This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on May 6, 2016.

5 shows to watch

Butterfly Lovers — Dance Music 

Presented by Nyoba Kan, this show is based on the ancient classical Chinese love story, Butterfly Lovers, and combines dance, live music lighting and video art. The show is made up of six chapters namely Recollection, Study Companion for Three Years, Balcony Meeting, Tearing, Farewell and Into Butterflies. Catch Butterfly Lovers — Dance Music at the Damansara Performing Arts Centre, Empire Damansara, Jalan PJU 8/8, Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya. Tickets to the 8.30pm show today and tomorrow as well as the 3pm show on Sunday are priced at a flat rate of RM68 and can be purchased form the venue’s website. Call (03) 4065 0001/4065 0002 for more information.

3 Faces

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre teams up with Aswara Dance Company to present 3 Faces — a triple bill of Bharatanatyam, Main Zapin and contemporary dance. Witness the grace and elegance of bharatanaytam as the dancers (trained by the teachers of the Temple of Fine Arts) present three items pushpaanjali, jatiswaram and thillana. Later, enjoy the Malaysian folk dance in the form of Zapin Mahpom, Zapin Pekan, Zapin Suara Siam and Zapin Pekajang portraying playful teasing couple dances, to robust bravado male dances, to the demure female only ensembles. The contemporary dance piece is performed by a company of 12 full-time professionals and supported by young talent at Aswara. Pick between the 8.30pm show today and tomorrow and the 3pm show on Sunday at klpac, Sentul Park Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur. Tickets are RM33 and RM23, visit www.ticketpro.com.my to purchase.

Osaka Hamlet

The Weekend Japanese Film Show, organised by The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur, will be screening Osaka Hamlet. It follows the story of the Kubo family that is left to fend for themselves after the sudden death of the patriarch. A mysterious man soon moves in with them after claiming to be the dead father’s brother. Based on an award-winning manga series, the film paints a heart-warming portrait of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances in a working-class district of Osaka. The movie is Japanese with English subtitles and admission is free. The screening will take place at 3pm tomorrow at Auditorium, Content Malaysia Pitching Centre, Unit G09 & G10, Platinum Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur.

The Epic Journey: The Nick Choo Concert

Malaysian composer, songwriter, musician and playwright Nick Choo is staging his final show before he leaves for Perth to continue his education. Enjoy numbers from Choo’s superhero musical Extra Ordinary People and the dystopian saga 2084 (which will be staged later this year) as well as his personal tribute to the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death: six of the Bard’s sonnets set to original music. Choo will also share the stage with a number of other Malaysian artists during the concert at Drum Asia, 7-2, Jalan 22A/70A, Wisma CKL, Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur. Choose between the 8.30pm show today and the 3pm show on Sunday. Entry is by a minimum donation of RM70 per person or RM240 for a single booking of four seats. To book, email [email protected]. More information can be found on www.facebook.com/mondayshow. 

Semalam Di Malaya

Enjoy dinner while being serenaded by singer Ushera as she belts out songs from her album, Semalam Di Malaya. Inspired by the formative years of Malaysia’s contemporary music industry, the album reflects Ushera’s pride in her Malaysian heritage. Referring to it as a revival project, the album pays homage to the contemporary Malaysian music scene of pre-independent 1940s and 1950s Malaya and is the first installation of a series of albums within the Semalam di Malaya collection. There is a cover charge of RM10 and the show begins at 10pm tomorrow and Sunday at Alexis Bistro Ampang, Great Eastern Mall, 303 Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. Visit www.alexis.com.my or call (03) 4260 2288 for more information.

3 ideas for Mother’s Day

Cake for a good cause

Support a good cause initiated by the Ritz-Carlton hotels in Asia-Pacific in collaboration with Smile Asia, a global alliance of independent charities that offer free surgeries to children with facial deformities, including cleft lip and palate. Over 10,000 pastry chefs from 24 Ritz-Carlton hotels across Asia-Pacific are combining their skills to prepare decadent, specially-crafted cakes to raise funds for Smile Asia Week, happening throughout this weekend. This year, the initiative hopes to raise more funds than the US$790,000 raised in the past two years that supported almost 1,000 surgeries. 

The Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur’s limited edition gift cake is designed by the patissier Tony Hoyle — the Make Me Smile Orange Chocolate Crunch Cake combine two classic, well-loved flavours. Enjoy a sweet treat with your mother at Ritz-Carlton Kuala Lumpur at 168, Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur. Visit www.saw2016.smileasia.org/my for more information and to order the cake, which must be personally collected at the hotel.

A decadent high tea

Enjoy a tête–à–tête with your mother over a cup of TWG tea and pamper yourselves to an afternoon of indulgence with an array of tea-infused divine creations. Inspired by the love for mothers all around the world, the TWG Tea all-day Mother’s Day high tea includes savouries like chicken cordon bleu, lamb tagine and forest mushroom ragout. Those with a sweet tooth will be delighted with the poppy seed madeleine, chocolate muffin and tea-infused macaroon, to name a few. This promotion is available all day from today until Sunday at all TWG Tea boutiques (excluding KLIA) and is priced at RM100 nett for two. Visit www.twgtea.com to find an outlet near you. 

Shop till you drop

There’s nothing like some retail therapy and no better companion than your mother! She’s the BOSS — A Women & Moms in Business Bazaar happening at The School, Jaya One this weekend gathers women and mothers who runs businesses under one roof so they can bring their products and services to a common marketplace. Expect to find handmade items, beauty and wellness products, baby and children products and services, homemade jams, cakes and pies, pre-loved and vintage items and many more. Make your way to the Concourse Level of The School at Jaya One, 72A Jalan Universiti, Petaling Jaya from 10am to 5pm from today until Sunday. Visit www.facebook.com/moms4projects for more details.

2 fairs to check out

Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair

Ask any book lover and they will say that there’s no such thing as too many books. If you are constantly on the prowl for a good bargain for books, the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair is the place to be this weekend. You are bound to be spoilt for choice with 800 booths from local and foreign publishers as well as government agencies across the world. The Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair will take place at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (Maeps), Maeps Secretariat Building, Mardi Headquarters, Seri Kembangan, Selangor, until Monday. Hours are from 10am to 9pm and admission is free. Visit www.kualalumpurbookfair.my for more information.

Sakura Fair

Escape the heat in the city and take a drive up to Genting for the Sakura Fair this weekend. Resorts World Genting pays tribute to the season of blooming cherry blossoms with a fair offering all things Japanese. Foodies can look forward to the sake tasting, sushi bentos, Japanese snacks and beverages as well as sakura flower floss candy. There will also be an Art and Craft Workshop, for those who’d like to learn a new hobby. The fair will take place at Level T2, First World Plaza, Genting Highlands. Visit www.rwgenting.com for more information.

1 tribute to Rabindranath Tagore

On what would have been poet and novelist Rabindranath Tagore’s 155th birthday, Silverfish Books is celebrating the life and works of the first ever Asian Nobel Laureate with a talk by author Professor Mohammad A Quayum (pic). An internationally renowned scholar and a leading critic of Malaysian-Singaporean literature, Mohammad has translated several of Tagore’s works over the years. Based on his analysis of Tagore’s letters, speeches, essays, poetry and fiction, he will lead a lively discussion on the great Bengali poet’s spiritual and religious inclinations, and how it coloured the immense body of his work. Tomorrow at 5pm at Silverfish Books, 20-2F, Bangsar Village 2, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Admission is free but reservations are required and can be made by calling (03) 22844839.