Best bets

China National Opera House - Manasi

Date: May 5-6 - 7:30 pm

Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts

The opera Manas is centered on the core story of Manas, one of the three epics of the Chinese nation. Musically, Manas not only demonstrates the grandeur of the opera symphony, but also fully reflects the characteristics of the Kirgiz ethnic music. It incorporates harmonica, Kumuz and other national instruments into the theatric scene. Founded in 1952, China National Opera House is affiliated to the Ministry of Culture. The House has an opera troupe, a chorus, a symphony orchestra, a design center of stage art, a stage art workshop and others. The House has been awarded over 100 awards in China, including National "Five Top Project Award", "National Best Stage Art Project Award", Wenhua Award of the Ministry of Culture, Wenhua New Theater Award, Wenhua Performance Award and the like. A batch of classic operas produced by China National Opera House have been successively debuted in China, including Turandot, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, Carmen, La Boheme and so on.

BJAMC Drama Mr Ma & Son

Date: May 11-13 - 7:30 pm

Venue: Beijing Comedy Theatre

Mr Ma (Ma Zeren) has long aspired to enter into the officialdom. But over the course of time, he has been an old man unconsciously. As his elder brother passes away, he along with his son visits London to take over this brother's curio shop therein. In this way, the official hunter becomes a downright merchant that he himself doesn't like at all. Yet the son of Mr Ma (Ma Wei) is very different. He readily adapts himself to such new environment, and starts a new life. What's more, he finds his best friend - a shop assistant, who his father simply dislikes. He can learn from this buddy how to operate the shop and how to have a romance. Ma Wei makes great effort to pursue career and romance, but neither of them gets on all right truly. As the Chinese widower Mr Ma and the British widow landlord Mrs Wedderburn get along with each other in the same house, will the twilight romance and the unrequited love bear fruit? Later Mr Ma makes a careless blunder, which brings the shop a great disaster. How would the incomers tackle this?