Beijing

Christmas cheer

In true British tradition, audience-interactive comedies have served up raucous family entertainment in the West End every Christmas for centuries.

Beijing Playhouse's Christmas presentation of the fractured family fairytale Cinderella, directed by Michael Gralapp, is perfect for families, especially children, with its crazy Christmas costumes and cheerful music.

Thursday to Saturday at night, with Sunday matinees from Dec 2 until Dec 18. 260-300 yuan. 010-6538-4716

Tibetan goes global

Tibetan vocalist Han Hong is planning a world tour in 2012 after a three-year break. The Xigaze native recently released her new song, Beautiful World, which is the tour's namesake. She also revealed her new image by donning a pair of tinted, Lady Gaga-style glasses, marking a bold shift from her previous down-to-earth character.

Han is celebrated for such songs as Tibetan Plateau and Heaven's Road.

The tour is set to start in Beijing's MasterCard Center on Jan 7, 2012 before visiting Shanghai and heading overseas.

8 pm, Jan 7 of next year. Beijing MasterCard Center (formerly Wukesong Arena), 69 Fuxin Lu, Haidian district. 010-6417-7845.

Dancing up a storm

Dans Storm's showcase season opens in Beijing on Saturday with two premieres from Barcelona's Konic thtr and Beijing's Paper Tiger Theater. The two groups will present Before the Beep and Extremely Unclear. The Shanghai-based dance platform Dans Storm is committed to providing experimental and collaborative works using language, interactive technology and movement.

Nov 5-6. Free. Paper Tiger Space, A1, Tuofangying Road, Chaoyang district.139-0136-2305.

Shanghai

More Berliner magic

The Berliner Philharmonic has been led by some of the world's premiere principal conductors and art directors, including Herbert von Karajan, since its 1882 inception.

Its repertoire spans classical and modern works, and specializes in interpretations of Austro-German works.

The orchestra will perform Ravel's Alborada del Gracioso, Bruckner's Symphony No 9 in D Minor and Hosokavwa's Concerto for Horn and Orchestra - Moment of Blossoming at its Shanghai performance.

7:15 pm Nov 13. Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 Renmin Avenue. 021-6386-8686

1911 revisited

The play A Charming Face Among Peach Blossoms, which takes its namesake from the novel by Ge Fei on which it's based, portrays the transformation of Xiumi from a girl from a well-to-do family into a revolutionary at the beginning of the last century.

The plot also examines how three men shape her destiny and the impact of the 1911 Revolution on national enlightenment.

Young playwright Hong Jinghui wrote the libretto.

7:15 pm, Nov 11-20. Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center's Arts Theater, 288 Anfu Road. 021-6473-0123

Seeking 'the one'

The First Matchmaking Exposition staged on the weekend after Single's Day - Nov 11, the numerical writing of which this year is 11/11/11 - offers those seeking "the one" a chance to see who's available.

The exposition will be staged in Thames Town in West Shanghai's Songjiang district, locally known as the city's "love cradle".

Certified matchmakers will work to perfectly pair those looking for love. Free shuttle buses will pick up youths and their parents at Songjiang railway station.

Organizers include the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, the Shanghai Information Services Association and Life Weekly magazine.

10 am-5 pm, Nov 12; 10 am-3 pm, Nov 13. Thames Town, 900 North Sanxin Road. 021-5158-0830

China Daily

(China Daily 11/04/2011 page20)