell matches because she was ordered to do so by her father and he won't allow her to return home until all the matches are sold on pain of a beating.

She tries to warm her hands by lighting the matches. After lighting the last match, she sees her dead grandmother whom she loved very much and who eventually takes her to heaven.

Into the White Night

When: Dec 14, 2 pm and 7:30 pm; Dec 15, 7:30 pm

Where: Shenzhen Poly Theater

Based on the mystery novel Byakuyako by Japanese author Keigo Higashino, musical Into the White Night is about an unsolved death, which puzzles a police detective. The dead man's family and circle of friends may provide answers for the detective who continues to investigate.

Han Xue stars as the lead female character in the musical.

Swan Lake

When: Dec 20 and 21, 7:30 pm

Where: Hangzhou Grand Theater

Directed and choreographed by former Bolshoi Ballet Soloist, Konstantin Uralsky, the Russian State Ballet and Opera House is coming to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

Swan Lake is a tale of two young women, Odette and Odile, who resemble each other so closely that one can easily be mistaken for the other. It is a compelling legend of a tragic romance in which a princess, Odette, is turned into a swan by an evil curse.

Prince Siegfried chances upon a flock of swans while out hunting. When one of the swans turns into a beautiful young woman he is instantly captivated－but will his love prove strong enough to break the evil spell that she is under?

The ballet brings the passion and vibrancy of the Russian character to this well-known work.

Alexandrov Ensemble

When: Dec 20 and 22, 7:30 pm; Dec 21 and 22, 2:30 pm

Where: Guangzhou Opera House

The Alexandrov Ensemble, commonly known as the Red Army Choir, is the official army choir of the Russian armed forces. Founded during the Soviet era, the ensemble consists of a male choir, an orchestra and a dance ensemble.

The ensemble has entertained audiences both in Russia and throughout the world, performing a range of music including folk tunes, hymns, operatic arias and popular music. It attracted international attention when it won first prize at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1937.

The Nutcracker

When: Dec 23-25, 7:15 pm

Where: Shanghai Grand Theater

The Shanghai Grand Theater's version of The Nutcracker premiered during the Christmas season in 2010, and has been staged almost every Christmas season since.

In order to rejuvenate the classic work, the Shanghai Grand Theater and the Shanghai Ballet have made a new production and British director Derek Dean has subtly blended Chinese elements with the classic tale into Tchaikovsky's iconic score.

The ballet tells a story about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve and wages a battle against the evil Mouse King.

The Hotel

When: Dec 29, 7:30 pm

Where: Wuxi Grand Theater

The Hotel tells a story about a hotel you may be familiar with. Seven performers present seven types of people that could turn up in your daily life.

Produced by the Li Xing Dance Studio, the dance drama probes into conflicts between people and the social environment.

A Passage to Bollywood

When: Dec 30, 7:30 pm

Where: Wuxi Grand Theater

A Passage to Bollywood is a stage musical with foot-tapping music, colorful costumes and a gripping plot.

Covering various aspects of the Indian Bollywood culture, Ashley Lobo's smash hit performance comprises old classics as well as the latest Bollywood songs.

Faust

When: Jan 9-12, 7:30 pm

Where: Beijing Poly Theater

Lithuanian director Rimas Tuminas will bring his latest work Faust, an adaptation of Goethe's dramatic play, to Beijing audience in January.

The tragic play stars Liao Fan as Mephistopheles, the devil, and Yin Zhusheng as Faust.

Considered one of the most famous plays in German literature, Faust is based on a classic German legend, in which Faust is a discontented scholar who makes a deal with the devil in order to attain worldly knowledge, pleasure, and power at the expense of his soul.