Art beat in October

Making us laugh

Comedian Gao Xiaopan, 28, will perform at two xiangsheng, or crosstalk shows in Beijing, along with other veteran crosstalk masters, including Li Jindou and Chang Guitian. Gao started learning xiangsheng at 7 and graduated from the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts. He founded his Hip-Hop Cross-Talk Club five years ago, which attracted young Chinese audiences back to the traditional Chinese art form while luring more young Chinese xiangsheng performers.

7:30 pm, Oct 2 and 3. PLA Theater, 60 Deshengmennei Dajie, southeast corner of Jishuitan Bridge, Xicheng district, Beijing. 400-610-3721.

Midi goes beyond indie

Nearly 200 bands and musicians will gather at the Midi Music Festival in Shanghai, which will be the largest line-up in the festival's decadelong history. China indie acts, including Carsick Cars, AK47, and Queen Sea Big Shark, will share nine stages with foreign acts, such as 101A from Japan and Bad Mamasan from the United States.

Oct 2 to 4, Pudong Sanjia Port, Renmintang Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai.

400-610-3721.

A first for rock

Chinese rock musician Wang Feng will headline the first Tianyu Music Festival, which will be held in Lijiang, Yunnan province. The music festival will debut at an art district, which was transformed from an abandoned cement factory. Other highlights will include singer-songwriter Shang Wenjie, Taiwan pop-rock band Sodagreen and international acts, including Arms and Legs from the United States and Like Thieves from Australia. Art troupes from Yunnan province will also bring music and dances from ethnic groups.

Oct 2 to 4. Lijiang World Art Village, 500 meters of southeastern Lijiang railway station, Lijiang, Yunnan province. 400-4060506.

Classical sounds of China

Conductor Fan Tao will lead the Accent Symphony Orchestra performing a concert of Chinese classical music works. Celebrated Chinese violinist Chai Liang will play Butterfly Lovers and veteran pianist Tan Xiaotang will play Yellow River Concerto. Other classic Chinese music works, including piano suite The Red Detachment of Women will also be played.

7:30 pm, Oct 4. Beijing Concert Hall, No 1, Beixinhuajie, Xicheng district, Beijing.

Jack The Ripper set to thrill audiences at Pioneer Theater

Jack The Ripper is set to strike again in Beijing, but this time there will be plenty of laughs!

The comedy drama featuring the London killer will be staged at the Pioneer Theater of the National Theater of China over the National Day holiday.

It will retell the story, from a detective's viewpoint, of a series of blood-soaked crimes that gripped foggy London in the 19th century.

It will also explore the question rarely raised in comical dramas; how should we confront our own desires?

7:30 pm, everyday from Sept 24 to Oct 6, the Pioneer Theatre of National Theater of China, 8-2 Dongdan Santiao, Dongcheng district, Beijing, (010)65597364

Voices of Vienna

The Vienna Boys' Choir will revisit the Guangzhou Opera House on Oct 6 after a performance at the venue two years ago. Established in 1498, the choir from the musical capital of Europe has nurtured many big names, including composer Franz Schubert and conductor Clemens Krauss who were members of the choir.

8 pm, Oct 6. Opera Hall of Guangzhou Opera House, Exit B1 of Zhujiang New Town subway station, the interchange of Line 3 and 5, Guangzhou. 020-3839-2888.

010-5166-4511.

Beijing cinema to host screening of HK films

Hong Kong director Peter Chan will curate a film screening on the theme of contemporary Hong Kong cinema at the Broadway Cinematheque, Beijing.

Chan's two hit movies Comrades, almost a Love Story and Alan and Eric: Between Hello and Goodbye are among the 12 films to be screened from Sept 29 to Oct 10.

Also to be screened is director Mabel Cheung's "migration trilogy": Illegal Immigrant (1985), An Autumn's Tale (1987) and Eight Taels of Gold (1989).

Other titles include Ann Hui's Song of Exile and My American Grandson, and Ho Yim's Homecoming.

Chan summarizes the films as representing something special in Hong Kong cinema: the filmmakers, most of whom have overseas experience, explore the city from the perspective of an outsider.

Illusionist film falters

Directed by Louis Leterrier of Clash of the Titans fame, Now You See Me has a magical cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine, and an engaging plot. The story is about four top illusionists who brought their Las Vegas show to a climax by teleporting an audience member to a Paris bank and bringing the money back to the stage. The FBI wanted to know how they did it and initiated a cat-and-mouse chase with the "Ocean's Four". The story development, however, does not match the brilliant opening and the film turned out to be without substance. The film premiered in China on Oct 10.

Tibet, a work of art

Beauty of Tibet is a show in Beijing aiming to present the "real" Tibet through the display of more than 200 art works including oil on canvas, ink painting, woodcuts, Tibetan Thangka painting and watercolor painting. All the works on display are chosen from the second Beauty of Tibet Painting Contest held by the United Front Work Department. The exhibition shows Tibet's economic development, culture and heritage, environment conservation and Tibetan people's lives after China's reform and opening up.

9 am-5 pm, until October 10. the National Center for the Performing Arts, No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6655-0000.