Music CDs – Destination Italy 2009

Bella Tuscany: Music Inspired by Tuscany
Various Artists
CD 784.2 BEL 2004
O mio babbino caro — Quando m’en vo’– Italiana — Danza Rustica — Canzone E Sonate — Four seasons — Nightingale — The Cuckoo — Siciliana — Che gelida manina — Humming chorus — Adagio — Allegro — Di Provenza il mar, il suol — Intermezzo sinfonico.

I Capuleti e i Montecchi
Vincenzo Bellini
CD 782.1 BEL 2009
I Capuleti e i Montecchi is one of the loveliest and most moving of bel canto operas, though not among the more frequently performed. When Anna Netrebko and El na Garan a sang Giulietta and Romeo in Vienna last year at the performances documented in this recording, critics were enthusiastic. They found that Giulietta suited Anna Netrebko especially well, and she could show to full advantage her rounded tone and creamy timbre in every register.

Incanto
Andrea Bocelli
CD 781.63 BOC 2008
Andrea Bocelli’s new studio album is a collection of the most famous Italian songs – including Mamma, Funiculi Funicula and Santa Lucia. They are the songs which have enchanted Andrea since childhood. Released to coincide with his 50th birthday, the album is a personal tribute to his musical heritage. Popularized through concert, radio and record and the film industry by the great tenors of the 19th and 20th centuries, this selection of songs is a celebration of the Italian tenor tradition. Thanks to the legendary voices of Enrico Caruso, Beniamino Gigli, Franco Corelli, Mario Lanza and Luciano Pavarotti, these songs have become a huge global export and fueled the romance of generations to come.

Eh, Paisano! 100% Italian-American Classics
Various Artists
CD 781.63 EH 1997
That’s amore / Dean Martin — Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volaré) / Domenico Modugno — Mama / Connie Francis — Angelina & zooma zooma / Louis POrima — Mala femmina / Jerry Vale — Pepino the Italian mouse / Lou Monte — Spanish eyes / Al Martino — Eh, cumpari / Julius LaRosa — Cara, mia / Jay & the Americans — Piove, (ciao, ciao bambina) / Domenico Modugno — Runaround / The Three Chuckles — Just a gigolo & I ain’t got nobody (and nobody cares for me) / Louis Prima — Here in my heart / Keely Smith — For the first time (Come prima) / Tony Reno & the Sherwoods — Al di lá / Emilio Pericoli — Love is a many-splendored thing / Four Aces, featuring Al Alberts — Darktown strutters ball (Italian style) / Lou Monte — Innamorata (Sweetheart) / Jerry Vale.

Bel Canto Spectacular
Juan Diego Florez
CD 782.1 FLO 2008
The King of the High Ds returns with an all-new album of bel canto arias and duets. Juan Diego Florez once again proves why he is THE tenor in demand around the world for the operas of Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. In fact, he even broke the 70 year-old taboo against encores at La Scala in Donizetti s La Fille du Régiment, effortlessly tossing off 18 high Cs in a row (twice as many as other tenors)! For this special album, Florez is joined by an all-star roster of his friends, including Anna Netrebko, Placido Domingo, Mariusz Kwiecien, Patrizia Ciofi and Daniela Barcellona. Rarely have so many talents come together on one all-new recording.

40 Most Beautiful Arias
Various Performers
CD 782.1 FOR 2008
Two CD collection featuring the finest voices in Opera performing the most beautiful arias by the classic composers. An aria is a self-contained piece for vocals with orchestral accompaniment and this collection gathers together arias that will touch your heart and relax your soul as you are lifted by their beautiful melodies. 40 tracks including solos from Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jennifer Lamore, William Christie, Marcello Viotti and many others.

Floridante
Handel
CD 782.1 HAN 2007
Opera in 3 acts. Libretto by Paolo Antonio Rolli, based on the libretto La costanza in trionfo by Francesco Silvani. Note: Recorded Sept. 2005, at the Chiesa di San Silverstro, Tuscania.

Alcina
Handel
CD 782.1 HAN 2009
Alan Curtis, lauded by Opera as one of our finest conductors of Baroque opera, illumines Handel s masterpiece, Alcina, by casting, as heroine, the brilliant Joyce DiDonato. Since Alcina is historically dared by virtuosic sopranos like Sutherland and Battle, this innovative recording with a mezzo is a must-have not just for Alcina freaks but all who adore sensational vocalism. As Handel did in his time, Curtis arrays our era s finest Baroque singers such as Maite Beaumont and Karina Gauvin in supporting roles around his star. With this electrifying Alcina, first ever studio recording of the rarely heard Ezio and Rolando Villazón s new album, Handel Year 2009 is being exceptionally well feted by Deutsche Grammophon.

Dinner Classics: The Italian Album
Various Artists
CD 781.68 ITA 1989
Various ensembles, soloists and conductors. Booklet includes recipes from Entertaining / Martha Stewart.

Voyager Series: Italian Mandolins
Various Artists
CD 781.63 ITA 2005
Song Titles: O sole mio — Carnival of Venice — Quando quando — Parlami d’amore, Mariu — The woodpecker song — Violetta — Il bacio — Cavalleria rusticana — Dicitencello vuie — Una sera a Napoli — Neapolitan dance song — Forget domani — Tarantella — Capriccio italienne — La mattinata.

Romantic Arias
Jonas Kaufmann
CD 782.1 KAU 2008
Jonas Kaufmann is without question the most versatile tenor of his generation, and his current repertoire includes an astonishing range of opera roles from Mozart to Wagner. He is also a celebrated Lieder interpreter, equally at home on the concert platform. His Decca Debut album celebrates a luscious range of Romantic opera arias, showcasing the astonishing diversity of his voice.

Il combattimento
Monteverdi
CD 782.543 MON 2006
Recorded Nov. 18 and 20-23, 2005, Église Notre Dame du Liban, Paris, and May 19, 2006, Chapelle Notre Dame de Bon Secours.

Teatro d’amore
Monteverdi
CD 783.33 MON 2009
This exciting new release is the debut Virgin Classics recording of the vocal & instrumental group L’Arpeggiata, led by harpist and lutenist extraordinaire Christina Pluhar. The group creates an intoxicating blend of early music and jazz, creating a sort of “baroque jam session” built on technical expertise, rich textural explorations, and daring improvisations. This album explores the music of Claudio Monteverdi, both instrumental pieces and arias. The vocal works feature the brilliant vocal talents of countertenor Philippe Jaroussky and soprano Núria Rial, who come together for the final duet from L’Incoronazione di Poppea — one of the most beautiful and sensuous love scenes in all of opera. This release is sure to please fans of early and vocal music, though the improvisatory jazz and world music influences will certainly interest fans of those genres as well. Overall, a fascinating, fresh new release from a group to watch.

Pavarotti’s Greatest Hits
Luciano Pavarotti
CD 782.1 PAV 2007
Back by popular demand–Pavarotti’s Greatest Hits! Celebrate the life and career of Luciano Pavarotti–the world’s most famous tenor and King of the High C’s! First released as an LP in 1980 and then again in 1985, this is one of Pavarotti’s best-selling albums. Instantly recognizable cover features classic photo of Luciano Pavarotti dressed as Pagliaccio from I pagliacci. Chock-full of his all-time greatest hits including Nessun dorma, La donna è mobile, Vesti la giubba, Funiculi Funiculà and more!

One chance
Paul Potts
CD 782.42 POT 2007
Britain’s Got Talent winner Paul Potts has spent most of his life feeling ‘insignificant’. Bullied at school for being ‘different’, he realized growing up that he had one true friend and that was his voice. Singing was his escape. He was able to lose himself in his own little world – the vicious words of his tormentors replaced by hauntingly beautiful lyrics and melodies that lifted his heart and spirit. It was a love, a passion, a lifeline that would follow Paul into adulthood and help him through many more periods of adversity.

Passione
Paul Potts
CD 781.63 POT 2009
British singing sensation Paul Potts returns with his eagerly awaited 2nd album, Passione. Recorded with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Passione contains 10 beautiful songs sung in Italian including covers of some of the most beautiful tracks ever written and a couple of originals. Also included is a stunning duet with Hayley Westenra.

Best Puccini 100
Giacomo Puccini, Maria Callas, Mirella Freni, Giuseppe Di Stefano
CD 782.1 PUC 2009
In 2008, the world honors the 150th anniversary of the birth of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), one of the most popular composers of all time, and perhaps the last in the line of gifted melodists and dramatists to shape the genre of Italian opera. This 6-CD set features highlights from all his major operas, as well as the early Messa di Gloria. The recordings (all stereo) come from EMI’s unrivalled operatic catalog, and feature some of the greatest stars in the world of opera, including Maria Callas, Mirella Freni, Giuseppe Di Stefano, and more!

The Verdi Tenor
Giuseppe Verdi
CD 782.1 VER 2009

Argentine tenor Marcelo Álvarez has spent the last decade establishing himself as one of the most sought-after tenors on major international opera stages. He is the choice tenor today for the most demanding roles by Verdi, Puccini, Massenet and others.

Viva Italia! Festive Italian Classics
Various Artists
CD 781.63 VIV 1996
Mattinata — Mala femmena — Canto d’amore — Guaglione — Lazy Mary — Anema e core — Funiculi funicula — Soldi, soldi, soldi — Santa Lucia — Hey gumbaree (Bibadee bobadee bu) — Come back to Sorrento — Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu) — A man without love (Quando m’innamore) — O sole mio — Forget Domani — Mama — O mio bambino caro — Non dimenticar = Don’t forget — Al di la — Arrivederci Roma = Goodbye to Rome.

Destination China CDs

Just added to the Collection!

Erhu Chant
Anonymous

CD 781.6 MEI 2006
1. Idyllic Tune
2. Weeping River Of Sorrow
3. Celebrating The Harvest Of Grapes
4. Ode To Shanmenxia Gorge
5. Birdsong Echoing In A Quiet Valley
6. A Bunch Of Flowers
7. Moon Reflected In The Twin-Spring Lake
8. Ballad Of North Henan Province

Spirit on Two Strings
Jie-Bing Chen

CD 781.6 CHE 1993

1. Moon Reflects On Erh-Chaun Spring
2. Soughing Pines
3. The Flowing River
4. On The Way Home
5. Birds Singing In A Deserted Mountain
6. Flicking Of The Candlelight
7. Eve’s Night
8. Singing At Leisure
9. Bright Prospects

The Essential Guide to China
Various Artists
CD 781.6 ESS 2008
2008 three CD set. The Essential Guide to China features over three hours outstanding music celebrating the rich culture and heritage of this ancient and fascinating country. In the lead up to the Olympics, awareness of China and Chinese culture will be at an all-time high, with mass media coverage and profile on all things Chinese. This triple disc set features distinctive traditional music, lush scores from Chinese movies, plus a selection of atmospheric meditation music, evoking the natural beauty and tranquility of China – this set has it all! Essential.

Best of Cui Jian 1986-1996
Cui Jian
CD 781.6 CUI 2006
1. I Have Nothing
2. Solution
3. Flying
4. Fake Monk
5. Starting All Over
6. This Space
7. Stepping Out
8. Bondoir Lady
9. It Is Not That I Don’t See
10. Wild On The Snow
11. Tolerate
12. Piece Of Red Cloth
13. New Long March

Jasmine Flower
Beijing Angelic Choir
CD 781.6 BEI 1997
1. Children from the Mountain
2. The Celebration of the Tribal Harvest Festivals
3. The Anthem of Parents
4. Eight Fiery Horses
5. Snow-White Flower Blossoms
6. Wedding
7. Dong-Dong Kui (The Anthem Of Joy)
8. The Jasmine Flower
9. My Beautiful Homeland
10. Lady A-Shi-Ma
11. The Jubilant Torch Festival Celebration
12. My Lovely Hometown
13. A Rainy Day

Tan bo Zhongguo = Tug at China’s Heartstrings
Guanren Gu
CD 781.6 TUG 2007
1. Jolly Tune
2. Night Banquet
3. Street-Walking Musicians
4. In the Still Of Late Night
5. Tune From Jin Region
6. When Spring Visits South China
7. Journey Beyond Xi Kou
8. Riddle Guessing
9. Camel Bell Ring Echoing Along the Silk Road
10. Xi Trio For Three Sets Of Cymbals
11. Ambush On All Sides
12. Night In Moscow
13. Saber Dance

Sunny Spring
Wu Wen’Guang
CD 781.6 WU 2006
Maestro Wu has greatly contributed to the ancient Chinese qin art and this specially priced two-disc set captures some of his finest moments

Young Virtuosi from Shanghai
Liu Ming-yuan
CD 781.6 CHI 2006
There is a startling contrast between the ultra-modern megalopolis of Shanghai and the traditional instruments played with amazing virtuosity by young outstanding musicians. Here, six brilliant soloists featur interpret pieces ranging from very old times to the early 20th century. Their precise, sensitive interpretations, as well as the well-documented liner notes, make this album a pleasant introduction to ancient, traditional, and classical styles of erudite Chinese music.
1. Wai shan hu chuan ge
2. Jin diao
3. Gua hong deng
4. Yi zu wu qu
5. Liu shui
6. Han jiang can xue
7. Mai cai
8. Bei ge
9. Shan cun xiao jing
10. Bing zhong yin
11. Mo li hua
12. Xi yang yang
13. Han ya xi shui
14. Jiang jun ling
15. Shan dan dan
16. Yu zhou chang wan

Eleven Centuries of Traditional Music of China
Various Artists
CD 781.6 ELE 1989
1. The Ambush
3. Water And Clouds Over The Rivers Hsiao And Hsiang
4. Wild Geese Descend On Level Sands
5. High Moon
6. Thunderstorm
7. Water Lilly
8. The Metamorphosis Of The Solitary Female Phoenix

Look directly into the sun
CD 781.6 LOO 2007
1. Close Your Cold Eyes
2. Jai Jung
3. Mario And Peaches
4. Storm Eyes
5. Pink 09 – Determining the Dose
6. Dang
7. Take Me Home
8. What More
9. Shanghai
10. Song 5
11. Love Of Sun
12. Nasty
13. Fight Your Apathy
14. Hold The Line
15. Light
16. Chian
17. Panda
18. We Just Free

Erhu classics
Chen, Jun
CD 781.6 JUN 2000
1. Shaking Red Candle Flame
2. Horse-Racing
3. River Waters
4. Erquan Spring Reflecting The Moon
5. Beautiful Coconut Tree Island
6. Moonlight
7. Yizhihua
8. Village Scenery
9. Sunshine On Tashkurgan
10. Galloping War-Horses

Chinese bamboo flute music
CD 781.6 CHI 1993
1. Capriccio For Chinese Flute
2. The Flower Of Hsin-Jang
3. A Tayal Folk Song
4. The Funy On The Horseback
5. Go Dating With My Love
6. The Maidens Of The Tea Mountain
7. Chatting With An Old Friend By The Window
8. The Song Of The Four Seasons
9. The Crab And The Egret

Phases of the moon
CD 781.629 PHA 1981
1. The Moon Mirrored In The Pool
2. The Moon On High
3. Days of Emancipation
4. Dance of the Yao People
5. Peking Opera Melody: Flowing Water
6. Tashwayi
7. Spring on the Pamir Plateau
8. Purple Bamboo Melody
9. Dancing in the Moonlight
10. Song of the Herdsmen
11. Spring on a Moonlit River

Silk Sound Liu Fang
CD 781.6 LIU 2006
1. High Mountains And Rippling Waters
2. Jasmine Flower
3. The King Of Chu Doffs His Armour
4. Primary Meeting 5. The Dragon Boat
6. Gold-Embroidered Tapestry
7. Kanding Love-Song
8. Autumn Moon Over The Calm Lake
9. Light Wind In A Cloud Of Falling Snow-Flakes
10. Autumn Moon Over The Han Imperial Palace
11. A Walk In The Country Of Dreams

Classical Chinese Folk Music Various Artists
CD 781.629 CLA 1999
Disc: 1
1. Zi Zhu Diao (Purple Bamboo Melody) – Chen Dacan
2. Yu Ge (Song Of The Fisherman) – Li He
3. Jiang He Shui (Rivers And Streams) – Chen Dacan
4. Wu Bang Zi – Li He
5. Sai Ma (Horse Races) – Chen Dacan
6. Springtime On The Tianshan Mountains – Cheng Yu
7. Gu Xiang (My Home Town) – Chen Dacan
8. Huan Le Ge (Happy Song) – Li He
9. Liang Xiang (Beautiful Evening) – Chen Dacan
10. Chun Dou Xiang Jiang (Spring Comes To Xiang River) – Li He
11. Er Quan Ying Yue (Spring Water Reflects The Moon) – Chen Dacan
12. Flowing Water From The High Mountain – Cheng Yu
13. Feng Shou (Bumper Harvest) – Chen Dacan
Disc: 2
1. Mu Min Xin Ge – Li He
2. Ping Hu Qiu Yue (Still Lake Under The Autumn Moon) – Chen Dacan
3. Guo Sou Xing (A Trip To Guo Sou) – Li He
4. San Liu (Three And Six) – Chen Dacan
5. In The Evening Of The Torch Festival – Cheng Yu
6. E Ma Yao Ling (Hungry Horses Ringing Bells) – Chen Dacan
7. Xi Xiang Fen (Happy Reunion) – Li He
8. Han Gong Qui Yue (Autumn Moon At The ‘Han’ Palace) – Chen Dacan
9. Three Ancient Tunes From Yenzhou:The Moon High In The Sky/Appreciation Of Plum Blossom By Winter… – Cheng Yu
10. Zo Xi Kou: The Wedding/The Cry Of Separation/Departure/Hope – Li He
11. Xi Yang Yang – Chen Dacan

Rough Guide to the Music of China
Various Artists
CD 781.6 CHI 2003
1. Yi Wu Suo You (Nothing To My Name) – Cui Jian
2. Silaihuar – Urna
3. Jiu Kuang ‘The Drinking Song’ – Yao Gongbai
4. Wo Yao Hui Jia (I Want To Go Home) – Bai Hong
5. My 1997 – Ai Jing
6. Stone Forest Nocturne – Min Xiao-Fen
7. Hong Niang Hui Zhang Sheng – Zheng Jun Mian
8. Shanaxi Air – Silk Road Music
9. Yellow Banana – Hang On The Box
10. Nocturnal Light – Kin Tall
11. Li Xiang Lan – Lan Guei Ji Ji
12. The Green Brook Running – Tse Chun Yan
13. Tirik Bostan – Sinkiang Uighur Autonomous Region, Song & Dance Ensemble
14. Bo – Wu Xing
15. Chiang Wei Cu Cu Kai – Gong Chio Xia
16. Autumn Moon – Tats Lau
17. The Night Of Bonfire – Liu Fang

Heavenly Bamboo and Silk Strings

CD 781.6 HEA 2006
1. Autumn Meditation at the Dressing Table, A Theme of Tunes from the Nort
2. Tune for a Peaceful Night
3. Turned Over Curtain, Guangdong Music
4. Wind Bathing Melody, Xiao and Music Band
5. Autumn Wind Tune, Sichuan Genre Music
6. Lament for Ying City, Ancient Tune
7. Spring Thoughts in the Palace, Lute and Xiao Tune
8. Three Variations on the Yangguan Theme, Xun and Music Band
9. Thinking of an Old Friend, Ancient Tune
10. Swirling Purple Cloud, Zither and Xiao Tune
11. Puan Incantation, Ancient Tune

Album Descriptions and Artwork taken from AllMusic.com and Amazon.com

Destination China DVDs

The Sewickley Public Library celebrates Destination China throughout the month of September 2008. All the library’s departments have planned a variety of programs to showcase the rich cultural heritage of China. We invite you to come along on our journey of exploration and discovery!

Chinese Language Films

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Set in the early 1970s during the later stages of China’s Cultural Revolution, two city-bred teenage best friends are sent to a backward mountainous region for Maoist re-education. Cast:
Xun Zhou, Kun Chen, Ye Liu, Shuangbao Wang, Zhijun Cong. Based on the novel by Sijie Dai.
Chinese language tracks, with optional English subtitles. Not rated.

The Blue Kite
Told from the perspective of a young boy, Tietou, this film traces the fate of a Beijing family and their neighbors through the political and social upheavals in China in 1950’s and 60’s. Mandarin language track with English subtitles. Cast: Lu Liping, Yi Tian, Zhang Wenyao, Chen Xiaoman, Pu Cunxin, Li Xuejian, Guo Baochang, Zong Ping. Not rated.

Chungking Express
Two interwined romantic tales take place inside the Ch‘ung-ch‘ing high-rise shopping center in downtown Hong Kong: A policeman falls in love with a snack bar waitress while a house detective gets involved with a female drug dealer. In Chinese with English subtitles. Cast: Brigitte Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung, Faye Wang. Rated PG-13.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Set in 19th-century China, two master warriors are faced with their greatest challenge when the treasured Green Destiny sword is stolen. Mandarin or English language tracks, English subtitles. Cast: Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhan Ziyi, Chang Chen, Lung Sihung, Cheng Pei Pei. MPAA Rating: PG13.

Dim Sum
A Chinese immigrant widow faces the New Year with apprehension after it is predicted that it would be the year she dies. Her list of things to do, which includes seeing her daughter get married and visiting China one last time, soon comes into focus. Cantonese or English dialogue with optional English subtitles. Cast: Laureen Chew, Kim Chew, Victor Wong, Joan Chen.

Eat Drink Man Woman
A retired master chef and widower is worried about the future of his three unmarried daughters who are skeptical about marriage. Yet he himself surprises them with his secret love affair with a young woman many years his junior. In Mandarin Chinese with English, French & Spanish subtitles. Cast: Sihung Lung, Kuei-mei Yang, Chien-lien Wu, Yu-wen Wang, Winston Chao, Ah-leh Gua, Sylvia Chang.

Endless Way
As he comes of age, Ah Ming must begin a life of endless labor to bring sacred water to his family. Forced into an arranged marriage with a young girl from a neighboring village, he must forsake his true love, Ah Shui. Unable to cope with the harsh routine that each villager must endure, Ah Ming’s wife leaves, never to return, and the long suffering Ah Shui steps forth to care for Ah Ming and his ailing mother, sharing their pain and grief. Chinese (Mandarin) dialogue with optional English subtitles. Cast: Chen Chuang, Xia Lu, Du Jing, Liao Guanzhen. Not rated.

Fallen Angels
Set in the neon-washed underworld of present day Hong Kong, this story intertwines two exhilarating tales of love and isolation. In Chinese with optional English subtitles. Cast: Leon Lai Ming, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Charlie Young, Michele Reis, Karen Mok. Originally produced as a motion picture in 1995.

Farewell My Concubine
Story that spans more than 50 years in the lives of two men at the Peking Opera, friends since childhood, and the woman who comes between them. Also an absorbing drama of the period in Chinese history from the warlord era through the Cultural Revolution. In Chinese with English subtitles. Cast: Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li. Based on the novel by Lilian Lee. Rated R.

Going to School with Dad on My Back
Based on a true story, Going to School with Dad on my Back focuses on the selfless acts a family must endure to ensure the survival of their brightest, and the hope of a better future for all of China. Chinese dialgoue with optional Chinese or English subtitles. Cast: Yan Danchen, Jiang Hualin, Qiang Zhao. Based on a true story.

Hero
Long ago, China was divided into seven kingdoms all fighting for supremacy. The King of Qin was most determined to become the first emperor of China. Though many tried to assassinate him, only three inspired fear. The King promised endless wealth and power to anyone who defeats his would-be murderers. No results come until ten years later, when a man called Nameless brought the weapons of the three assassins to the Qin King’s palace. Nameless claimed to be an expert swordsman who had defeated all three warriors and had to tell his story to the King. Cast: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Maggie Man-Yuk, Zhang Ziyi, Chen Dao Ming, Donnie Yen. Mandarin dialogue, with optional English subtitles. MPAA rating: PG-13

House of Flying Daggers
During the reign of the Tang dynasty in China, a secret organization called “The House of the Flying Daggers” rises and opposes the government. Leo is a police officer who sends officer Jin to investigate a young dancer named Mei, claiming that she has ties to the “Flying Daggers” organization. Leo ends up arresting Mei, only to have Jin break her free in a plot to gain her trust and lead the police to the new leader of the secret organization. But things are far more complicated than they seem. Chinese dialogue, dubbed English or dubbed French dialogue, English or French subtitles. Cast: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi, Song Dandan. Rated: PG13.

The Iron Monkey
The legendary Iron Monkey teams up with a young girl to battle corrupt and greedy government officials in ancient China. Rated: PG-13. Cast: Donnie Yen, Yu Rong Guang, Jean Wang, Tsang Sue Man. Original Chinese language track and English language track.

Legend of the Black Scorpion
Scheming royals and other officials seek to conquer empires and consolidate power to form a single omnipotent dynasty. Meanwhile, a legendary empress who has the fighting skills unparalleled by any man, harbors forbidden desires for her stepson. Set in the Age of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, tells the story of a royal court in turmoil including forbidden love, deceit, revenge, overpowering beauty, and greed. Mandarin and English dialogue, with optional English subtitles. Not rated.

Lust, Caution
Set against the backdrop of Japanese occupied Shanghai in 1942, a young woman finds herself swept up in a radical plot to assassinate a ruthless and secretive intelligence agent. As she immerses herself in her role as a cosmopolitan seductress, she becomes entangled in a dangerous game of emotional intrigue, love and betrayal. In Mandarin, with optional French or Spanish subtitles. Cast: Tony Leung, Tang Wei, Joan Chen, Wang Leehom. Based on the short story Se, Jie by Eileen Chang. Rated R.

Mongolian Ping Pong
A ping pong ball, found floating in a stream, becomes the source of wonderment for three young boys who live in the remote grasslands of Mongolia, a magnificent landscape little changed since the time of Genghis Khan. In Mongolian; with optional English subtitles. Cast: Hurichabilike, Dawa, Geliban, Yidexinnaribu, Badema, Jinlaowu, Wurina, Buhebilke, Sarengaowa, Dugema, Jirimu.

Raise the Red Lantern
In the 1920s an educated young Chinese woman is given to a feudal nobleman as the newest of his many wives. She must adjust to this confined, traditional life and to her resident predecessors. Cast: Gong Li, Ma Jingwu, He Caifei, Cad Cuifeng. Based on the novel Wives and Concubines by Su Tong. Mandarin with English, simplified and traditional Chinese subtitles. MPAA Rating: PG.

Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles
Takada is an aging Japanese fisherman who has been estranged from his son for many years. When the son is diagnosed with terminal cancer his daughter-in-law, Rie, summons him to the hospital. When his son refuses to see him, Rie gives him a videotape about the work his son was doing on a documentary film in a remote region of China’s Yunnan province. Still troubled by the relationship, Takada decides to go to China and complete his son’s work in part to develop an understanding of his son, and in part to do something for him. Once in China a series of obstacles and relationships bring him unexpectedly closer to both an understanding of himself and of his son. In Chinese, Portuguese or French with English, French, Spanish or Portuguese subtitles. Cast: Takakura Ken, Terajima Shinobu, Li Jiamin, Jiang Wen, Qiu Lin. Rated PG.

The Story of Qiu Ju
An ordinary, courageous woman in a small villlage fights against the system in her quest for justice. Mandarin language track with English subtitles. Cast: Gong Li, Lei Lao Sheng, Liu Pei Qi, Ge Zhi Jun, Ye Jun, Yang Liu Chun. Based on the novel “The Wan family’s lawsuit” by Chen Yuan Bin. Rated PG

The Story of the Weeping Camel
In the Gobi Desert of Chinese Mongolia, a family of nomads, who assist in the birth of its camel herd, face a crisis when one white calf is rejected by its mother. With all hope lost, the family sends its two young boys on a journey to a far-off village to fetch a musician capable of performing a magical ceremony. In Mongol with English subtitles. Rated PG.

Documentaries
China Revealed
Get a fresh perspective on China one of the world’s richest cultures as you hear individual life stories told through the eyes of the locals. Insightful storytelling and spectacular photographic techniques brings to life the fascinating and complex contemporary world of one of the greatest nations on earth. In one of the few times in its 5000 year history – the oldest most populous nation opens its doors to the rest of the world. The economics of Feudalism and Communism are out and Capitalism is in. Old walls are being torn down and a futuristic landscape of glass and steel is shooting up in its place. Exploring where tradition meets modernity follow the dreams of a 12-year-old Olympic hopeful then join rice farmers tilling land their ancestors have worked for 18 centuries. Using the latest generation of hi-definition cameras and effects techniques see China like you’ve never seen it before. It’s a visual delight delving deep into the people and places of the oldest civilization on the planet.

China’s Lost Girls
This National Geographic Special explored the bias against girls that exists in China, where they are commonly aborted, abandoned, or killed, and the practice of adoption of these unwanted children by Americans. Chinese native girls who have been adopted by American couples relate their experiences. Hosted by Lisa Ling.

Chop Socky
Offers an in-depth look at Hong Kong’s film legacy and its influence on global cinema, from its earliest beginnings to the latest big-budget epics. In English with Chinese dialog sequences. Narrator: Mark Kaufmann; featuring: Jet Li, Jackie Chan, John Woo, Bruce Lee. Originally produced as a television program titled Cinema Hong Kong : King Fu in 2003. MPAA rating: Not rated.

Found in China: a Documentary
A group of six Midwestern families with Chinese adoptive daughters take a heritage trip to China. The documentary focuses on the 9- to 13-year old girls and their feelings about being adopted as they learn about the culture of their homeland and the circumstances of their adoption.

Shanghai Ghetto
The incredible story of thousands of Jews and their dramatic escape from the Nazis to China during World War II.

Wild China: a Land of History, Mystery and Extraordinary Diversity
Journey across China from the peaks of the Himalayas to the barren steppe, the sub-Arctic to the tropical islands, through deserts both searingly hot and mind-numbingly cold and see a dazzling array of mysterious, beautiful, wild and rare creatures. Narrated by Bernard Hill.
Disc One: Heart of the Dragon, Shangri-La and Tibet. Disc Two: Beyond the Great Wall, Land of the Panda and Tides of Change.

Travel

Destination China
In this Pilot Guide Travel film viewers will attend a traditional Long Horn Mio ceremony, visit the Huangguoshu Waterfalls, the largest in Asia, visit a silk factory in Suzhou, the silk capital of China, and attend the temple fair celebrating the end of the silk harvest. The film ends with a walk among the 8,000 terracotta warriors built to guard to tomb of China’s first emperor, Emperor China. Not Rated.

SmartTravels Pacific Rim: Shanghai
Two episodes of the television series SmartTravels Pacific Rim. Follows Rudy Maxa on tours of Shanghai and Hong Kong. Discusses popular tourist attractions and provides historical background and practical information.

Films Set in China

The Amazing Panda Adventure
On a trek into the lush bamboo forests, Ryan is unexpectedly separated from his father. With the help of a young Chinese girl, he aims to bring to safety a baby panda that he’s boldly taken away from heartless poachers. They’d better move fast, however: the poachers are coming after them and the baby panda cannot survive much longer without its mother. Cast: Stephen Lang, Yi Ding, Ryan Slater. Rated PG.

The Forbidden Kingdom
A discovery made by a kung fu-obsessed American teen sends him on an adventure to China, where he joins up with a band of martial arts warriors. Cast: Collin Chou, Liu Yifei, Li Bing Bing, Michael Angarano, Jackie Chan. Rated PG-13

Home Beyond the Sun
The story of one woman’s desperate effort to help an eight-year-old orphan girl escape poverty and oppression in Mainland China.

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Based on the true-life story of Gladys Aylward, an English missionary that led a group of children through war-torn China in the 1930’s. Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Robert Donat, Curt Jurgens. Based on the book The Small Woman by Alan Burgess. Rated PG.

The Invincible Iron Man
While raising the ruins of a long-buried Chinese kingdom, billionaire inventor Tony Stark digs up far more than he bargained for. He unleashes an age-old prophecy that foretells the resurrection of the Mandarin, the emperor of China’s darkest and most violent dynasty. In order to confront destructive forces, Tony creates an armored suit infused with high-tech weaponry. Marvel animated features. Voices: Marc Worden, Gwendolyn Yeo, Rodney Saulsberry, Elisa Gabrielli, John McCook, Fred Tatasciore. Rated PG-13

The Last Emperor
The true story of Pu Yi, who, at the age of 3, toddled to the Imperial Dragon Throne to become “Lord of 10,000 Years,” China’s last emperor. Cast: John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O’Toole, Ying Ruocheng. Not Rated.

The Painted Veil
Set in the 1920s. A young English couple, Walter a middle class doctor and Kitty, an upper-class woman, get married for all the wrong reasons and relocate to Shanghai. Kitty falls in love with someone else. When Walter discovers her infidelity, in an act of vengeance, he accepts a job in a remote village in China that is being ravaged by a deadly epidemic. He takes his wife along and their journey brings meaning to their relationship and gives them purpose in one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth. Cast: Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Diana Rigg. Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham. Rated PG-13

The White Countess
Set in 1930’s Shanghai, a blind American diplomat develops a curious relationship with a young Russian refugee who works odd and sometimes illicit jobs to support members of her dead husband’s aristocratic family. Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave, Lynn Redgrave, Hiroyuki Sanada, Allan Corduner, Ying Da, Madeleine Daly, Lee Pace, Madeleine Potter, Luoyong Wang, John Wood. Rated PG-13.

Chinese Heritage

Combination Platter
Kitchen mayhem, irate customers and potential romance unfolds as Robert, an illegal immigrant working at a Chinese restaurant in New York as a waiter, desperately searches for a way to stay in the United States. He reluctantly agrees to meet an American woman, Claire, with the hopes of marrying to obtain a green card. Will Robert obtain his green card before immigration catches up with him? Chinese and English dialogue, with optional English subtitles. Cast: Jeffrey Lau, Coleen O’Brien, Lester “Chit-Man” Chan, Colin Mitchell, Kenneth Lu, Thomas K. Hsiung.

Double Happiness
Jade must choose between family and personal happiness. Her parents want her to marry a successful Chinese man and she wants to make her own decisions. When she falls in love with a white university student, the façade of the perfect Chinese daughter begins to crack. A story about pursuing your dreams while living up to everybody else’s. Cast: Sandra Oh, Stephen M.D. Chang, Alannah Ong, Donald Fong, Frances You. Rated PG-13.

The Joy Luck Club
Follows the story of four lifelong friends, whose lives are filled with joy and heartbreak, and shows how their experiences have affected the hopes and dreams they hold for each of their children. Cast: Tsai Chin, Kieu Chinh, Lisa Lu, France Nuyen, Rosalind Chao, Lauren Tom, Tamlyn Tomita, Ming-Na Wen, Michael Paul Chan, Andrew McCarthy, Christopher Rich, Russell Wong, Vivian Wu. Based on the novel by Amy Tan. In English and Chinese with English subtitles. Rated R.

Smile
Lin lives in a world of quiet hardship in China, longing to live without fear or shame. Katie lives in a world of pampered ease in Malibu and wants something new and challenging in her life. When these two come together, their lives are forever changed. Cast: Mika Boorem, Luoyong Wang, Beau Bridges, Cheri Oteri, Linda Hamilton, Shuai Chi, Jia Song, Jonathan Trent, Erik von Detton, Yi Ding, Sean Astin. MPAA rating: PG-13