Birthday celebrations

To hail the 50th anniversary of China National Opera, performers will stage two Western operas at the start of the new year - Madame Butterfly and La Traviata. Madame Butterfly was the first Western opera sung by Chinese vocal artists in 1956. This time, the best singers of the opera including Ma Mei, Liu Hongling, Yao Hong and Wang Feng will perform.

7:30 pm, Jan 10-13, 18-21. Tianqiao Theatre (30 Beiweilu, Xuanwu District) Tel: 8315-6300

Concert

Traditional music

A New Year concert will be staged by the Central Traditional Orchestra of China. Under the baton of Xu Zhijun and young conductor Liu Sha, some 110 instrumentalists will be joined by a 300-strong choir. Programmes include the late composer Li Huanzhi's Overture to Spring Festival, Wang Jianmin's Erhu Rhapsody No 1, and Tan Dun's orchestral Northwest Suite. There are also harmonic combinations between dizi playing with childish singing, as well as fresh, hearty folk songs sung by local people from Tibet, Shanxi and Shaanxi, including a genuine shepherd.

7:30 pm, Dec 29. The Great Hall of the People (to the west of Tian'anmen Square). Tel: 6493-382

Sino-British

Musicians from The Brighton Philharmonic will co-stage a new year concert here with Beijing Symphony Orchestra. Barry Wordsworth will conduct in turn with Chinese conductor Tan Lihua. Italian tenor Mario Malagnini will sing solo alongside Chinese singers. Programmes include Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March, Holst's Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity, Berlioz' Roman Carnival, Strauss's Roses From the South, as well as Chinese folk songs and Western opera excerpts.

180-1800 yuan (US$21.6-216.8) 7:30 pm, Dec 31 (The Great Hall of the People) and Jan 3 (Beizhan Theatre). Tel: 6528-7071

Wonder words

Chinese and foreign lyrical essays will be recited by Chinese film stars, drama performers and film dubbers, accompanied by suitable music at a special concert. Such a style of concert is a relatively recent development and has received a warm welcome from both literary fans and music lovers.

7:30 pm, Dec 28-30. Forbidden City Concert Hall (in Zhongshan Park). Tel: 6559-8285

Chinese works

The Traditional Orchestra of China National Opera and Dance Theatre is to feature traditional Chinese works including Butterfly Lovers, Jasmine Flower, Floral Moonlit Night on a Spring River, Deep Night and others.

7:30 pm, Dec 28. National Library Concert Hall (Zhongguancun Nandajie). Tel: 8854-5731

Children's voice

The Youngsters and Female Choir affiliated to China National Symphony Orchestra is to sing in celebration of the New Year. Yang Hongnian and Yang Li will conduct. Tang Chongqing provides piano accompaniment.

7:30 pm, Dec 29. National Library Concert Hall. Tel: 8854-5731

Light music

Chinese musicians from the Light Music Troupe of China National Song and Dance Ensemble will perform. Yang Chunlin will conduct.

7:30 pm, Jan 1, 2003. National Library Concert Hall. Tel: 8854-5731

Ballet tunes

The Symphony Orchestra of China National Ballet is to play a wealth of ballet pieces at the turn of the year. With Liu Ju conducting, Li Xun as the concert master and Xie Yanze playing the violin solo, they will play Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake , Beethoven's Overture to Egmont, Brahms' Hungarian Dance No 5, Strauss' Emperor's Waltz and The Blue Danube, and Chinese works like Butterfly Lovers and the Red Detachment of Women. 100-680 yuan (US$12-81).

7:30 pm, Dec 31, 2002-Jan 1, 2003. Century Theatre (Liangmaqiaolu). Tel: 6406-8888, 6466-0032·

Ballet

Turandot

Guangzhou Ballet is to present its dancing version of Turandot, loosely based on the Puccini opera, choreographed by Andre Prokovsky.

60-380 yuan (US$7.2-45.7). 7:15 pm, Dec 27. Tianqiao Theatre. Tel: 8315-6338

Peking Opera master

Mei Lanfang, the experimental ballet depicting the life of China's greatest Peking Opera master, by Guangzhou Ballet, is to be staged. Zhao Lemeng, one of China's best male ballet stars, acts as Mei.

60-380 yuan (US$7.20-46). 7:15 pm, Dec 29, 30. Tianqiao Theatre. Tel: 8315-6338

Swan Lake

One of the most often-staged pieces by the Central Ballet of China, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, choreographed by Peter Gusev, is on.

80-580 yuan (US$9.60-70). 7:30 pm, Dec 27-30. Poly Theatre (Dongsishitiao). Tel: 6506-5345, 6500-1188 ext 5126

Coppellia

Having made its debut in May, the 18th century comedy by Delibes has been newly choreographed by Swedish master Perrysburg and is to be performed by the Central Ballet of China.

80-580 yuan (US$9.60-70). 7:30 pm, Jan 10-11, 2003. Poly Theatre . Tel: 6506-5345

American ballet

The Ballet Internationale from the United States is scheduled to tour China between January 20-29, 2003. Founded in 1973, the troupe remains Indiana's only professional ballet company. Lead by artistic director Eldar Aliev, former principal dancer with the Kirov Ballet of Russia, the troupe boasts a strong Kirov-style. It has a cosmopolitan make up boasting dancers from a dozen countries. The troupe will stage A Thousand and One Nights, Carmen and a variety performance of Russian classics including Sleeping Beauty, Dying Swan, Fairy Doll and Carnival In Venice.

7:30 pm, Jan 20-27, 2003. Cultural Palace of Nationality (to the west of Xidan). Tel: 6530-2012

Exhibition

Literary master

A celebratory exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Chinese literature master Shen Congwen (1902-1988) will be held at China National Archives of Contemporary Literature.

Shen was born in Fenghuang County, Hunan Province, in 1902. He established a unique style which vividly depicted the beautiful rustic sceneries of western Hunan and people's life there. The work won him instant attention and fame.

His novels enjoyed great popularity before the 1950s. After that, he shifted to the research of Chinese history and relics and again surprised academia with many accomplished studies. The exhibition will present 200-odd photos and a detailed introduction to the master.

9 am-5 pm, Dec 28-Jan 28, 2003. Wenxueguan Lu. Tel: 8461-5522

Future blueprint

Future landmark buildings in Beijing can be seen now at an architectural planning exhibition at the Beijing International Convention Centre.

It is the 9th exhibition of its kind, mainly focussing on past accomplishments and future developments in the capital's architectural construction. The new 230-metre-high China Central Television (CCTV) complex and Olympic Green are amongst the designs displayed.

9 am-5 pm until Jan 11, 2003. 8 Beichen Donglu. Tel: 8497-2322

Fashionable peasants

Artist Liang Shuo is to tell a story with his images about the peasants' identities, roles and names that are linked to the fashions of today. The dramatic changes of the past two decades has made a great impact on Chinese people's lives, including peasants whose destinies are concealed beneath the surface of their daily appearance.

10 am-5 pm, Jan 4-26, 2003. Dongbianmen Watchtower, Chongwenmen. Tel: 6525-1005

New Year art

More than 20 traditional Chinese folk crafts works of embroidery, shadow puppets, woodcarving and paper-cutting from Shannxi, Henan, Shanxi, Shangdong, Anhui and Zhejiang provinces completed during the Ming and Qing dynasties will be shown at Qin Gallery during New Year week.

9:30 am-7 pm, Jan 1-7, 2003. 1-1E Huaweili, north of Beijing Curio City. Tel: 8779-0461

(Beijing Weekend December 31, 2002)