Beijing

Tosca launches fest

The National Center for the Performing Arts is to launch its 2012 Opera Festival with opera Tosca, one of its own productions. The Puccini masterpiece is a tale about love, politics, hatred and conspiracy. Under renowned director Giancarlo del Monaco, the new version of the opera represents a break from past perceptions. With slightly tilting and twisted stage designs, it aims to bring about a religious atmosphere of stunning grandeur. It will be presented by the NCPA Chorus and China NCPA Orchestra.

7:30 pm, April 19-22. Opera House, National Center for the Performing Arts, east of Tian'anmen Square. 010-6655-0000

Films on women

As an International Women's Day special, Spanish actress and director Marta Belaustegui and Chinese filmmaker Ning Ying, director of Perpetual Motion, will discuss current Chinese and Spanish cinema made by women. The program also inaugurates a series of film screenings, Female Stories, during March, including renowned movies like Even the Rain by Iciar Bollain, Paisito by Ana Diez, and Plans for Tomorrow by Juana Macias. Free admission.

6 pm, March 7. Conference Hall of Instituto Cervantes Pekin, A1 Gongti Nanlu, Chaoyang district. 010-5879-9666

30 years of modern art

UCCA is to present an exhibition in collaboration with Parkett, an art journal founded in Zurich in 1984. With over 200 limited-edition pieces, the exhibition Inside a Book, a House of Gold, is to create an overall scene of contemporary art over the past 30 years. The works are divided and exhibited according to the arrangement of the space, with Playroom, Studio, City, and Wardrobe framing a central Garden.

10 am-5 pm, until April 8, free on Thursday. UCCA Central Gallery, Nave, and Long Gallery, 798 Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang district. 010-5780-0200

Leaping leprechauns

Everyone's an Irishman on St. Patrick's Day, the saying goes, but China's expats from the Emerald Isle hope that the rest of us will be in the spirit for a whole month.

Thursday brings the preview of Intimate Revolution: Discourse on Disappointment, the kickoff of the Irish Wave III art exhibition, curated by Fion Gunn and Zheng Xuewu, at Siemens Arts Space in 798. Siemens will show artworks in all media by Irish artists and their Chinese peers.

The annual Irish Ball sold out long ago, but check the Irish Embassy's website (www.embassyofireland.cn) for a complete schedule of performances and other Irish Festival events in both Beijing and Shanghai.

Preview 4-6 pm Thursday, Siemens Arts Space, 798 Art Zone, 010-5978-9845. Show continues through March 22.

Shanghai

Japanese pop

Japanese pop group L'Arc-en-Ciel was founded in 1991 and has sold more than 13 million albums and 16 million singles. The group will meet its many admirers among China's pop culture fans, when they play in Shanghai, as part of a 20th-anniversary tour.

7:30 pm, March 10. Mercedes-Benz Arena, 1200 Expo Avenue, Pudong New Area. 021-6217-2426

Met Opera's Turandot

The latest program of the Opera in HD series at Shanghai Grand Theater features New York Metropolitan Opera House's production of Turandot, originally staged in 2009. The production will come in high-definition live transmission with commentary from Tian Haojiang. In the Met production of the Puccini classic, Maria Guleghina plays the ruthless Chinese princess of the title, whose hatred of men is so strong that she has all suitors who can't solve her riddles beheaded. Marcello Giordani sings Calf, the unknown prince who eventually wins her love and whose solos include the famous Nessun Dorma.

7:15 pm, March 23. Shanghai Grand Theater, 300 Renmin Avenue. 021-6386-8686

Techno art

Island 6 or Liu Dao is a workshop of hi-tech contemporary art, where artists play with the new media toys of our time. The collective builds on a Utopian ideal of generosity and sharing. Artists, artisans, tech-heads and art aficionados from around the globe drop into rap technology and art. Studio Rouge will present the first solo show of Island 6 in March.

11 am-6 pm, March 9-April 8. Studio Rouge on the Bund, 17 Fuzhou Lu. 021-6323-0833

Hong Kong

Green dreams

Hong Kong's iconic skyline is also one of its worst energy hogs, with buildings consuming 89 percent of power generated compared to the global average of 40 percent. C-Suite: Carbon, Competitiveness and Corporate Leadership, co-organized with the Business Environment Council and Climate Change Business Forum, is a luncheon panel discussion featuring construction and property experts on how to invest in greener buildings. Speakers include Chris Brooke, president and CEO of CB Richard Ellis; Andrew Chan, vice-chairman of Arup Group; and Thomas Ho, chief executive of Gammon Construction. Ronnie Chan, Hang Lung Properties' chairman and Asia Society's co-chair, will moderate.

12 pm, March 5. Asia Society Hong Kong Center, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty. 852-2103-9511

High drama

Larger-than-life passion returns with this season's screenings of The Met: Live in HD at various cinemas across Hong Kong until July, presented by the Foundation for the Arts and Music in Asia. Next up: Richard Wagner's Siegfried, titled after the protagonist of The Ring.

Meanwhile, contemporary composer Philip Glass depicts the life of "Mahatma" Gandhi in Satyagraha through his trademark hypnotic score. The operatic season also includes Handel's Rodelinda, Gounod's Faust, The Enchanted Island, Wagner's Gotterdammerung, Massenet's Manon, and Verdi's Ernani and La Traviata.

1:30 pm, March 4, Satyagraha, UA Cityplaza, 5/F, 18 Taikoo Shing Road, Taikoo Shing. 5:50 pm, March 4, Siegfried, AMC Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty. Additional screenings www.themetinhongkong.info

Macao

Frozen treats

Snow bunnies can indulge their love for the cold at The Ice Gallery, courtesy of Moscow-based MMG Productions. Made from 200 tons of ice and snow and kept at a nippy 5C, the winter wonderland is a fun house where snow boots and down coats are provided to keep everyone toasty.

Armed with a cup of mulled wine or hot chocolate, visitors can marvel at the crystal ice sculpture by Russian artist Alexander Zaitsev in the 300-square-meter gallery. Children of all ages can cavort on the rinks or slide down slippery chutes.

10 am-10 pm, until March 31. Water World, Macao Fisherman's Wharf, Avenida da Amizade and Avenida Sun Yat-sen. 853-8299-3300

China Daily

(China Daily 03/04/2012 page15)