The Cultural Presentations Section offers music, dance, Chinese opera, theatre and multimedia performing arts programmes throughout the year. These range from the traditional to the cutting edge and offer Hong Kong audiences the best of local artists and international stars. In 2005, 1 974 performances took place, attracting a total audience of over 715 000.

Programmes were grouped thematically to enhance interest in the performances. In 2005, these included the Encore Series featuring renowned musicians, and other series including the Chinese Regional Zheng Music Series, the Hong Kong City Hall Theatre Series, Jazz Up and the family programme Cheers Series.

Top musicians from around the world performed, including the first ever visit of the Berliner Philharmoniker under the baton of its Chief Conductor Sir Simon Rattle, the returning visit of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Chinese pianist Lang Lang as soloist, violinist Midori, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, guitarist John Williams, instrumentalist Richard Harvey, Borodin String Quartet and the Chick Corea Elektric Band. A new production of the Italian opera Turandot was staged during the year. There were also high-quality concerts by established local groups including the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

	Thousands of music lovers felt the pulse of the stunning performance of the Berliner Philharmoniker in its first visit to Hong Kong, broadcast live at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza.

	World-renowned pianist Lang Lang accompanied the Philadelphia Orchestra to present Tchaikovsky's fine music.

	Turandot, an Italian opera classic, was performed by a strong cast of local and overseas singers and artistic talents.

Highlights of modern dance programmes included the Lyon Opera Ballet as a Year of France in China programme and the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. Other dance programmes presented were classical ballet by the Russian National Ballet Theatre, flamenco dance by Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras (Spain) and Korean dance by the Seoul Performing Arts Company. Chinese ethnic dance by the Tibet Autonomous Region Song and Dance Troupe was featured as a celebration of the 40^th anniversary of the establishment of the Tibet Autonomous Region, and the Guangdong Song and Dance Theatre was presented as a Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Cooperation Project. In addition, performances by the Red Star Dance Company of the People's Liberation Army Academy of Art were well received.

		Lyon Opera Ballet's Tricodex is a work created by the French cinema, circus, and theatre artist Philippe Decouflé with much theatrical wit.

		Suenos, a showcase of the various traditional forms of flamenco, was performed by Sara Baras together with a company of dancers and a live music ensemble, giving the Hong Kong audience an impressive night.

	The fascinating performance of Mysterious Tibet by the Tibet Autonomous Region Song and Dance Troupe.

Major theatre hits of the year included the Solo/Double/Male/Female Series featuring four monologues by four veteran actors, Linda Marlowe and Gareth Armstrong from the UK and Shou Mei-kwan and Lee Chun-chow from Hong Kong; an adaptation of the Greek tragedy Dionysus that combined elements of Noh and Kabuki with Western realism, directed and designed by Tadashi Suzuki; and The Argument by the UK physical company Theatre O. Other programmes included Broadway Musical Highlights by the Young Ambassadors of Brigham Young University from the USA and the touring performances of Meat & Two Veg by Cartoon de Salvo from the UK. In addition to visiting companies, collaboration with over 15 local theatre groups continued and many of the works presented or sponsored were new creations.

		Dionysus was directed by the internationally acclaimed Japanese theatre director, Tadashi Suzuki.

	The Argument, a brilliant performance by Theatre O from the UK.

On the multi-arts front, highlights included the spectacular Year of France in China event Ola Kala by Les Arts Sauts (France) in Victoria Park. This flying trapeze act, which took place inside a 50-metre diameter white dome, blending acrobatics, singing, live music accompaniment and technical feats, drew overwhelming response from the media and audiences with its surreal and poetic elegance. Among other full-house programmes were the China Chongqing Girls' Acrobatics Art Troupe, the Shu Ning Presentation Unit's Peter Pen and Wendy and Jean Cocteau's classic movie Beauty and the Beast with live music accompaniment by contemporary composer Philip Glass and his Ensemble (USA). Other popular programmes included Boom by Chapertons Comic Theatre (Spain), Loons under the Moon by the Pancakes and The Legend of Magic by Li Ning with the China Acrobatic Circus.

	Ola Kala by Les Arts Sauts (France), a showcase of acrobatics, songs and live music inside a 50-metre diameter white dome.

		The China Chongqing Girls' Acrobatics Art Troupe performed Circling in the Air, which had won the Special Award of the 13th Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival.

The promotion of the appreciation of Chinese opera has always been a key objective. Being one of the major advocates of the Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Cooperation Conference, the series named Bravo! A Cantonese Opera Fiesta! centred around the Cantonese Opera Day and was presented in November/December. Other programmes included the New Cantonese Opera's An Incident at Tongque Tower and Monk Biancai Releases the Evil Spirit, and the Nanning Cantonese Opera Troupe of Guangxi. Chinese opera highlights from other regions included the Shanghai Shaoxing Opera Group, the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe, the Peking Opera Gala and the Chinese Regional Opera of Jingnan featuring three different opera genres.

	The Cantonese Opera Day held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre was well received by the public.

	Winning the Hand of the Top Beauty by the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe.

The department also co-operated with consulates-general from different countries and cultural organisations in presenting programmes. The sponsored and jointly presented events helped foster cultural exchange and understanding, and further affirmed Hong Kong as Asia's world city.