Beijing

Russian season

Russian National Ballet Theater, which was founded in Moscow in the 1980s, will present three classics, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker to Beijing audiences. Besides accompanying the ballet shows, the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra will present a New Year concert with world-renowned works. The Beijing XDR Cultural and Communication Company will present Spring of Ballet, which was launched in 2003.

Museums reach across the Straits

7:30 pm. Feb 10 (New Year concert by Russian Philharmonic Orchestra); Feb 11, 12, 16 (Swan Lake); Feb 13,14 (Sleeping Beauty); Feb 15, (The Nutcracker). Poly Theater, Poly Plaza, Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng district. 010-6504-6966, 010-6504-6962.

Timeless gala

Conductor Fan Tao will lead the Accent Symphony Orchestra to present a gala, featuring classics such as Johannes Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5 and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Music from such Chinese films as If You Are the One and The Red Detachment of Women, and popular Chinese folk songs will be performed during the show.

7:30 pm. Feb 8. Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhua Jie Street, Xicheng district. 010-6605-7006.

Golden-thread wood

The National Museum of China is having an exhibition to display the beauty of jinsi nanmu. Nanmu has a superior resistance to decay and a smooth texture. It has a polished shimmering surface and is termed "jin si", which literally means gold threads. The exhibition presents nine exquisite furniture items from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, as well as several new creations designed by antique furniture specialists Zhang Dexiang and Curtis Evarts.

9 am-5 pm, no admission after 4 pm, closed on Mondays, until Feb 22. National Museum of China, east of Tian'anmen Square, 16 East Chang'an Avenue. 010-6511-6400.

Classic performance of Mei-style opera

Renowned Peking Opera artist Mei Baojiu (left in picture and inset), son of the master Mei Lanfang (1894-1961, right), is going to perform classic Peking Opera pieces, Drunken Concubine and Red Cliff, at a Spring Festival gala held in Beijing. The gala also stars established Chinese folk art singers, including Geng Fenglian and pingshu (storytelling performance) master Liu Lanfang. Young generation cross-talk performers, including Gao Xiaopan and Wang Yuebo, will also share the stage during the show.

7:30 pm. Feb 8. Great Hall of the People, west of Tian'anmen Square. 010-6554-6677, 400-610-3721.

- Chen Nan

China Daily