In Russia, the children of wealthy politicians dominate gossip pages and set trends. Some even mimic Western celebrities by creating brands carrying their surnames
By Natasha Singer
Americans who love celebrities follow the escapades of Lindsay Lohan and Angelina Jolie. The British consume themselves with the romantic lives of their royals. But in Moscow, where raw political power and big money hold sway, it is the children and grandchildren of politicians and oligarchs whose love lives, fashion tastes and socializing are widely chronicled and followed.

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Rhys Ifans started as part of rock 'n' roll band Super Furry Animals, then took a 10-year break from music to act.This year, he returns to music with a new group called Perth

By Sean O'Hagan
I arrive early for my meeting with Rhys Ifans and catch the tail end of a photo shoot. He is all dressed up in a pinstriped suit, open-necked shirt and shiny white winkle-picker boots, but he pulls it off somehow. In fact, he looks a bit like a Brit-rock star from the pre-punk Seventies: laddish, louche, larger than life, disheveled, in all the classy clobber.

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By Bradley Winterton
Two Mozart operas lead in the classical music field this month. First is a new production of Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) from Zurich Opera, conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Second is the unfinished Zaide, given a new angle by Israeli composer Chaya Czernowin. The first is an undoubted success, while the second is likely to appeal to the brave-hearted.

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By Blake Carter
Chinese painter Liu Xiaodong (劉小東), 44, is on a roll. Last year his New Three Gorges Resettlers broke sales records for a contemporary Chinese artist when it sold for US$2.75 million. (The record has nearly tripled since then.) He also made the tabloids at New Year's when model Lin Chi-ling (林志玲) flew to Guangdong to pose for him.

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By Ian Bartholomew
Nestled along Zhongshan North Road, Quercus, a new art gallery, has taken shape in recent weeks. Its collection ranges from colored glass vessels made by the owner, Martyn Barrett, to traditional objects like Chinese tea pots, painted ceramics and stone sculptures by local artists.

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