Australians get their chance to 'Experience China'

"Experience China", the Year of Chinese Culture in Australia, will begin on June 24 in Sydney, initiating a series of over 80 cultural events to be held in various Australian cities.

It is the largest series of cultural events initiated by the Chinese government in Australia to date, consisting of cultural activities ranging from performing arts projects and visual arts exhibitions to film festivals.

These will include pianist Lang Lang's concerts with the Sydney Symphony, choreographer Yang Liping's dance drama Dynamic Yunnan, Meng Jinghui's drama Rhinoceros in Love, and the ballet Peony Pavilion by the National Ballet of China.

According to the memorandum of understanding on the reciprocal years of culture (2010-2012) between China and Australia, the Year of Australian Culture in China was from June 2010 to June 2011, and the Year of Chinese Culture in Australia will be held from June 2011 to June 2012.

More information is available at www.yearofchineseculture.com.

Strawberry symposium celebrates the sweet fruit

The 7th International Strawberry Symposium will be held in Beijing from Feb 18-22, 2012 and to mark the occasion the organizing committee has launched a theme song writing contest.

It is open to the public till the end of August and 30 winners will be selected. The contest will be the first of a series of cultural activities leading up to the symposium.

The International Strawberry Symposium is held every four years. It aims to boost the development of the strawberry industry, as well as provide entertainment and education. The symposium will also serve as a platform to enhance collaboration in strawberry research and production.

The 7th symposium will be held in Beijing's Changping district, an important strawberry growing area and production base in China.

A total of 12 Japanese films will be screened in Beijing and during the Shanghai International Film Festival, which will kick off on Saturday.

From June 8-13, the films will play at selected theaters in Beijing, while their Shanghai screenings will run from June 12-18.

Films include Kabei: Our Mother, a 2008 film by esteemed director Yoji Yamada, Villain, a romantic tragedy by Lee Sang-il, and Haru's Journey, which stars celebrated actor Tatsuya Nakadai (pictured).

Tatsuya, 79, met filmgoers in Beijing on Tuesday, while rising star Satoshi Tsumabuki, the leading actor of Villain, will attend the film's Shanghai screening on June 12.

Hardship and Glory on revolutionary road

The largest exhibition on revolutionary historical documents, titled Hardship and Glory, is on display at the National Library of China (NLC) to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The exhibition will last until the end of July.

About 4,000 items are exhibited, which record 28 years on the revolutionary road, from 1921 when the CPC was established, to the founding of New China in 1949. About 200 of the documents will be available to the public for the first time. A reading room that provides 2,500 revolutionary books and 50 videos is also featured.

In addition, the NLC has also cooperated with 20 other provincial libraries to launch a catalog of revolutionary documents.

From Greek tragedy to Peking Opera

Greek dramatist Sophocles' Antigone, directed by Theodore Terzopoulos, was performed by the students of the Central Academy of Drama in Chinese language.

The tragedy's Chinese version was translated by professor Luo Niansheng, who has translated ancient Greek literature, such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, Homer, Aesop and Lucian.

Terzopoulos established a theatrical group focused on the themes and techniques of ancient Greek dramas in 1984. He has also started to explore the fusion of China's Peking Opera and Greek drama.

Terzopoulos was made honorary professor emeritus to mark the director's long-standing cooperation with the academy.

China Daily