“The Scottish play!” Three Brits corrected me immediately with one voice at an editorial meeting after I dared to speak the name of the upcoming Shakespearean show, Macbeth. As one of William Shakespeare’s darkest and bloodiest plays, Macbeth is a terrifying tragedy swirling with black magic, tortured ghosts, corrupt passion, betrayal and murder. Theatrical superstition says this play is cursed and that saying the name out loud will cause disaster. Supposedly, Shakespeare used a few spells from actual witches as dialogue for the play – which caused great offense and led them to curse the drama.

Late last month we did a post about a story in the Chinese press concerning two “swarthy, ragged Chinese guys” who hitchhiked from Beijing to Berlin in order to see the German girlfriend of one of the travelers. We expressed doubts about the story’s veracity, but now we have to eat humble pie. One of the hitchhikers, Beijing-born American Kyle Johnson, contacted the Beijinger and agreed to an interview. Here’s the rundown on his amazing trek west.

The Belcea Quartet burst onto the musical scene in 1999 after winning first prize at two international string quartet competitions in Osaka and Bordeaux. They are set to give their first-ever concert in China this Sunday (March 6). On the program are three favorites of musicians and listeners alike: Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18, No. 6; Bartók’s String Quartet No. 3; and Schubert’s Death and Maiden.

The ancient language of Nüshu, (“women’s writing”), was exclusively created in Hunan’s Jiangyong County 400 years ago. Guarded from men, Nüshu was a unique means of communication used between women to pass on poems, writings and stories via refined embroideries, artworks or weaving.

Shane O'Shea, Head of Music at Dulwich College Beijing, has been madly busy organizing the International Schools Choral Music Society's performance of Mozart’s Requiem in the Forbidden City Concert Hall on February 26th. The event will involve 250 singers from 20 International Schools from ten countries, a 90-piece orchestra, and four of Chinas top vocal soloists. Mr. O’Shea explains what we can expect of this truly unique collaboration.

Compared to Beijing’s rock music scene, bars specializing in jazz are thin on the ground. Since OT Lounge closed, East Shore Live Jazz Café is only recommendation that springs to mind. Fortunately, we often have international jazz bands visiting town, so you can head to concert hall to experience some jazz – as long as you can pretend to be a sober saint. This month we have the Hessian State Youth Jazz Orchestra, (“Kicks & Sticks”), one of the best youth jazz orchestras in Europe.

It’s not often that Beijingers have the chance to revel in English-language stand-up comedy, so fans should be sure to check out the ChopSchticks Comedy Tour at the Hard Rock Café this Saturday night (February 6). We have TWO DOUBLE PASSES to give away to the show.

The Lady of the Camellias, by Alexandre Dumas (fils), has been adapted into a film, opera and play. Now John Neumeier of the Hamburg Ballet has brought his ballet version to Beijing, presenting the dramatic story through movements rather than words.

For all this city’s culture and ability to inspire, a good, original theatrical performance is hard to find for Beijing’s expats. Even rarer is that good, original, free show, the kind spawned out of talent, passion and sacrifice in the name of art. How lucky, then, that the ShiFen (10-Minute) Festival is upon us. This Saturday, February 6, actors, artists and performers – most of them “professional” in the sense that they have on-stage experience – will unite for two-and-a-half hours at Penghao Theater for a menagerie of plays, dance, music, films and improv, and maybe even a magic show.

No one will confuse the China National Opera House’s symphonic orchestra and chorus with any of Europe’s finest, but even by local standards the country’s oldest opera troupe had a night to forget at last Thursday’s performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at the National Center for the Performing Arts.