Weekend Fun | BBC Earth exhibition, puppet show, concerts & more

Dance drama ‘Xi Shi’

A dance drama embodying oriental minimalism aesthetics that is set against the backdrop of a historical war between two countries in the Spring and Autumn period (770 B.C.-476 B.C.), "Xi Shi" explores the growth and transformation of women through the life of Xi Shi, one of the four beauties in ancient China.

Time: 8 p.m., April 12 and 13

Ticketing: WeChat miniprogram “一键购票”

Venue: Bay Opera of Shenzhen, Bao’an District（宝安区深圳滨海艺术中心）

Metro: Line 5 to Baohua Station (宝华站), Exit D

‘Find a Corner to Laymy’

The exhibition "Find a Corner to Laymy" aims to inspire visitors to reflect on and explore lifestyles. It showcases various cat-themed artworks from multiple artists, encompassing paintings, pottery, prints, textiles, and other diverse forms of creations. Attendees can also buy a range of merchandise, including handbags, canvas bags, postcards, and badges. A portion of the proceeds from the exhibition will be contributed to szcats.org, a public benefit platform, to aid their rescue efforts for stray cats.

Dates: Until May 16

Venue: 218, Building A5, North Area, OCT-LOFT, Nanshan District (南山区华侨城创意文化园北区A5栋218)

Metro: Line 2 to Qiaocheng North Station (侨城北站), Exit B

BBC Earth ‘Life at Extremes’ 

Seventy-five selected photographs of the wild environment, spanning mountain peaks, rain forests, coastlines, and the deep ocean, are on display at the “Life at Extremes” exhibition at the Ping An Finance Center. Twelve ultra-high definition videos complement the photographs to show dynamic moments in the wild.

Dates: Through May 5

Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Tickets: 68 yuan (one person), 128 yuan (two persons), 168 yuan (three persons)

Venue: 2/F, Ping An Finance Center, Futian District (福田区平安金融中心商场L2层)

Metro: Line 1 or 3 to Shopping Park Station (购物公园站), Exit D

Chen Hanmin’s design works

The 1985-version Chinese coins, the People’s Bank of China logo, and China’s public information graphic symbols, these iconic works were all designed by master Chen Hanmin (1931-2022). Collaborating with Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts and Design, Guan Shanyue Art Museum is exhibiting more than 300 his design works and documents, illuminating Chen’s profound impact on Chinese design and education.

Dates: Through April 21

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Mondays

Booking: Official WeChat account “gsyart”

Venue: Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Futian District (福田区关山月美术馆)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit F2

Puppet show

The innovative puppet show "Bao" is adapted from Qing-Dynasty (1644-1911) novelist Pu Songling's "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio." It narrates the tale of a boy named Bao, who rescues his mother by vanquishing a fox goblin. Using red, green and black as primary colors for a strong visual contrast, the show's atmosphere leads spectators through Bao's journey, encouraging them to confront darkness with love.

Time: 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., April 13

Ticketing: WeChat miniprogram “聚橙网”

Venue: Theater at Nanshan Culture and Sports Center, Nanshan District (南山文体中心聚橙剧院)

Metro: Line 1 or 12 to Taoyuan Station (桃园站), Exit B

Music from Makoto Shinkai's anime world

Japanese anime film director Makoto Shinkai's works are acclaimed for both their subtle expression of complex emotions and their soundtracks. A concert featuring songs and scores from Shinkai's "5 Centimeters Per Second,” “Your Name,” and “Weathering with You,” presented by the This Time Definitely Chamber Orchestra, will evoke your memories of the scenes from these films that once touched your heart. 

Time: 3 p.m., April 14

Tickets: 100/180/280/380/480 yuan (discounts available)

Venue: Theater at Nanshan Culture and Art Center, Nanshan District (南山区南山文体中心聚橙剧院)

Metro: Line 1 or 12 to Taoyuan Station (桃园站), Exit B

Jazz concert

Pianist Laurent Coulondre will deliver an intimate night of swinging jazz April 14. Educated at the Toulouse Conservatory in France and the Catalonia College of Music in Spain, Coulondre was named New Artist of the Year at the Les Victoires du Jazz awards in 2016. Known for his adeptness at performing on multiple keyboards during concerts, he tours international jazz festival stages. The program for his Shenzhen concert draws largely from his two albums, “Michel on My Mind” and “A Trip in Marseille.”

Time: 7:30 p.m., April 14

Tickets: 80-280 yuan

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (福田区深圳音乐厅)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit E

Classic Chinese melodies

A concert featuring six classic Chinese tunes, including the renowned "The Butterfly Lovers" and "The Yellow River," will be performed at Poly Theater on Friday night. In celebration of the 65th anniversary of the violin concerto "The Butterfly Lovers," He Zhanhao, one of the main composers, will serve as the conductor. Alongside the Shenzhen City Philharmonic, they will use orchestral instruments to breathe life into the thousand-year-old Chinese classics.

Time：8 p.m., April 12

Ticketing: WeChat miniprogram “深圳保利剧院”

Venue: Poly Theater, Nanshan District (南山区深圳保利剧院)

Metro: Line 2 to Houhai Station (后海站)，Exit E

Acapella performance

Postyr Acapella from Denmark, the recipient of the CARA award for "Best European EP 2023," has arrived in Shenzhen to deliver stunning music with both local and international origins with their creative E-Cappella style, which blends electric pop rhythms produced by a computer into people’s voices.

Time: 8 p.m., April 12

Ticketing: WeChat miniprogram “光明文化艺术中心”

Venue: Guangming Culture and Art Center, Guangming District (光明区光明文化艺术中心)

Metro: Line 6 to Fenghuang Town Station (凤凰城站), Exit B

Home decoration festival

At the 42nd Shenzhen Home Decoration Festival, over 300 renowned brands have been invited to exhibit their premium furniture and building materials, featuring special discounts and offers on-site. Visitors can also avail themselves of coupons and other perks throughout the festival.

Dates: April 13 and 14

Venue: Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center, Futian District（福田区深圳会展中心）

Metro: Line 1 or 4 to Convention & Exhibition Center Station (会展中心站)