A gourmet feast of Italian delicacies will be held at the Minzu Hotel from May 14 to 27. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org]

Featured Country: Italy

Italy, as the featured country for this year, will present a wide variety of shows and cultural activities in the capital.

The opening symphony concert on April 27 is expected to enchant Beijing audiences, with classics from both Italian operas and famous Chinese songs.

Three grand exhibitions will help narrate Italy's culture and art development from different aspects. They are Art, Culture and Daily Life in Renaissance Italy held at the Capital Museum, The Italian Keyboard: from Cristofori to Modern Times in the China Millennium Monument, and Double Screen: A Survey of Artists' Film and Video in Italy at the museum of the China Academy of Fine Arts. The first exhibit features more than 100 pieces of treasured artworks from over 10 major institutions in Italy, tracing the artistic glory and rich cultural life of the Renaissance period.

Another highlight from the Italian side will be a gourmet feast running from May 14 to 27 at the Minzu Hotel.

"Food is an indispensable part of art and life. So this time, we also brought a two-week Italian food festival," said Franco Amadei, cultural counselor of the Italian Embassy in China, at Tuesday's news conference. Two Italian chefs, including Michelin-starred chef Luca Marchini, will bring authentic Italian dishes to sate the appetite of foodies in Beijing, Amadei said.