Yuju Opera doyenne to return to stage

Xiao Xiangyu, China's leading Yuju Opera actress, will return to direct the Shanxi Yuju Opera Company in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, and Beijing.

Born in 1965 in Henan, Xiao Xiangyu learned from her grandmother Chang Xiangyu (1923-2004), China's best known Yuju Opera actress, from a very young age and has inherited Chang's style. But since 1995, when she moved to Taiyuan to found an art school to train Yuju performers and students of other genres, she has kept away from the stage. In 2006, she played a supporting role in the movie One Foot Off the Ground, which earned her the Golden Rooster Award.

She will now return to the stage and direct the Shanxi Yuju Opera Company, in a bid to revive the old local opera.

Noted for its demanding melodies and intensive use of spoken language, Yuju Opera is a major local opera in Henan province and enjoys nationwide popularity.

Afternoon tea and Peking Opera

The Opera House of Beijing Huguang Guild Hall is adding afternoon shows to its regular evening performances this month to entertain visitors to Beijing, especially Peking Opera fans.

Leading Peking Opera performers from Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai including Wang Yan, Zhao Qun and Chang Qiuyue, will perform the most popular repertories such as Farewell My Concubine, The Goddess of Heaven Scatters Flowers and The Drunken Beauty.

Afternoon tea and snacks will be served.

Taste of Tunisia

More than 30 art works by Tunisian artist Abdelmajid El Bekri are on display at the Boyi Art Gallery in downtown Beijing, as part of the "Meet in Beijing 2008" cultural activities.

Situated on the North African coast of the Mediterranean Sea between Algeria and Libya and just south of Italy, Tunisia represents an intriguing cultural blend of Europe and Africa.

A professor of artistic education, Abdelmajid El Bekri has contributed to the renewal of Tunisian painting and the development of artistic education. Calligraphic lines, symbols and emblems pervade his canvas. He has held solo shows in Tunis, Vienna, Prague, Rome and Paris and has many national and international trophies under his belt, such as the Prize of the Jury of the Fifth International Biennale of Cario.

Romance in stars for Lam

Hong Kong-based actress Karena Lam acts opposite 12 men in Fit Lover (Aiqing Zuodeng Youxing), a comedy which started shooting this week.

The film follows Lam's search for Mr Right, during which she meets 12 men of different astrological signs and characteristics. Noted actor Huang Lei, Lu Yi and budding star Zhang Junning are among the 12 candidates for Lam's final choice. Popular comedian Huang Bo plays an angel who helps Lam to make the right decision.

The award-winning Lam has previously teamed up with many A-list actors like Eric Tsang and the late Leslie Cheung. But it is still a refreshing to watch her play opposite so many actors in one picture. The 30-year-old has been widely considered a talented actress since her film debut in 2002, which won her two best new performer awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards and Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards.

The film will wrap in October and hit the profitable winter theater season.