Stage Previews: May 2009

Cecily Huang | May 19, 2009 9:00 am | Add a comment | 1540 reads

Romeo and Juliet
With all the international talent in town, let’s not forget the artists who call Beijing home. Over the last three years, under the direction of Chris Verrill, Beijing Playhouse has brought a touch of Broadway to Beijing with a series of lively classic productions from A Christmas Carol to this month’s Romeo and Juliet. Beijing Playhouse likes to keep it lighthearted and promises to find the humor in Shakespeare’s beloved tragedy of star-crossed love. The Bard’s original three acts and 3.5 hours have been cut to a sprightly two acts and two hours, and spiced up with musical numbers and a change of scene from Verona to Shanghai.

The leads (John Kelly and Siria Rutstein) are beautifully cast, and are already theater veterans (though in the case of Juliet, just out of school). A great way to spend a spring evening in Beijing. SJ

Romeo and Juliet will be performed, in English with Chinese subtitles, on Wednesday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons between May 8-31 at Block 8. RMB 300, RMB 260 (advance). Tickets at 137 1890 8922 or performance@beijingplayhouse.com.

2009 Meet In Beijing
May means "Meet In Beijing," a month-long smorgasbord of events that this year takes us from acrobatic Peking Opera through modern dance, to classical music, exhibitions, workshops and lectures. Festivities open with “Music Shakes the World,” a concert featuring recent international competition winners for violin, piano and voice and climaxes with an exhibition by Stars of the Russian Ballet. Program standouts include French-Algerian choreographer Heddy Maalem’s production of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring (May 26-27) with the Sichuan Modern Dance Company, a new take on one of the most celebrated works in ballet history. Elsewhere, Israel brings us “FunTazi,” where the dancers will flash in and out of view courtesy of UV black light and reflective clothing. The lecture series features LDTX artistic director Willy Tsao, Taiwan theater director Lin Yihua and folk singer Zhu Zheqin (aka Dadawa). CH

"Meet in Beijing" runs from Apr 28-May 29. See www.meetinbeijing.org.cn.

Thibault Cauvin
Cauvin was destined from the cradle to take up the guitar. Son of guitarist and composer Philippe Cauvin, Thibault took up the instrument at age 6; by 20, he’d won 13 international competitions. But Cauvin is much too fine a musician to be blighted with the prodigy tag, which still hangs around his neck at the age of 24. The sensuality and dynamism that he brings to the classic repertoire he will be presenting in Beijing belies his youth and draws from a deep musicianship. Here he brings us the stark beauties of Carlo Domeniconi’s Koyunbaba, one of the most acclaimed late-20th century works for the guitar, as well as pieces by Paganini and Scarlatti. MO

Thibault Cauvin performs on May 21 at the Forbidden City Concert Hall. RMB 30-380. 7.30pm.