Performing Arts

In 2006, the Department continued to fulfil its commitment to provide quality cultural performances commensurate with Hong Kong's development as Asia's world city. Throughout the year, a rich, diverse and innovative range of programmes featuring local and internationally renowned artists was presented, from the New Vision Arts Festival and traditional festival events for mass participation to audience-building activities at community and school levels. The Department also manages quality cultural performance facilities such as the Hong Kong Cultural Centre which are the cultural foci of locals and vibrant centres that facilitate cultural tourism.

A mesmerising dance performance by Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company (UK) at the New Vision Arts Festival.

One of the highlights in 2006 was the hosting by the Department of the 20^th International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) International Congress from June 6-11, which showcased the work of Hong Kong artists and raised Hong Kong's reputation internationally on the cultural front.

The Department gave full support to the Committee on Performing Arts and its three Sub-committees on funding policy, cultural presentations and programmes, and to venue policy by providing professional input and relevant information for discussion at meetings and public consultations. To follow up on the Recommendation Report (I) of the Committee, the Department will transfer the subvention for the four major performing arts companies and funding support for the six Hong Kong Arts Development Council three-year grant performing arts groups to the Home Affairs Bureau which will be endorsed by the newly set up Funding Committee from April 2007, establish the Committee on Venue Partnership to implement the Venue Partnership Scheme, and the Programme and Development Committee and six Art Form Panels to formulate strategies to identify and support the development of local budding and small-scale performing arts groups and review policies on programme planning and resource allocation in November.

Situated on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront and conceived as the premier arts centre in the territory, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre is the main performance venue for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hong Kong Ballet.

Catering for a wide variety of performing arts activities, the Centre comprises a 2 019-seat Concert Hall, a 1 734-seat Grand Theatre and a versatile Studio Theatre with a maximum capacity of 500. A total of 866 performances were staged in 2006, which attracted more than 831 000 patrons. Major highlights of the year included five large-scale festivals — the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong International Film Festival, International Arts Carnival, New Vision Arts Festival and the first International Festival of Inclusive Arts. The Hong Kong Cultural Centre also played host to the 2006 Annual Conference of the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres. Other memorable performances included the musical The Phantom of the Opera, Western operas Carmen and Le Nozze di Figaro, piano recitals by Lang Lang and Krystian Zimerman, concerts of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra with Yundi Li, conductor Charles Dutoit and pianist Martha Argerich with the Canton International Summer Music Academy Orchestra and the Cantonese opera Princess Chang Ping.

Mozart's well-known opera Le Nozze di Figaro is a comedy filled with laughter and tears, combining intricate relationships, vivid characters and humorous dialogue with delightful arias and gracious melodies.

The outdoor piazza of the Centre is an equally popular spot for spectacular functions including the International Museum Day, World Police Music Festival and Cantonese Opera Day.

Regular meetings were organised with the Centre's patrons and stakeholders to gauge their views as part of the Department's ongoing commitment to provide quality services. In meetings with patrons in 2006, encouraging feedback indicated the high satisfaction of patrons with the venue's facilities, environment, hygienic conditions, staff attitudes and frontline services in ticketing and public enquiries.

Opened in March 1962, Hong Kong City Hall was the first multipurpose cultural centre built for the Hong Kong community. It has hosted more than 10 000 outstanding local and overseas arts groups, and maintains an important link to the international arts scene, contributing to the convergence of the cultures of the East and West.

City Hall houses a 1 434-seat Concert Hall, a 463-seat Theatre, a 111-seat Recital Hall, a 590-square metre Exhibition Hall and a 260-square metre Exhibition Gallery. This year, 436 000 patrons attended 724 performances. There was a staggering range of performances — everything from classical music and Chinese opera to experimental dance, jazz and theatre. Artists who appeared included Ryuichi Sakamoto, Paul Badura Skoda, Tango Pasión with Sexteto Mayor Orchestra, Cantabile, Ensemble Planeta and Rockapella (in the a cappella series), Eugene Pao, Stancey Kent, Chris Botti and the Shanghai Pingtan Troupe. City Hall was also one of the main venues for four major annual arts festivals and the 20^th International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) International Congress.

The Concert Hall of Hong Kong City Hall provides the stage for eminent musicians from around the world to perform.

What took place on stage was complemented with the best possible service delivery off stage. Artists and the public expressed satisfaction not only with the quality of venue facilities but also with the client service standard, as reflected in feedback forms and customer liaison meetings.

A range of facilities for the arts is provided throughout Hong Kong, and serves as the focal point for cultural activities in the community. The facilities include larger venues such as the Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun town halls and the Kwai Tsing, Yuen Long and Ko Shan theatres, and smaller venues such as the Sai Wan Ho, Sheung Wan, Ngau Chi Wan and Tai Po civic centres and North District Town Hall.

To promote and encourage arts at the grassroots level, district arts bodies that organise cultural activities for the local community can enjoy the free use of these facilities through venue sponsorship. In 2006, around 100 community arts groups were offered sponsorship for a total of 562 activities that served over 152 000 people. Various independent organisations also frequently hired the ancillary facilities to organise arts-related activities.

It is the Government's standing policy to support the development of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong. To address the concern of the Cantonese Opera Advisory Committee, which was established by the Home Affairs Bureau in 2004, regarding the high demand for performing venues by the Cantonese opera sector, the Department introduced a series of measures for bookings by the Cantonese opera troupes. These measures include special advance booking arrangements at the Ko Shan Theatre, and priority booking over the Lunar New Year period at major performing venues and for the September slots at performing arts venues in the New Territories.

The Programme Partnership Scheme was launched in 2002 as an initiative to partner the LCSD with arts organisations to organise programmes at LCSD performing arts facilities. Under the scheme, proposals are invited from members of the arts community for the creative use of selected facilities over a period of time. An arts partnership has been forged between the managements of the venues and local arts groups to create well-conceived performing arts activities. These activities help to raise the profile of the performing arts facilities and allow tailor-made arts education programmes to be offered to local communities.

The scheme continued in 2006 with the Yuen Long Theatre and Tuen Mun Town Hall partnering with the Spring-Time Experimental Theatre, North District Town Hall partnering with the Harmonic Theatre, Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre partnering with the Wanchai Theatre, the Sheung Wan Civic Centre partnering with Theatre Space and Tsuen Wan Town Hall partnering with the Hong Kong Composers' Guild. Activities including drama, dance and music performances, workshops and arts classes were organised. A total of 74 performances and 46 activities were arranged, with an attendance of over 20 500.