What's on

Beijing

Modern drama

The National Theater of China's New Year play, The Last Struggle, is set against the Spring Festival reunion of an ordinary family.

Directed by Wu Xiaojiang, the story reveals the social background of three generations of the family, exposing not just the goodness and beauty of life but also the bureaucracy and corruption.

The cast includes Mu Ning, Wang Yue and Wu Zhen.

7:30 pm, until Jan 16. Capital Theater, 22 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 400-610-3721

The rabbit approaches

To usher in The Year of the Rabbit, a group exhibition themed on the creature is being held at Hongbaotang Gallery, on Liulichang Street, Beijing's traditional cultural street.

The more than 100 exhibits comprise mainly ink-color paintings and calligraphy works, by such artists as Liu Dawei, Feng Yuan and Wang Tongren.

The gallery will simultaneously hold three solo shows of ink painter Wang Jiancheng, Cao Junyi and Chao Gu.

10 am-5 pm, until Feb 8. Hongbaotang Gallery, Liulichang Street, Xicheng district. 010-6301-7427

Eye on a railway

An on-going photography show puts the spotlight on Daqin Railway, that opened to traffic in 1992, and runs from Datong of Shanxi province, to Qinhuangdao of Hebei province, and is the main transport channel for coal.

The photographs show not just the coal trains and their high-tech equipment, but capture the lined faces of the hard-working laborers and the beautiful landscape the line cuts through.

9 am-4 pm, until Jan 20, the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, 9 Fuxing Lu, Haidian district. 010-6686-6244

Solo show of inks

Chen Bingjia, an ink artist from Hunan province, is holding his solo exhibition in Beijing. On display are more than 40 of his latest ink creations, inspired by his visit to the Mawangdui Tomb, an archaeological site known for ancient silk paintings in the province.

9 am-5 pm, until Jan 23. H-art Center, 798 Art Zone, 2 Liuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang district. 010-59789588

Slovak scenes

Kristina Heckova, a student of the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, is holding her first solo show at the Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery in Beijing. The exhibition presents more than 20 drawings on paper done by the 26-year-old Slovak artist.

10 am-5 pm, until Feb 15. 798 Art Zone, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang district. 151-1019-6768

Shandong handicrafts

The exhibition, Handicraft in the Countryside: Cultural Industry Research in the Rural Areas of Shandong Province, showcases the survey results of the project initiated by Pan Lusheng, headmaster of Shandong University of Art and Design. It features seven research projects launched in Weifang, Linyi and Heze of Shandong province, including handicrafts such as kite-making and New Year paintings in Yangjiabu, willow weaving in Linyi, Chinese knots in Honghuaxiang, parasol and poplar woodcarving in Caoxian, homespun cloth in Juancheng, and elaborate-style paintings by farmers in Juye.

9 am-5 pm, until Jan 18. National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district. 010-6400-6326

Bird-and-flower painter

The solo exhibition of veteran birds-and-flowers painter Liu Jiying displays more than 60 ink works.

Beginning her artistic career in 1938, the 90-year-old has forged her own unique style in ink art.

9 am-5 pm,until Jan 23. Beijing Fine Art Academy, 1 Liulitun Beili, Chaoyang district. 010-6507-1285

Shanghai

Light orchestral music

Ten months after its last tour in Shanghai, the Mantovani Orchestra returns with a concert at Shanghai Grand Theater.

The orchestra was founded by Annunzio Paolo Mantovani (1905-1980), in 1937. Thirty years after his death, most of the instrumentalists have remained with the orchestra, helping preserve its original light style.

7:15 pm, Feb 4, 5. Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 Renmin Avenue. 021-6386-8686

Hand Made jazz

Brazilian musician Tinho Periera will release his debut solo album, Hand Made, featuring many of Shanghai's most renowned jazz musicians, all of whom will perform live at the CD's launch party at Jz Club.

Pereira has been resident bassist for Jz Club's big bands since 2006, winning the admiration of his peers. "All the songs I have recorded for the album are a part of me, so it's my most organic, most natural work," he says.

9 pm, Jan 24. Jz Club, 46 Fuxing Xilu. 021-6431-0269