Art beat in August

Angelic voices

[Photo/China Daily]

The Tolz Boys' Choir, conductor master Herbert von Karajan's favorite boys' choir, is ready to awe audiences with their angelic voices at concerts in Beijing (Aug 16) and Guangzhou (Aug 24). The choir brings a wide repertoire including Mozart's opera Die Zauberflote, Bach's motets, European folk songs and modern pop and rock classics. The German boys' choir was founded in 1956 and has worked with a long list of eminent conductors, including Leonard Bernstein, James Levine and Seiji Ozawa. The choir performed at the opening ceremony of 2006 World Cup and amazed the audience at their concert in San Pietro in Vincoli, the world's biggest church.

7:30 pm, Aug 16. Forbidden City Concert Hall, inside Zhongshan Park, west side of Tian'anmen, Beijing. 400-610-3721.

8 pm, Aug 24. Opera Hall of Guangzhou Opera House, Exit B1 of Zhujiang New Town metro station, Guangzhou. 020-3839-2888.

Celebrating non-fiction

Some say writing has the ability to set free people's imagination to build up a fictional world, while others warn against neglecting the power of writing as a truthful recorder. American legal professional and writer Jeffrey Toobin and Chinese media veteran Cai Chongda will discuss the importance of non-fictional writing and share their expertise at a public lecture in Fangsuo Commune. Toobin's The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court was on the list of 2007 top 10 books recommended by the New York Times.

7:30 pm-9:30 pm, Aug 16. Fangsuo Commune, TaiKoo Hui Shopping Mall, 383 Tianhe Road, Tianhe district, Guangzhou. 020-3868-2327.

Angelic voices

The German choir Tolzer Knabenchor will make its China debut in Beijing. Knabenchor, known as one of the best three children's choirs in the world, was founded by Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden in 1959. The choir has worked with famous conductors like Herbert von Karajan and Claudio Abbado, and also performed with top-class choirs such as Berlin Philharmonic. In addition to the conventional classical and baroque works, such as the Magic Flute of Mozart's Die Zauberflote, the choir will also try a cross-over performance, presenting ABBA's Money, Money, Money, Queen's We Are the Champions, and Michael Jackson's Heal the World, as well as some Chinese songs.

7:30 pm, Aug 16. Forbidden City Concert Hall, Inside Zhongshan Park, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6559-8285.

Life of a gourmet

Hong Kong-based gourmet writer Chua Lam will be at Fangsuo Commune this Saturday to share his new book, which is about ways to enjoy delicious food and a happy life. It will be a lecture filled with humor and wisdom, just like the TV image of this 72-year-old man with gray hair and a smiling chubby face. He has made a household name for himself with his popular TV shows showcasing his worldwide travels, enjoying delicacy while chatting with young beauties. He has published more than 200 books since the 1980s.

3 pm-5 pm, Aug 17. Fangsuo Commune, TaiKoo Hui Shopping Mall, 383 Tianhe Road, Tianhe district, Guangzhou. 020-3868-2327.

Debut art solo show

Important contemporary Chinese artist Yu Youhan is widely acclaimed for his political pop art. He also creates Impressionist paintings, and has been committed to abstractstyles and landscapes in recent years. Several works from various periods in his art career are on display at his first solo show in Beijing, at YUAN Space. Yu's work shows the influence of Chagall, Cezanne and van Gogh. He blends the elements of Impressionism with conventional ink-and-water techniques, which has bestowed his works with great stretching forces.

11 am-5pm, until Aug 17, closed on Sundays and Mondays. Reservation required. YUAN Space, 20/F, Tower B, Jiaming Center, 27 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-5775-5070.

A work by Chen Lusheng [Photo provided to China Daily]

Photos of nature beauty on display

Beijing Parkview Green's exhibition hall is displaying 80 photos that capture the magnificent landscapes, dynamic wildlife and distinctive native culture along the Amazon River, as well as the panoramic views of Iguazu Falls. The exhibition traces the footsteps of Chen Lusheng, National Museum of China's deputy director, who took these photos during a trip to Brazil in February.

10 am-10 pm, until Aug 18. Beijing Parkview Green, No 9, Dongdaqiao Road, Chaoyang district, Beijing

Amazon magic

[Photo/China Daily]

From Amazon to Iguazu, a photo exhibition at the Beijing Parkview Green, creates an illusion of light and shadow, magnificence and delicacy in a display of 80 photos taken by National Museum of China's deputy director Chen Lyusheng. Chen traveled in Brazil in February, and his photos capture the marvelous landscapes, dynamic wildlife and distinctive native culture along the Amazon River, as well as the panoramic views of Iguazu Falls. Born to photographer parents, Chen held a photo exhibition last year putting museum architecture in the limelight.

1:30 pm-7 pm, until Aug 18. 10F, Tower D, Parkview Green Fangcaodi, 9 Dongdaqiao Road, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-6500-5511 Ext 8568.