Art for one and all
"If people miss me, just go to see my paintings," said late artist Wu Guanzhong. Trained in China and France, Wu educated generations of painters and scholars of art. Also, he saw his works as an education of art for the common people, hoping to help them build a deeper appreciation of beauty and integrate art into their perspective on life and the world. As such, Wu donated his works to several art museums at home and abroad. A year ago, the Wu family donated of his works to Tsinghua, which added them to the collection of Tsinghua University Art Museum. A selection of pieces from these donations are now on show at Art Nurtures Life. Wu was a magician at playing with dots, lines and forms. His paintings often re-create the magnificence of nature, something he always said it was most important to learn from. He said that nature has always seduced and inspired people, and laughs at people's conservative views, inflexibility and prejudices.
9 am-5 pm, through Oct 8. Closed on Mondays. Online reservation needed. Tsinghua University, Haidian district. 010-6278-1012.
A dream booking
The story of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) writer Cao Xueqin will be told through an eponymous dance drama, which is directed and written by choreographer Liu Zhen. Audiences will not just see Cao's life unfold, but will also enjoy the story of one of his most famous compositions, The Dream of the Red Chamber, which is widely considered to be one the greatest novels in Chinese literature. The writer was born into a noble family which endured a decline. The dance drama is a part of the ongoing Zhongguancun Dance Festival 2020, which gathers dance productions from both China and abroad.
7:30 pm, Sept 16 to 18. Opera House of the National Center for the Performing Arts. No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing.010-6655-0000.
A celebration of note
Conductor Tan Lihui will take the baton and perform with Beijing Symphony Orchestra in a concert paying tribute to the great composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), marking his 250th birthday. Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor, and Symphony No 3 in E-flat major, or Eroica, will be performed during the concert, featuring pianist Xue Yingjia.
7:30 pm, Sept 20. Concert Hall of the National Center for the Performing Arts. No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing.010-6655-0000.
Rickshaw Boy rides again
The National Center for the Performing Arts' opera commission Rickshaw Boy, which made its debut in Beijing in June 2014, has been turned into a movie, which will be screened at the NCPA's Opera House. Gathering wellknown composer Guo Wenjing, playwright Xu Ying as well as director Yi Liming, the opera is performed by China NCPA Orchestra and Chorus under the baton of conductor Zhang Guoyong. Chinese singers, such as Han Peng and Sun Xiuwei, play the leading roles.
2 pm, Sept 19. Opera House of the National Center for the Performing Arts. No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing.010-6655-0000.
