Tan Dun, the famous composer, will stage his well-known orchestral piece The Map in Shenzhen on Friday. For many, it's considered the highlight of this October's performance season.

In September, top-notch artists, including Yang Liping, Richard Clayderman, Shang Changrong and Twelve Girls' Band, enchanted locals with their great skills. Now, Tan's smash hit is ready to make a splash again, reported Shenzhen Daily.

Tan is not a stranger to local audiences. He gained worldwide fame when he won an Oscar for his music in the Ang Lee film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and staged his Concerto for Water Percussion last year in the city.

The Map is an ambitious project that draws on the musician's discovery of a range of music from far-flung corners of the globe to his hometown in Hunan Province. Tan carried out two expeditions to western Hunan to discover the folk music there in 1999 and 2001.

Later, he composed The Map based on his video recordings of folk music performances there and reproduced them with Western musical instruments, such as the cello. The Map premiered in New York in February 2003, and it was played by the Boston Symphony and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

The premiere was a great success. The New York Times commented that The Map was an inspiring concerto with a crossover of Eastern and Western sounds, featuring Eastern folk songs and dances harmonized with Western instruments.

In Tan's Shenzhen tour, The Map will be played by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and audiences can expect to see American cellist Wendy Sutter perform solo.

Following Tan's show, the National Drama Theater will stage The Toilet from Oct. 29 to 31 in the city. The play compares the different mentalities of several generations. With various types of toilet used as symbols, such as the public toilet of the 1970s and today's deluxe toilet, the play reflects changes in society.

"It is a very humorous and cunning story. The presentation of the play is typical of Beijing, since the city's language and lifestyle are based on ordinary Beijing people," said Li Zhaohua, the play's director.

Some famous soap opera stars, including Tao Hong, Zhao Liang, Liu Jinshan and Ma Shuliang, will perform in the play.

Some Shenzhen teenagers, aged around 13, will also have a chance to appear on stage in supporting roles. The Shenzhen Performance Company revealed that the play needed 15 people to play minor roles in the play. If interested, they can apply by calling 2589-2433 for details.

The Map

Time: 8 p.m., Oct. 22

Venue: Shenzhen Auditorium

Ticket prices: 180 (sold out), 280, 380, 580, and 680 yuan

Ticket hotline: 8211-3333

The Toilet

Time: 8 p.m., Oct. 29-31

Venue: Shenzhen Auditorium

Ticket prices: 100, 180, 280, and 380 yuan

Ticket hotline: 8211-3333

(Shenzhen Daily October 20, 2004)