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What's on

Celebrate the Chinese New Year with a series of festivities across the city, see a new breed of ice show, Cirque de Glace (pictured), plus the usual concerts, exhibitions and sporting events. Read February's event listings below.

Cultural events

Chinese New Year

Manchester welcomes the Year of the Ox with a dazzling array of festivities, including kung fu demonstrations, folk dance performances, fireworks and, of course, the famous Golden Dragon Parade.

Chinatown, Feb 1. Free. www.manchesterlive.co.uk

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Festivals

Piano Festival 2009

Some of the world's finest pianists will flock to Manchester this month for the Bridgewater Hall's triennial Piano Festival. Directed by Barry Douglas, the four-day festival will feature Joanna MacGregor, Richard Goode, Wayne Marshall and Nelson Goerner among other big names, as well as the hall's three resident orchestras - the Halle, the BBC Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata.

The Bridgewater Hall, Feb 26 - March 1. www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

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Exhibitions

A Long Exposure: 100 Years of Guardian Photography

The Lowry celebrates the Guardian's distinctive pictorial style with an exhibition showing some of the newspaper's most memorable images from the last century.

The Lowry, until March 1. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5794.

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Exhibitions

Manuel Saiz: Private Party. Keep Out

Castlefield Gallery, in collaboration with Instituto Cervantes Manchester, hosts a solo show of new and existing work by London-based artist Manuel Saiz, featuring video, performance and sculpture.

Castlefield Gallery, Feb 6 - March 22. Free. Tel: 0161 832 8034.

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Exhibitions

Witness: Women War Artists

An exhibition featuring more than 100 works by various female war artists, including Anna Airy, Dame Laura Knight and Linda Kitson, capturing and interpreting key moments in history, from the First World War to the Kosovo conflict.

Imperial War Museum North, Feb 7 - April 19. Free. Tel: 0161 836 4000.

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Exhibitions

Lindow Man: A Bog Body Mystery

The mummified body of an Iron Age man is on display at The Manchester Museum. Known as Lindow Man, the mummy was discovered in a peat bog at Lindow Moss, Cheshire, in 1984.

The Manchester Museum, until April 19. Free. Tel: 0161 275 2634.

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Exhibitions

Black Panther: Emory Douglas and the Art of Revolution

The first UK exhibition by US graphic artist Emory Douglas - the official artist of the Black Panther Party and an unsung hero of the modern civil rights movement.

Urbis, until April 19. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.

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Exhibitions

Subversive Spaces: Surrealism and Contemporary Art

From unsettling domestic interiors to the disused wastelands of the city, Subversive Spaces studies the continued influence of Surrealism in contemporary art. One of the highlights is Kinderzimmer, a new commission from award-winning artist Gregor Schneider.

Whitworth Art Gallery, Feb 7 - May 4. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.

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Exhibitions

Ten Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci

Ten drawings by Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci go on display at Manchester Art Gallery this month, as part of a touring Royal Collection exhibition celebrating the 60th birthday of the Prince of Wales.

Manchester Art Gallery, Feb 14 - May 4. Free. Tel: 0161 235 8888.

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Exhibitions

Reality Hack: Hidden Manchester

A series of newly commissioned works from experimental photographer Andrew Paul Brooks, documenting Manchester's concealed spaces.

Urbis, until May. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.

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Exhibitions

Paul Morrison

Manchester Art Gallery hosts the first solo show in the North of England of contemporary British artist Paul Morrison. Best-known for his monochromatic landscape imagery, the internationally renowned artist reinvents the genre of landscape painting for contemporary audiences.

Manchester Art Gallery, Feb 14 - May 31. Free. Tel: 0161 235 8888.

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Exhibitions

Southern Voices: Weaving Stories

Explore the global impact of Manchester's cotton and textile industry in this new exhibition. Featuring objects and stories of individuals and communities from the southern hemisphere, Southern Voices shows how the textile industry directly shaped their lives and the legacy it has left to all of us.

Museum of Science and Industry, Feb 13 - Aug. Free. Tel: 0161 832 2244.

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Exhibitions

Putting on the Glitz

Whitworth Art Gallery showcases luxurious, metallic wallpapers from its rare collection.

Whitworth Art Gallery, until Oct 2009. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.

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Exhibitions

A Long Exposure: 100 Years of Guardian Photography

The Guardian appointed its first staff photographer, Walter Doughty, in 1908. A hundred years later, The Lowry celebrates the newspaper's distinctive pictorial style with an exhibition showing some of the most memorable images from the last century.

The Lowry, until March 1, 2009. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5794.

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Exhibitions

Black Panther: Emory Douglas and the Art of Revolution

The first UK exhibition by US graphic artist Emory Douglas - the official artist of the Black Panther Party and an unsung hero of the modern civil rights movement. Black Panther shows how Douglas's visual messages helped to encourage a largely illiterate community in the late 60s to challenge the police brutality, economic inequality and social injustice it was experiencing, against a backdrop of growing civil unrest.

Urbis, until April 19, 2009. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.

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Exhibitions

Putting on the Glitz

Whitworth Art Gallery showcases luxurious, metallic wallpapers from its rare collection.

Whitworth Art Gallery, Nov 8, 2008 - Oct 2009. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.

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Exhibition

Lindow Man: a Bog Body Mystery

The naturally preserved body of an Iron Age man is going on display at The Manchester Museum, on loan from the British Museum. Known as Lindow Man, the mummified body was discovered in a peat bog at Lindow Moss, Cheshire, in 1984. Thought to have died between AD20 and 90, he is notable for the savage way in which he was killed, which is suggestive of ritual sacrifice.

The Manchester Museum, April 19, 2008 - April 19, 2009. Free. Tel: 0161 275 2634.

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Theatre

Mary Poppins

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's award-winning family show Mary Poppins flies into Manchester this month, starring Lisa O'Hare as the magical nanny and Daniel Crossley as Bert. The musical extravaganza includes many of the original songs from the 1964 film, with music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.

Palace Theatre, Dec 11, 2008 - March 7, 2009. £12.50 - £42.50. Tel: 0844 847 2403.

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Theatre

Boeing-Boeing

Fasten your seatbelts for Tony Award-winning comedy Boeing-Boeing. Paris architect Bernard copes with his three air-hostess fiancees thanks to reliable timetables and a long-suffering housekeeper, who reluctantly plays the role of romantic air-traffic controller. But when his long lost cousin Robert arrives, things start to get turbulent.

The Lowry, Feb 2 - 7. £12 - £24. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Theatre

True Love Lies

The Royal Exchange stages the world premiere of True Love Lies - a new play by award-winning Canadian playwright Brad Fraser. Kane, Carolyn and their children find their relationships stretched to breaking point as they confront an emotional time bomb from the past in this wisecracking family drama.

The Royal Exchange Theatre, until Feb 21. £8.50 - £29.00. Tel: 0161 833 9833.

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Theatre

Palace of the End

Written by Canadian playwright Judith Thompson, Palace of the End is a hard-hitting triptych of monologues exposing the truth behind the headlines of the current conflict in Iraq. Don't miss its British premiere at The Studio, Royal Exchange Theatre, directed by Greg Hersov.

The Studio at the Royal Exchange, Feb 4 - 21. £9.50. Tel: 0161 833 9833.

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Theatre

Skin Deep

The Lowry hosts the world premiere of Opera North's new operetta, Skin Deep. Set in the clinic of cosmetic surgery genius Doktor Needlemeier, Skin Deep satirises a high society that is becoming increasingly obsessed with staying young and beautiful, whatever the cost. Sung in English, it lasts about two and a half hours.

The Lowry, Feb 26. £12 - £32. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Theatre

Mary Poppins

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's award-winning family show, starring Lisa O'Hare as the magical nanny and Daniel Crossley as Bert. The musical extravaganza includes many of the original songs from the 1964 film, with music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.

Palace Theatre, until March 7. £12.50 - £42.50. Tel: 0844 847 2403.

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Theatre

Rock 'n' Roll

The Library Theatre stages the regional premiere of Tom Stoppard's critically acclaimed drama, Rock 'n' Roll. Set over a period of 22 years, the play opens with Soviet tanks rolling into Czechoslovakia in 1968 and ends with a concert by the Rolling Stones in a newly free Prague in 1990. The plot centres around two different worlds - a group of Czechoslovakian dissidents battling against the totalitarian regime in their country, and a Cambridge University professor who is powerless to influence a changing world.

Library Theatre, Feb 13 - March 14. £7.35 - £18.10. Tel: 0161 236 7110.

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Comedy

Justin Moorhouse's Ever Decreasing Social Circle

Manchester comic Justin Moorhouse returns with his critically acclaimed new show. In the age of Facebook and Myspace, Moorhouse decides to explore his bulging address book and find his five true mates by a hilarious process of elimination.

The Lowry, Feb 13. £15. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Music

Legrand Jazz

An evening of jazz with Michel Legrand and his orchestra, featuring special guest Alison Moyet. A prolific composer, conductor and pianist, Legrand has won three Oscars and five Grammys during a career spanning more than half a century.

The Bridgewater Hall, Feb 3. £27.50 - £35. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Music

Juan Martin Flamenco Ensemble

Widely regarded as one of the top flamenco guitarists in the world, Juan Martin returns to Manchester to perform his own compositions, supported by a line-up of talented musicians and flamenco dancers.

The Bridgewater Hall, Feb 4. £16.50 - £19.50. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Music

Ray LaMontagne

Acclaimed American singer/songwriter Ray LaMontagne returns to the UK with a tour promoting his new album, Gossip In The Grain.

The Lowry, Feb 8. £19.09. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Music

The View

Dundee rockers The View embark on a UK tour that coincides with the launch of their album, Which Bitch?

Academy 2, Feb 9. £13. Tel: 0871 220 0260.

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Music

Barbara Dickson

One of the most enduring and popular entertainers in Britain today, Barbara Dickson is a multi-million selling recording artist with an equally impressive Olivier award-winning acting career.

The Bridgewater Hall, Feb 15. £22.50 - £24.50. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Music

Reel Big Fish

Southern California ska-punk stalwarts Reel Big Fish are on the road to promote their self-produced new album, Monkeys For Nothin' And The Chimps For Free.

Academy 2, Feb 15. £14. Tel: 0871 2200 260.

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Music

The Hot Jazz Ensemble

A concert inspired by the music of the great Louis Armstrong.

Peel Hall, The University of Salford, Feb 17. £4. Tel: 0161 295 6108.

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Music

Hayley Westenra

New Zealand singing sensation Hayley Westenra performs classical hits.

The Bridgewater Hall, Feb 21. £24.50 - £27.50. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Music

Il Divo

The 2009 world tour of international operatic group Il Divo rolls into town this month. The show features tracks from the quartet's new album, The Promise, alongside classics from its first three albums.

M.E.N Arena, Feb 21 & 22. £42.50 & £60. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Music

Metallica

Their first full UK tour in over a decade brings the legendary LA rockers back to Manchester this month. Hetfield & co. will be performing songs from their new album, Death Magnetic, with support from Machine Head and The Sword.

M.E.N Arena, Feb 26. £40. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Dance

Bare Bones 6

Six dancers from touring company Bare Bones present work by three internationally renowned choreographers - Rui Horta, Garry Stewart and Charlotte Vincent.

The Lowry, Feb 10 & 11. £12. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Circus

Cirque de Glace

A new breed of ice show, Cirque de Glace combines world-class skating and circus spectacle. Featuring the critically acclaimed Russian Ice Stars, the show brings to life the story of the creation of our planet and human evolution.

The Lowry, Feb 18 - 22. £20 - £27. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Sport

English National Badminton Championships

England's premier badminton event features some of the world's best players.

National Cycling Centre, Sportcity, Jan 30 - Feb 1. £8 - £14. Tel: 0844 847 1552.

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Sport

National Squash Championships

The cream of the country's squash talent battle it out for the coveted British Champion title.

National Squash Centre, Sportcity, Feb 9 - 15. £5 - £20. Tel: 0844 847 1688.

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Sport

Revolution Cycling

An exciting night of high-octane entertainment, combining racing action by international road and track cycling stars with music and lighting effects. Don't miss the opportunity to see Chris Hoy in action, following his Beijing triumph last summer.

National Cycling Centre, Sportcity, Feb 21. £10. Tel: 0161 223 2244.

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