Beijing

Outdoor guitar event

Guitar China Music Festival will take place for two days over the Father's Day weekend.

On June 15, the outdoor music event will present eight groups of classic guitar performances. On June 16, it focuses more on metal. There will also be an exhibition of musical instruments during the event.

1-20:10 pm, June 15 and 16. Haidian Park, 2 Xinjiangongmen Road, Haidian district. 010-6285-0569

Children' ballet

Students from Beijing No 2 Experimental Primary School will present a ballet performance, accompanied by a chorus, in the capital. With the concept of uniting children to protect the environment, the show is scheduled to appear next at the Edinburgh International Festival in the UK in August.

7 pm, June 9. The Great Hall of the People, west of Chang'an Avenue. 010-6619-0611

Evening dresses

The world's top fashion designers have recently created five evening dresses for Vogue China, which are being exhibited in Beijing. Creators are Stella McCartney, Burberry, Andrew Gn, Jason Wu and Valentino. They designed the evening dresses for different occasions.

10 am-10 pm, until June 30. Lane Crawford, Beijing Yintai Center, 2 Jianguomenwai Street, Chaoyang district. 010-6566-6060

Shanghai

Dance with freedom

French choreographer Mourad Merzouki collaborates with dancers from Taiwan to stage a modern dance performance in Shanghai. The dance features the freedom and inventive force of the choreographer. Hip-hop meets up here with contemporary dance, creating euphoria for both dancers and the audience.

7:30 pm, June 11. Yihai Theater, 466 Jiangning Road. 021-6256-8282

Poetry and illustrations

Sinan Mansions will host an exhibition about architect Ruling Zhang-Blein's two books of poetry, French Blue and China Red, newly-published by the Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House. French architect Paul Andreu's illustrations for the two books will also be on show.

10 am-6 pm, June 13-15. Sinan Mansions Exhibition Center, 505 Fuxing Middle Road. 021-6323-1345

Monthly lectures

China Art Museum Shanghai has opened a new theater with a 250-person capacity. The theater presents three shows of documentaries about contemporary artists every day, as well as monthly lectures. The first series of lectures is about Shanghai's past and present.

10 am, 1 pm and 3 pm, Tue-Sun, until June 30. 1F, China Art Museum Shanghai, 205 Shangnan Road, Pudong New Area. 400-921-9021

Hong Kong

Whirlwind romance

The Hong Kong Ballet accompanied by The Hong Kong Sinfonietta stages its adaptation of Franz Lehar's operetta The Merry Widow. At a grand ball in Paris, the beautiful and unsuspecting widow Hanna Glawari is the target of her old flame Prince Danilo, who woos her with a spectacle of waltzes, pas de deux and French can-can.

7:30 pm, June 14-16; 2:30 pm, June 15 and 16. Grand Theater, Hong Kong Cultural Center, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. 852-2734-9009

Blast from the past

The American Institute of Architects in Hong Kong is hosting a guided tour of the revitalized Yau Ma Tei Theater, led by expert James Wong. The 83-year-old building includes architectural elements such as an Art Deco facade, Chinese pitched roof and Dutch gable walls. It is the only surviving pre-war cinema in the area now being used as a performing arts venue.

9:30 am, June 15. Yau Ma Tei Theater, 6 Waterloo Road, Yau Ma Tei. 852-2882-6011

Macao

Everyday art

One Central Macao and Mandarin Oriental Macao present French Argentine artist Pablo Reinoso's first show in China with the exhibition Pablo Reinoso - Living Sculptures. The collection includes 11 sets of wooden and steel pieces that incorporate mirrors, chairs and benches. They are a reflection of Reinoso's inner dialogue between art and design.

Until July 14. One Central Macao and Mandarin Oriental Macao, Avenida Sun Yat-sen, Nape. 853-2822-9838

China Daily

(China Daily 06/09/2013 page15)