Art beat (April 27-May 5)

Best of Italian and Spanish songs

A performance by Jose Carreras will kick off the annual Meet In Beijing arts festival. Carreras will sing the overture to the opera Nabucco to salute to the composer Giuseppe Verdi, as 2013 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great Italian composer. The program includes Italian and Spanish folk songs. The concert also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relation between Spain and China. Young, talented Chinese soprano Wang Li has been invited to sing a Chinese song Beijing, My Home with the tenor.

7:30 pm, April 27, National Center for the Performing Arts. 010-6655-0000.

Dance to the story of the goddess Guanyin

The latest production from Zhang Jigang, co-director of the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympic Games, will run at Poly Theater from April 28 to May 1. The dance Guanyin of A Thousand Arms features 400 dancers and tells the story of a Chinese princess sacrificing her own life to save her father and finally turning into the goddess Guanyin. The original idea came from Zhang's short piece of the same title featuring a dozen of deaf and mute dancers and won wide acclaim when it was performed at the closing ceremony of the Greek Olympic Games in 2004. 7:30 pm, April 28-May 1, No 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie Street. 010-6506-5343, 6500-1188

Russian ballet to perform Swan Lake

The Russian State Ballet will perform the classic dance Swan Lake for Beijing's audiences. The company works to preserve the history of Russian and West-European choreography and will bring the original version of Swan Lake to Beijing. The founder and the permanent leader of Russian State Ballet, V. M. Gordeev has helped maintain the tradition of Russian ballet while seeking newer forms of dancing for the troupe.

7:30 pm, May 4. Meilanfang Grand Theater, north of Jinrongjie, Xicheng district; 7:30 pm, May 5. Poly Theater, Poly Plaza, Dongsishitiao, Dongcheng district. 400-650-5050.

Li Haitao, Xiao Kai and 17 other artists will present their paintings inspired by the ocean. Titled Embrace the Ocean, the artists, known as the ocean group, depict the East China Sea, South China Sea and share a love for the ocean. The highlight of the exhibition is a joint effort by 16 artists from across China, Fisherman's Song, shown for the first time to the public.

8:30 am-4:30 pm, everyday except Monday until May 2. Beijing Capital Museum, No 16 Fuxingmen Waidajie Street, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-64012118.

New sounds from Dutch quintet

Calefax Reed Quintet, which was established 30 years ago, will perform its debut concert in Beijing. The quintet experiments with playing some unusual instruments, including reeds and bottles. The five musicians, Oliver Boekhoorn on oboe, Ivar Berix on clarinet, Raaf Hekkema on saxophone, Jelte Althuis on bass clarinet, and Alban Wesly on bassoon, are based in Amsterdam. They arrange, recompose and interpret music from classical to jazz. The ensemble will give a workshop after the show in Beijing.

7:30 pm. May 4. Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng district. 010-6605-7006.

Evergreen songs to mark Mayday

On the occasion of International Labor Day on May 1, established musicians including Liu Bingyi, Cui Rui and Jin Shan will perform in a concert titled Unforgettable Songs. Classical Chinese songs, such as I Love You, China; Our Soldiers and Harvest Song will be performed in the concert. World masterpieces such as Carmen Overture, Hungarian Dances and the Russian wartime song Katusha will also be performed. A 130-member chorus will join in the show.

7:30 pm, April 30. Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6605-7006.

World classics

Conductor Fan Tao will lead Accent Symphony Orchestra performing a concert of world classical music, including Johann Strauss' Electrisch, From the New World and Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. The conductor, who got his musical training as a child, is a graduate of both the composition and conducting departments of the Shanghai Music Conservatory.

7:30 pm, May 1. Beijing Concert Hall, 1 Beixinhuajie, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6605-7006.