Snapshot: Chinese Art and Culture in the Netherlands (May-July 2016)

A variety of China-themed cultural and art events are happening across The Netherlands in this pre-summery season. DutchCulture delightfully gathered the threads and present you a snapshot of dynamics.

Music

• The Conservatory of Amsterdam collaborates with a number of leading music programs worldwide, including the Central Conservatory in Beijing. World-renowned artists such as pianist Lang Lang and composer Tan Dun studied at this top music institute in China. During their exchange visit to the Conservatory of Amsterdam, the youth symphony orchestra of the Central Conservatory will also give a concert at the Muziekgebouw on Thursday 26 May. The orchestra will present the beloved Chinese violin concerto Butterfly Lovers, headed by soloist Siqing Lu, a celebrated voilinist and the 1987 winner of the prestigious Paganini competition.
• From 15 to 17 June, the Yangtze Melody Soloists Ensemble from the 'Yangtze' city of Wuhan (capital of Hubei province) will draw 'A Musical Passage to China' from Houton via Amsterdam to The Hague. On Thursday 16 June evening in Amsterdam's Vondel park, delicious dishes will be served along the distinct excellence consonance created by Chinese musical instruments.

Visual Arts

• On Tuesday May 31, Rijksmuseum Twente will open a group exhibition '2016 (very traditional) Chinese Dalian Modern Art exhibition'. In the past years, the Chinese port city of Dalian and Enschede have established sustainable friendship in many aspects including art. Wang Wei, director of the Dalian Art Museum will pay a work visit to The Netherlands for 2 weeks with a cultural delegation from their city. For their visit, Wang invited seven Dalian artists to present this special exhibition, which will be on view till 9 June.
• Chinese artist Liu Ye (Beijing, 1964) will have his first European solo exhibition in the Mondriaanhuis, Amersfoort. With the cooperation of collectors from Asia, Europe and North America, a one-off selection will be shown of his colourful oeuvre from 10 June onward. The exhibition Mondriaan and Liu Ye will show the deeply rooted admiration of the contemporary Chinese artist for the Dutch master of abstract art. The exhibition will last for four months and ends on 9 October this year.

Circus

• It happens right in front of you: acrobats catapult themselves high in the air, they turn and twist at high speed, jump through hoops and float from silk cloths. -- This summer the globally renowned China National Acrobatic Troupe will present their stunning circus performance Splendid in The Hague. China’s best acrobats will captivate the audience for two hours during a breathtaking show. From 29 June to 10 July, they will showcase every evening their unique visual and spectacular acrobatic acts in the magnificent Zuiderstrandtheater in Scheveningen. Please click here for ticket info and more.