The Cultural Presentations Section offered music, dance, Chinese opera, theatre and multi-media performing arts programmes throughout the year. These ranged from the traditional to the cutting edge and offered Hong Kong audiences with the best from local artists as well as from international stars. About 1,800 performances were presented, attracting a total audience of 660,113.

Highlight programmes were grouped thematically to enhance interest and attraction. These included the Encore Series featuring renowned musicians, the Guqin Music Series, the Jazz Up Series, the Young Soloists Series, the Music Rendezvous — City Hall Concert Hall Series, and the Cheers Series.

Top musicians from around the world were featured, including the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra with Yuri Temirkanov, Sarah Chang and the English Chamber Orchestra, pianist Lang Lang, guitarist John Williams, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore and jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd. A newly commissioned production of the Italian opera Macbeth was also staged with success.

A scene from the Italian opera Macbeth.

Exciting dance programmes included the Paco Pena Flamenco Dance Company from Spain, Ultima Vez/Wim Vandekeybus from Belgium, renowned groups from mainland China including The Song and Dance Ensemble of the People's Liberation Army General Political Department, the Taipei Crossover Dance Company, the Hong Kong Ballet and the City Contemporary Dance Company.

The Cantonese Musical Eleven Cats co-produced by the Chung Ying Theatre Company with Japanese artists.

Among the major theatre programmes were the spectacular pantomime performance by the legendary Marcel Marceau, a Cantonese Musical Eleven Cats co-produced by the Chung Ying Theatre Company with Japanese artists, and a multi-media performance Good Wind Like Water created by Zuni Icosahedron with artists of different art forms from Nanjing, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Multi-media performance Good Wind Like Water created by Zuni Icosahedron with artists using different art forms.

On the multi-arts front, highlights included Switzerland's Mummenschanz Next, Les Deux Mondes and Theatre de L'oeil from Canada, The Little Mermaid by the Ming Ri Theatre Company and the Guangxi Puppet Art Troupe of China and a local multi-media music theatre production The Little Match Girl by the Shu Ning Presentation Unit.

A number of major Chinese Opera programmes were organised, among them was the Heroic Heroines of Peking Opera by three outstanding wudans in Peking Opera from Shanghai, Shenyang and Guiyang. Newly commissioned Cantonese Opera works included The Story of Xiao Yuebai (Part I&II) adapted from the story by Lee Ngor, Madame Butterfly, Chu Han Conflict, The Story of the Wooden Hairpin, The Flight of Chang'e to the Moon and The Story of Wu Zixu (Part I&II).

Major Chinese Opera programmes were organised during the year with great success.

The department also co-operated with local Consulate-Generals from various countries and cultural organisations for sponsoring and jointly presenting large scale events. This helped foster cultural exchange and enhance mutual understanding as well as consolidating Hong Kong as Asia's world city.