A glimpse into ancient and modern China
Today-Saturday. New art. The Center for China-U.S. Cooperation and the Shanghai Social Sciences Association team up for an unusual and timely exhibit of Chinese art featuring 30 traditional and contemporary works created mostly by farmer/artists in Shanghai. Through renderings of scenery and architecture, the work offers a glimpse into ancient and modern China. This free exhibit runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday on the bridge at the Driscoll Student Center at the University of Denver, 2055 E. Evans Ave. Accompanying the exhibit is a panel discussion and demonstration at 3 p.m. today. Ray Mark Rinaldi
Art
Tuesday. Art. Congress has delayed television’s switchover from analog to digital by several months, taking away some of the timeliness of a new art exhibition. But the offering, titled “Poor Reception: Television Art Show,” is going on anyway. Eric Matelski, who professes a love/hate relationship with the medium, spearheaded the project, inviting a group of his fellow Denver artists to contribute their takes, as well. The show will open Tuesday at the Kaze Gallery, 3245 Osage St., with a public reception from 6 to 9 p.m., and run through March 13. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Free. Kyle MacMillan
Film fests
Through the weekend. Parting shots. Both the Denver Jewish Film Festival and the Boulder Internatational Film Festival draw to a close with impressive fare. Saturday, the DJFF screens “Lemon Tree,” a beautifully told saga of a Palestinian woman’s fight to save a grove declared a risk by the Israeli defense minister’s security detail. Hiam Abbass, so mesmerizing in “The Visitor,” stars as the determined Salma. (Sat. 8:30 p.m.; $15-$18; Mizel Center for the Arts and Culture at the JCC, 350 S. Dahlia St. 303-316-6360 or ) Head up U.S. 36 for BIFF, which runs through the weekend with a slate of engaged features, shorts and panels. Sunday night’s closing film “Burma VJ” is a real activist thriller. Using footage spirited out of the country by local videojournalists, the award-winning film is a feat of editing. (Sun, 6:30 p.m., $35, Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St; , or 303-786-7030) Lisa Kennedy
Classical music
Saturday. Chamber music. The viola gets its moment in the spotlight, when the Zephyr Ensemble presents a pair of chamber-music gems under the auspices of Englewood Arts. Featured will be viola quintets (works for string quartet with an added viola) by Mozart and Brahms. The group is composed of members of the Colorado Symphony, including violists Mary Cowell and Phillip Stevens. The performance is set for 2 p.m. Saturday in Hampden Hall on the second level of the Englewood Civic Center, 1000 Englewood Parkway. $10, $5 youth younger than 18. Tickets available at the door. 303-806-8196 or . Kyle MacMillan
Architecture
Thursday. Architecture. Born in 1972, Tatiana Bilbao has become a rising star on the Mexico City architectural scene and beyond. In addition to her home country, she has completed projects in China, Spain, Italy and France. “The last 10 years have seen Mexico achieve much greater financial stability than ever before, and as a consequence my generation of architects is being given a unique opportunity to reshape the city but also to have a voice on an international scale,” she said in a 2008 interview. Bilbao will present a talk on her work at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Space Gallery, 765 Santa Fe Drive, with a prior reception at 5:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by Women in Design in Denver. $8 members, $10 non-members and free for students. Make reservations at widinfo@widdenver.org. Kyle MacMillan
Theater
Through Feb 28. Theater in progress. “Bless Me, Ultima” is the first stage adaptation of the 1972 classic of Chicano literature by Rudolfo Anaya. His breakthrough book, which has been banned in some parts of the country, told the story of a boy growing up in rural New Mexico in the 1940s who tries to reconcile conflicting Catholic and Native American philosophies with the help of a wise old curandera named Ultima. El Centro Su Teatro is presenting workshop performances of its work in progress, adapted by Anaya himself and directed by Yale School of Drama graduate Jennifer McCray Rincon. Performances at 7 p.m. Thursdays, 8:05 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Feb. 28 4725 High St. $15-$18. 303-296-0219 or . Saturday’s performance will be preceded by the company’s annual Dia de San Valentin Dinner. The theater will be transformed into a candlelit bistro, with cast members serving authentic recipes from New Mexico, Old Mexico and beyond. ($35 or $60 for two), diner at 7 p.m. John Moore
Film awards
Feb. 21. Movie marathon. AMC makes it way too easy and affordable to notch the bedpost before Oscar’s big night with their annual “Academy Best Picture Showcase.” The festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. with “Milk.” Nearly 12 hours later, a president and a talk-show host face off in “Frost/Nixon” (9:45 p.m.) Do the math; it’s the best Best Movie bargain you can hope for: $25 – $30. Go to . for tickets. Local multiplexes participating are AMC’s Westminster Promenade 24 and Highlands Ranch 24. Lisa Kennedy
Family fun
Today Celebration of reading. Haven’t read “A Chair For My Mother” yet? No worries — today the Children’s Museum of Denver is hosting the culmination event for the first-ever “One Book, One Denver” for preschoolers. Mayor John Hickenlooper will offer the introduction to the event, followed by a reading by author Vera B. Williams. Readings continue every 30 minutes from noon to 4 p.m. today. Best of all, the first 500 kids get a free copy of the book, a colorful story about a little girl, her mom and grandmother saving their pennies for a special gift. While at the museum, be sure to check out all the fun Valentine’s Day activities designed just for kids. Children’s Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive; 303-433-7444. Today’s readings are free with museum admission: $5.50 for 1-year-olds and seniors over 60, and $7.50 for guests ages 2 to 59.Kathleen St. John
Tuesday Zoo party. Meet your favorite animals before they were your favorites in “Just So” at the Arvada Center. Based on Rudyard Kipling’s “Just So Stories,” the musical whimsically describes how the animals we know today took their current form. Learn how “The Leopard Got His Spots, “How the Elephant Got His Trunk” and more in this lighthearted tale of courage, individuality and friendship. The show runs through May 9. Showtimes vary — through February, performances run Tuesdays-Fridays at 10 a.m. and noon. Arvada Center for the Arts, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd.; 720-898-7200. Weekday general admission tickets are $8, weekend reserved seats are $10. Call or visit . to purchase tickets in advance.Kathleen St. John
Monday-Wednesday. Book club. Another reading event to help get through the cold days ahead: The Denver Zoo’s Zoo Tales Family Book Club is reading “Birthday Zoo” by Deborah Lee Rose this month. Designed especially for toddlers, each book club meeting features a reading of the book, easy crafts to take home and maybe a visit from an animal friend. “Birthday Zoo” is a rhyming romp about what it’s like to have animals throwing your birthday party — the bats pass out the hats, the lynx makes drinks, and so on. 10-10:45 a.m. Monday-Wednesday. Additional discussions are held Feb. 20-21. Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St.; 303-376-4800. Admission is $11 for one child with an adult zoo member, or $14 for one child with a nonmember. It’s $4 for each additional child and $8 for each additional adults. Registration is required — visit . to sign up online. Kathleen St. John
Sunday. Free concert. Sunday. It’s a little old-fashioned, but so what? “The Pipes and Stripes III” concert at the Paramount Theatre is free, and suitable for the whole family. The theater will crank up its Mighty Wurlitzer organ for a rollicking afternoon downtown. The organ’s two — yes, it takes two — players will be joined by four ensembles from the Colorado National Guard’s 101st Army Band: the Concert Ensemble, Big Band, Dixieland Band and 127 Stripes. 2 p.m. Sunday. Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place; 303-623-0106. Free.Kathleen St. John
Dance
Today-Sunday. Dance. Ballet Nouveau Colorado’s “Love” is another innovative entry for the Broomfield company, named in Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” issue. BNC joins with Denver’s Lighthouse Writers’ Workshop to craft three new works combining passionate movement and words — in time for Valentine’s Day. 8 p.m. today-Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Pinnacle Events Center, 1001 W. 84th Ave. $22-$26. 303-466-5685 or . John Wenzel
