Best bets

Gone with the Wind: The Musical in Beijing

Date: Nov 30 - Dec 9 - 2:30/7:30 pm

Venue: Beijing Exhibition Center Theater

This is the world premiere of the English musical Gone With the Wind, which is based on the original French musical Autant emporte le Vent, composed by the French musical master Gerard Presgurvic. This version stars Rachel Gold who also played the leading lady in the musical Phantom of the Opera. This musical presents a time racked by the tumult of war, telling a heart-wrenching romantic epic, in which a girl never surrenders to life and grows to be a woman. Set in 1860s Atlanta, Georgia, Gone with the Wind follows the story of the 17-year-old Scarlett O'Hara, the eldest of three daughters living a life of luxury on their father's plantation. But then President Lincoln demands the end of slavery in the South and the Civil War begins. Scarlett's incredible journey through both the war and the peace is mirrored in her turbulent relationship with Rhett Butler, whose actions always defy prediction.

The Nutcracker and I by Alexandra Dariescu

Date: Dec 20-21 - 7:30 pm

Venue: Arkham, Shanghai

The Nutcracker and I by Alexandra Dariescu, is a new and innovative live performance for piano, ballet and digital animation. The world premiere takes place on Dec 19, 2017 at Barbican's Milton Court Concert Hall in London. Alexandra inspires the audience by telling us her own story as Clara: from little girl to concert pianist and invites us to use our own imagination, to hope, work hard and never give up. On stage will be a grand piano, played by Dariescu herself, and ballerina D??sir??e Ballantyne behind a see-through gauze screen. Projected onto the gauze and bringing the story to life are exquisite digital animations, all hand drawn and created in advance by Yeast Culture. They follow the music and engage live with the pianist and ballerina as they "dance" across the screen. The audience will feel like they are actually in and a part of The Nutcracker story. Tchaikovsky's enchanting ballet music features throughout and includes favorites such as Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Arabian Dance, Chinese Dance, Pax de Deux, and the Flower Waltz, in 15 virtuosic arrangements by composers such as Mikhail Pletnev, Stepan Esipoff, Percy Grainger and three brand new adaptations by Gavin Sutherland.