City guide

Beijing

Mexican musician

Horacio Franco, the Mexican musician whose repertoire runs from classical music to South American folk ballads to pop, will take the stage in Beijing. His recorder recital titled From Bach to Beatles includes the former's two sonatas, the latter's Penny Lane and Martha My Dear, as well as tunes from Vivaldi.

Franco is not only a performer, he also conducts and makes documentary films to spread Mexican culture.

7:30 pm, March 10. Forbidden City Concert Hall, inside Zhongshan Park, west of Tian'anmen Rostrum. 010-6559-8285

Child play

The Beijing Theater will revive Alice in Wonderland. The children's play will feature the white rabbit donning his pocket watch, the dodo bird, the mad hatter and the queen of hearts. This live show is jointly performed by performers and puppet. It will focus on the theme "growing up"and let the young audience figure out answer to the philosophical "who I am" question.

10 am, March 16, 17, 23 and 24. Beijing Theater, 10 Anhuili Sanqu, Chaoyang district. 010-6491-1228

Chinese composition

Zhang Yi and Kristjan Jarvi will conduct the NCPA Concert Hall Orchestra at the closing performance of National Center for the Performing Arts Spring Season. Titled Composing China, the concert will feature Chinese music. The program includes In China, Harvest Drum, Beijing Harmony and other productions inspired by Chinese culture.

7:30 am, March 17. National Center for the Performing Arts, 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district. 010-6655-0989

Shanghai

Cello special

Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will give a concert under the baton of Tang Muhai. The program includes Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito, Chen Musheng's Cello Concerto No 1, and Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major. Cellist Thomas Demenga will be featured.

7:30 pm, March 16. Shanghai Oriental Art Center, 425 Dingxiang Road, Pudong New Area. 021-6854-1234

Art of love

More than 10 artists will display their works created alongside children with mental health problems. These children express how they overcome adversities and pursue happiness through artistic creation. The show is aimed at raising public awareness of their special needs.

9 am-5 pm, March 5-11. 2F&3F, Duolun Museum of Modern Art, 27 Duolun Road. 021-5609-5728

Abstract paintings

Executive director of China Art Museum Shanghai, Li Lei, is an artist himself. He has focused on the study and exploration of abstract oil painting since 1996 and established his unique style that combines the core ideology of Chinese culture with abstract expression.

10 am-6 pm, March 9-May 5. Longmen Art Projects, Building 23, 515 Fuxing Middle Road. 021-6472-2838

Hong Kong

World stage

The 41st edition of Hong Kong Arts Festival showcases some of the world's most exciting performers across 34 venues with a total of 147 ticketed operas, concerts, plays, dances and more. Some of this year's highlights include operatic productions by Naples' San Carlo Theater and the Chinese National Peking Opera Company. Dance aficionados won't want to miss the visual feast of Momix Dance Theater.

Until March 22. Refer to www.hk.artsfestival.org for performance schedules. 852-2111-5999

Go for glitter

London jewelry dealer Susan Ollemans curated the annual exhibition which includes the highly skilled craftsmanship of North Indian Mughal jewelry inset with precious stones from the early 18th century. There are also gold pieces from Chinese Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties alongside 3rd to 19th-century bling from Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia.

10 am-7 pm, Mon-Sat; 11 am-5 pm, Sun; until March 10. Altfield Gallery, 248-9 Prince's Building, 10 Chater Road, Central. 852-2537-6370

Macao

Me, myself and I

Insight to Self: Portraits of a Chinese is a series of 62 photographs taken over the span of 62 years since 1907, all of one Chinese man. Ye Jinglu lived through China's modern history, from the late Qing Dynasty to the founding of New China to the turbulent years of the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). Through his steady gaze at the camera, his confident attitude toward life can be ascertained despite the changes around him.

10 am-7 pm, until April 21, closed Mon. Macao Museum of Art, Avenida Xian Xing Hai, S/N Nape. 853-8791-9814