What's new (June 8)

French play to stage in Beijing

A Chinese version of the hit French play Members Only will run from June 13 to 16 in Beijing's Oriental Palace Theater. As part of the Croisements Festival, the biggest French cultural festival outside of France, the play has been performed across the globe. The play focuses on a dispute between two close friends. One of the friends is going to a secret dinner at a club instead of the other's birthday party. The two-man show is performed in French with English and Chinese subtitles."We show the inner thoughts of the men to the audience. The two roles are two sides of one man. Everyone wants to have one's own privacy," says Beijing-based French actor Karim Oyarzabal, who stars in the show.

What's new Young people honored at awards ceremony

Pianist Li Yundi (pictured), actress and director Zhao Wei and basketball player Yi Jianlian were among the winners of the 2013 China Pride Youth Leaders Awards ceremony recently held in Beijing. The awards were co-hosted by Nanfang People Weekly and China Pride Group. The annual event has been held nine times to a positive response. The awards honor young people who have made significant contributions to their fields at a time of rapid social change. Besides sports and showbiz stars, previous winners' come from various fields, including science, arts, economy, academia and charity.

Musical has a Xinjiang twist

The Chinese musical Nasirdin Apandi recently premiered in Beijing. The story revolves around a young man who takes Apandi as an inspiration to help people, becoming an Apandi-like hero in real life. The musical, designed by Wang Qi, presents dazzling dances in an elaborate setting. Wang, who has been living and working in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, presents his vivid observations on folk dance from Xinjiang and intertwines them into the musical. Director Xiao Jie combines Xinjiang folk culture with modern elements, depicting characters in the musical. After a four-day run in Beijing, the musical has begun its national tour.

NCPA discounts for students

Ten students from Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University and Central Conservatory of Music attended the concert by the China Philharmonic Orchestra at National Center for the Performing Arts on June 6 as the first beneficiaries sponsored by International Data Group. IDG announced a two-year project "IDG World Celebrity Series" to donate 2 million yuan ($326,000) to the NCPA to provide cheap tickets for students. In 2013 and 2014, the NCPA will choose 200 shows where 100 tickets will be sold to students at one-tenth of the original price. Hugo Shong, Asia president of IDG, says he often bought such tickets from patrons when he was a student at Boston, which gave him the opportunity to enjoy art. IDG has sponsored multiple arts programs and such artists as Tan Dun, Chen Yi and the China Philharmonic Orchestra since the orchestra was founded in 2000.

Fashion Week at Chengdu

Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, will host Chengdu-New York Fashion Week (for autumn-winter) from July 14 to 19. More than 20 US brands including Calvin Klein, Diane Von Furstenberg, Maggie Norris and Ruffian will present runway shows. Jason Wu, the Chinese-Canadian designer who creates dresses for Michelle Obama, will also present his collection. The organizing committee was the only representative from China to be invited to attend the Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards 2013 on June 3. CFDA began collaborating with Chengdu last year and ran the first Chengdu-New York Fashion Week in December. Ten US labels showed at the event, alongside Chinese brands.

Film fest favors 'Home'

Zhenjiang International Documentary Film Festival launched its theme for 2013, "Home". The festival, to be held in association with other international festivals, including the Aljazeera International Film Festival, is the first of its kind in the southern city in Jiangsu province. It features a scout award for newcomers to the industry, the New Horizons Award. It will present Gold Mountain, Silver Mountain and Jade Mountain awards to documentaries of different durations. The festival will take place this fall.

Jackie Chan lends a hand in quake-hit area

Film star Jackie Chan has appeared in a charity TV advertisement for tea from Mengding Mountain, which is in the quake-stricken area of Ya'an, Sichuan province. Tea is the main economic source for people living in the Mengding Mountain area. By appearing in the advertisement, Chan hopes to help local people to find a way to reconstruct their lives by means other than relying solely on charity. The advertisement is directed by Zhou Jie, who was also behind a documentary about the earthquake of Ya'an.

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