Beijing

Chinese women artists

The Chinese Museum of Women and Children is presenting the 2nd Chinese Women Artists Exhibition, demonstrating the remarkable contribution women have made to China's art world. The exhibition assembles works from China's first-class women artists born after the 1930s. Varied in styles and subjects, these works document their makers' life experiences. At the hall center, Tao Aimin's large installation, Woman River, created in 2005, draws the most attention. The work is an arrangement of 56 washing boards collected from rural China into the shape of a river. Portraits of their users, who are all elderly women, are painted on every board, reflecting the devotion of women throughout history.

9 am-5 pm, except Monday, until April 26. The Chinese Museum of Women and Children, 9 Beijige Road, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6526-9678.

Shanghai

Celebrating Verdi

Shanghai Symphony will present a concert as part of a series of events to celebrate the bi-centennial anniversary of the birth of Giuseppe Verdi. The composer infused the Italian opera with unprecedented dramatic power and structure coherence. His Requiem has a highly charged expressive power. Featured artists are mezzo-soprano Ildiko Komlosi and conductor Yu Long.

7:30 pm, Mar 31. Shanghai Concert Hall, 523 Yan'an Road East, Shanghai. 021-6386-2836

Italian street artists

Young Italian duo Sten & Lex are holding their debut exhibition in China. Pioneers in their use of stenciling, Sten & Lex quickly obtained international fame thanks to their impressive portraits of anonymous people pasted in cities across the world.

11 am-6 pm, Tuesday to Sunday, until April 30. Magda Gallery Shanghai, 188 Linqing Road, Shanghai. 0186-1674-8872.

In honor of Wagner

2013 is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Richard Wagner. His music swept the world during his lifetime, and influenced numerous composers after him. The concert will feature conductor David Stern, tenor Guy Mannheim and soprano Edit Zamir.

7:30 pm, April 5. Shanghai Concert Hall, 523 Yan'an Road East, Shanghai. 021-6386-2836.

Guangzhou

Battle with life

Taiwan writer Giddens Ko, better known by his pen name "Nine Knives", is going to share how he expresses his motto "life is a non-stop battle" at a lecture in Guangzhou on March 26. Ko started a romance tornado with his autobiographical fiction-adapted movie You Are the Apple of My Eye in 2011, but has taken a new approach as a hot-blooded dream-seeker in his latest book Life is a Non-Stop Battle, which he describes as "fight literature" and is dedicated to young people suffering from the pain of "growing up".

7:30 pm-9:30 pm, March 26. Fangsuo Commune, TaiKoo Hui shopping mall, No 383, Tianhe Lu, Tianhe district, Guangzhou. 020-3868-2327.

Chou Huei's debut

Love song diva Chou Huei from Taiwan finally fulfils her appointment with fans on the Chinese mainland by beginning a concert tour in Beijing on March 22. It will be Chou's debut solo concert on the mainland. With no guest stars, the singer will "selfishly" have the fans all to herself and has promised to serve a feast of all her classics, including Promise. Having gone through her father's death and a bad break-up in recent years, Chou is able to strike a chord with more emotional performances. Chou will travel to Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen on March 24, 29 and 31 to stage a concert in each city.

8 pm, March 22. MasterCard Center, 69 Fuxing Lu, Haidian district, Beijing. 010-8817-8066.

8 pm, March 29. Symphony Hall, Xinghai Concert Hall, 33 Qingbo Lu, Ersha Island, Yuexiu district, Guangzhou. 020-8735-2222.

Quick pick

A classic repertoire

The National Peking Opera Company kicked off a three-week festival to showcase its young emerging artists on March 19. Running until April 7, more than 60 performers will play 17 full-length Peking Operas at the Mei Lanfang Grand Theater. Audiences will enjoy the classical repertoire of General of the Yang's Family, Mu Guiying Takes Command, The Story of Susan and Return of the Phoenix. Meanwhile, you can apply to be a member of Friends of Peking Opera, the company's membership club, and enjoy discounted tickets and join club activities.

7:30 pm, till April 7. No 48 Ping'anli Xidajie, Xicheng district, Beijing. 400-610-3721, 010-5166-4135.

- Chen Jie

China Daily