What's on

Nautilus

When: Dec 4-7, 7:30 pm; Dec 8, 2:30 pm

Where: Shanghai Grand Theater

A 75-minute whirl of richly storied, high-energy mime, Nautilus is Trygve Wakenshaw's third and final installment in his Underwater Trilogy, following the hit comedies Kraken and Squidboy.

A New Zealand-born clown from Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris, Wakenshaw's mime practice has evolved from a free-flowing fantasia about a boy who thinks he's a squid to a more narrative-driven style, marrying technical skill with a tale inspired by veganism.

The mime artist's eccentric, loose-limbed and family-friendly silent comedy adeptly swings from a chicken crossing the road (and wondering why) to a quick-draw spaghetti western via fabulous Broadway show tunes and a bevy of rebellious farmyard animals fighting against being dinner.

Liberation

When: Dec 6 and 7, 8 pm

Where: Shenzhen Grand Theater

Directed by Zhang Jigang, Liberation premiered at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing in 2009 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The play focuses on foot binding, which ended with the falling of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Village girl, Xiaoxiao was told at a very young age that "a girl's feet do not belong to herself". She tries to fight against the practice. She gives in to binding her feet under overwhelming social pressure.

It's a tragic story with a strong message: Women finally see the day of freedom when the size of their feet no longer measures their beauty.

National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine－New Year Concert

When: Dec 25, 7:30 pm

Where: Shanghai Oriental Art Center

The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine is one of the finest symphony orchestras in Eastern Europe. It was founded in 1918 as the Ukrainian State Symphony Orchestra, with Oleksander Horilyj as its first conductor.

Nathan Rachlin conducted the orchestra from 1937 until 1962. Subsequent directors include Stephan Turchak, Volodymyr Kozhukhar, Fyodor Glushchenko and Igor Blazhkov. Theodore Kuchar from the United States is the artistic director.

An Ode to Time

When: Jan 1-3, 7:30 pm

Where: National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing

An Ode to Time is a flamenco choreography about the present and dialogue with memory. Spanish choreographer Maria Pages raises an ethical and artistic reflection on "the now".

Accompanied by eight dancers and seven musicians, Pages explores traditional Spanish culture. In a script that goes beyond flamenco, the rhythm in An Ode to Time is precisely the one that reflects a changing condition.

The constant tension between the individual and the community, the circle and the straight line, the argument and the abstraction, the silence and the percussion is highlighted.

Berliner Symphoniker

When: Dec 24, 7:30 pm

Where: Guangzhou Opera House

Berliner Symphoniker is a Symphony orchestra in Berlin. The orchestra began performing in 1967 as Symphonisches Orchester Berlin.

In 1990 it was renamed the Berliner Symphoniker. Its regular guests are world-famous conductors and soloists.

Dynamic Yunnan

When: Jan 10-12, 7:30 pm

Where: National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing

Dynamic Yunnan is unique in many ways. Choreographed by Yang Liping, it is a fusion of traditional ethnic folk dance, music and modern choreography. Though there is no single storyline, the performers draw from Yunnan province's rich legends and cultural traditions to express the struggles and aspirations of the human condition.

Its rich ethnic tapestry is a source of inspiration to people from all walks of life. The folk music traditions in the province are every bit as precious as the rare flora and fauna that abound there. Like the world's endangered species, these traditions are rapidly falling victim to the encroachment of urban culture.

Dynamic Yunnan is an attempt to create a living museum where such traditions can live on for future generation. It is a masterpiece of artistic work that marks the character of Yunnan.

Spring Awakening

When: Jan 10-18, 7:30 pm; Jan 11, 12 and 18, 2 pm

Where: Shanghai Culture Square

Spring Awakening, the 2006 emotionally powerful, sexually frank and Tony-winning musical by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, has been staged around the world and is heading to China. The staging is directed and choreographed by Spencer Liff, who choreographed the acclaimed 2015 Broadway revival of Spring Awakening.

Liff directs and choreographs with an entirely Chinese cast which speaks in Chinese and sings in English.

The musical is a modern landmark in the theater of the United States; an explicit tale of 19th century German teenagers coming to grips with their sexuality, both straight and gay. Sater's lyrics and book deals head-on with such controversial topics as abortion and suicide.