From Jan. 6 through Feb. 3, in honor of the world debut of “Madame White 
Snake”, commissioned by Opera Boston, there will be a Chinese Culture 
Exhibit in Hunneman Hall and the three first floor display cases at the 
Main Library, and in the display case at Coolidge Corner.  On display in 
Hunneman Hall: Chinese Brush painting and calligraphy by renowned artist 
and Brookline resident, Mrs. Chao-Mei Lin, joined by professionals from 
the Chinese America Fine Arts Society, and teachers and students from the 
Newton Chinese Language School.  The opening reception will be held in 
Hunneman Hall on Thursday, Jan. 7, from 5:30-8 p.m.  From 6-7 p.m. 
winners of the 2009 Chinese Music Competition will perform on traditional 
Chinese instruments.  There will also be a live demonstration of brush 
painting and calligraphy.

“Opera Boston has commissioned its first work, an exciting project that 
will take the troupe to China. "Madame White Snake" is a new opera based 
on an ancient Chinese legend, by composer Zhou Long and librettist Cerise 
Lim Jacobs of Brookline. It's Opera Boston's first commission - actually 
a co-commission with the Beijing Music Festival (BMF), which will become 
the first world premiere collaboration between the BMF and an American 
company. "Madame White Snake" make her world debut with three 
performances Feb. 26 and 28, and March 2, 2010 at the Cutler Majestic 
Theatre in Boston and two performances in Beijing in October 2010, before 
moving to several other Chinese cities.” From Hub.Arts.com by Joel Brown, 
November 10, 2009.