What's on

Don Quixote

When: Nov 28-30, 7:30 pm

Where: National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing

Don Quixote, a legacy of the golden age of classical ballet in Russia, is a poignant example of how Spain is portrayed in ballets, with its whirlwind ensemble dancing, castanets, polka-dot skirts, fans, roses and decorative combs in women's hair.

Despite its name, the ballet is not an adaptation of Miguel de Cervantes' novel. It is a story about the failed wedding of the wealthy Camacho to the fair Quiteria, who is also the object of affections of someone else, the villager Basil. Don Quixote is in no way the lead character in the story by ballet standards. His role is mostly that of a pantomime artist or a stage walker, while all the dancing feats are accomplished by other characters.

Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet is the resident classical ballet company of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The Dawns Here Are Quiet

When: Nov 29 and 30, 7:30 pm; Dec 1, 1 pm

Where: Shanghai City Theater

The St. Petersburg Masterskaya Theater in Russia will bring The Dawns Here Are Quiet to Shanghai. Based on Boris Vasilyev's 1969 novel of the same name, it tells the story of a senior sergeant in the Soviet Red Army and five female antiaircraft gunners who courageously fight off invading German troops in 1942.

Stephen Kovacevich Piano Recital

When: Dec 4, 7:30 pm

Where: Tianjin Grand Theater

Stephen Kovacevich is one of the most revered musicians of his generation. He has won unsurpassed admiration for his interpretation of Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart and Schubert. A Grammy nominated artist, Kovacevich has a long list of recordings for Philips and EMI.

Born in Los Angeles, Kovacevich laid the foundation for his career as concert pianist at the age of 11. After moving to England to study with Dame Myra Hess, he made his European debut at Wigmore Hall in 1961. Since then he has appeared with many of the world's finest orchestras and conductors including Hans Graf, Bernard Haitink, Kurt Masur, Simon Rattle, Georg Solti and Yannick Nezet-Seguin.

A Doll's House

When: Dec 6-15, 7:30 pm

Where: The Capital Theater, Beijing

A Doll's House is Henrik Ibsen's best-known masterpiece. He paints a bleak picture of the sacrificial role of women in all economic classes in society. The play has had a far-reaching impact on the development of Chinese literature and drama.

In 2014, the National Center for the Performing Arts produced a new version of A Doll's House to mark the centennial of its China premiere, bringing together a top-grade crew and shifting the emphasis from solely feminist ideology to marriage and family contradictions.

The play, in three acts, centers on an ordinary family－bank lawyer Torvald Helmer, his wife Nora and their three children.

Carmen

When: Dec 24, 7:30 pm

Where: Mei Lanfang Theater, Beijing

Established in 1985, the Spanish Ballet of Murcia has performed in countless theaters and taken part in arts festivals the world over. The company has always had its own identity and engages in various forms of Spanish dance, including Flamenco.

Its dance adaptation of the classic opera Carmen has won awards for choreography, stage effects and the skills of its dancers.

Carmen, written in 1847 by French composer Georges Bizet, is one of the most-performed operas in the world.

The Eternal Wave

When: Dec 27 and 28, 7:30 pm

Where: Guangzhou Opera House

Based on a true story from the 1930s, the dance drama showcases Li Bai, a member of the Communist Party of China who sent information via a secret radiotelegraphy station from Shanghai to Yan'an, the Party's wartime stronghold, for more than a decade.

But he was discovered and cruelly murdered by the enemy just days before the victory.

Produced by Shanghai Dance Theater, the drama uses 26 movable pieces of stage scenery. The symbolic characters of old Shanghai appear in the drama, including shikumen (traditional Shanghai-style house gates), longtang (old alleyways), newspaper offices and a qipao tailor's shop.

Napoleon, the Man Who Never Sleeps

When: Dec 31-Jan 2, 7:30 pm

Where: Guangzhou Opera House

Takarazuka Revue is an allfemale theater company founded in Takarazuka, Japan, in 1914. Women play both the male and female roles in lavish Broadway-style productions.

Former members of the theater company will bring Napoleon, the Man Who Never Sleeps to audiences in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

The play focuses on the love story of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), the French military leader and emperor, who conquered much of Europe in the early 19th century.

Born on the island of Corsica, Napoleon rapidly rose through the ranks of the military during the French Revolution (1789-99). The ambitious and skilled military strategist successfully waged war against various coalitions of European nations and expanded his empire. However, after a disastrous French invasion of Russia in 1812, Napoleon abdicated the throne and was exiled to the island of Elba.