An exhibition of Spanish artist Pablo Picasso will be held at the China Pavilion of World Expo Park from Oct 18 to Jan 10 next year, showcasing 62 paintings, sculptures and prints, making it the largest exhibition of the modern master in the Chinese mainland so far. The festival will also feature Austrian woman artist Xenia Hausner, whose works are now on display at the Shanghai Art Museum.

Goddess and the Dreamer is a new production from Zhengzhou Songs and Dance Troupe. The story is based on the historical accounts of the Three Kingdoms Period (AD220-280) when Cao Pi and his younger brother Cao Zhi competed for the throne, as well as the love of a woman Zhen Mi.

"It is a show of extremely high artistic level, and rich national culture. People who know little about the art of dance will be able to enjoy it as much as the experts and critics," Liu says.

"Zhengzhou used to be at the heart of Chinese culture more than 1,800 years ago," says the director of the production, Tong Ruirui. "Most of the choreography has come from images sculptured on antique bricks found in the region."

Goddess is the second dance production from Henan to show at CSIAF. In 2004, Feng Zhong Shaolin (Shaolin in the Wind), a show featuring Shaolin Kungfu, had a successful run at the CSIAF.