Best bets

Concerto Italiano Opera Concert L'Orfeo

Date: March 11 - 7:30 pm

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Price: 80-500 yuan

Concerto Italiano has achieved international benchmark status for groundbreaking interpretations of 17th and 18th century Italian music. Their recordings have revolutionized our perception of Baroque masterpieces and the ensemble has firmly established itself with critics and audiences as the finest of its kind in Italy today. In addition to vibrant performances and recordings of familiar baroque masterpieces Rinaldo Alessandrini's ensemble has also restored, for modern audiences, works that have languished in obscurity for centuries.

Zaifen Huangmei Opera Theater Emperor's Female Son-in-Law

Date: March 11 - 7:30 pm

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Price: 100-580 yuan

Back in 1958, Wang Zhaoqian discovered the original script of The Emperor's Female Son-in-Law that had been collected by Zuo Shihe. Then on this basis, Anqing Commission Huangmei Opera Troupe, the precursor of Anqing Zaifen Huangmei Opera House, brought it alive on the stage for the first time. Later with Liu Qiong at the helm, a film starring Yan Fengying and Wang Shaofang hit the big screen as a salute to the 10th anniversary of the foundation of the New China. Alongside China's Reform and Opening-up, Han Zaifen has made Huangmei Opera as a potpourri of drama, TV play and movie.

Chen Xinyi's Historical Drama Shang Yang

Date: March 15-18 - 7:30 pm

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Price: 100-500 yuan

Large-scale historical drama Shang Yang is authored by the national-class level-A playwright Yao Yuan and directed by the stage director Chen Xinyi. This drama is adapted on the basis of historical figure Shang Yang. It not only tells the story of an ancient struggle for reform, but also conveys the masculine courage and uprightness at the cost of life in the pursuit of grand ideal and indomitable fighting spirit of breaking through the encirclement of obsolete culture.

Drama Leave Before Getting Old Directed by Shao Zehui

Date: March 11 - 7:30 pm

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Price: 120-240 yuan

Leave Before Getting Old is a 'monodrama' performed by two actors. The show is adapted from the true story of a young poet named Ma Hua who left his city to go to Yunnan and became a rural teacher at the foot of Meili Snow Mountain. Unfortunately, he was involved in an accident and his jeep rolled into Lancang River. Ma Hua never came back. Ma Hua has lied to all his friends. He says, "I'm going to travel around the world. " But the truth is he goes to the foot of Meili Snow Mountain in Yunnan and becomes a rural teacher in a primary school. The new environment and new life bring some fresh experiences, inspiration and new meaning to life

NCPA Drama Jane Eyre (Chinese Version)

Date: April 13-19 - 7:30 pm

Venue: National Center for the Performing Arts

Price: 200-880 yuan

In June 2009, Jane Eyre pioneered by NCPA was staged for the first time, and this was also the first interpretation of Charlotte Bronte's classical novel of the same name on the stage of drama in China. Wang Xiaoying and Yu Rongjun served as the stage director and the playwright respectively. Ever since its debut in 2009, this drama version of Jane Eyre has been performed many times at NCPA and other theaters and has toured in such cities as Shanghai, Chongqing, Ningbo, Hangzhou and Fuzhou province. Three actresses - Yuan Quan, Chen Shu and Zhu Jie - have dedicated themselves to the performance, presenting this elegant and independent English lady for the audience.

2017 World Snooker China Open

Date: March 27-April 2 - 10 am

Venue: Beijing University Students' Gymnasium

Price: 110-385 yuan

The 2017 World Snooker China Open will be held at the Beijing University Students' Gymnasium from March 27 to April 2. The China Open is the longest running event of the current world ranking competitions staged in China, dating back to 2005. That year it was won by Ding Junhui, 18, who beat Stephen Hendry in the final. The tournament being staged in Beijing brings 64 players from around the world to the Chinese capital. The 2016 event was won by Judd Trump, who beat Ricky Walden in the final.