The International Arts Carnival, an annual summer event, offers performing arts programmes and educational arts activities for children, teenagers and their families in the form of music, dance, drama, puppetry, mime, magic, acrobatics, physical comedy and children’s films.
A comic moment from a performance at the opening ceremony of the International Arts Carnival 2013.
The 2013 carnival opened with the extraordinary acrobatic dance programme Architecture in Motion by the Diavolo Dance Theater from the USA. Following the opening were a diverse array of visiting programmes including Body Rhapsody by the Teatro Hugo & Ines from Peru, Shadowland by the Pilobolus Dance Theatre from the USA, Impression of Hua Mulan by the Hebei Acrobatic Troupe, BabyO and SensoryO by the Scottish Opera from the UK, and Da Capo! – Quasi Concert by the Konk Brothers from Italy and Norway.
To encourage parents to take part in performing arts activities with their children, three local arts groups/ artists were commissioned to create new works which included Theatre Ronin’s Legend of the Ocean: La La & the Litter Castle, Fong Fong Projet d’Art’s Hong Kong is Our Eco Home, and Harry Wong’s MAN2BOY.
A brilliant blend of gymnastics, acrobatics and dynamic choreography of the utmost precision, Architecture in Motion by the Diavolo Dance Theater opened the International Arts Carnival 2013.
To enhance youth participation in arts and cultural activities, two local budding arts groups were invited to curate creative youth workshops and performances for the New Generation Series. These consisted of Trinity Theatre’s Who Are You? Who Am I?, and Orange A Cappella’s Do You Sing? Dare to Sing!. Complementing the series was a hip-hop dance programme B-Boying Gala Show – One Dream by a stylish crew of Korean b-boys, LAST FOR ONE.
From July 5 to August 11, 2013, a total of seven visiting and 51 local arts groups/ artists participated in 426 carnival events, attracting an audience of around 158 400. The average attendance at ticketed events was 96 per cent of capacity.
The fifth edition of the World Cultures Festival under the theme Lasting Legacies of Eastern Europe featured some of the most representative artists and art forms from the region.
Opening the festival was the contemporary ballet Anna Karenina by the Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg, Russia. On the dramatic front, two award-winning directors showcased their masterpieces; one was Lev Dodin of the Maly Drama Theatre of St. Petersburg – Theatre of Europe, with Uncle Vanya, and the other was Krystian Lupa of the Dramatic Theatre of the City of Warsaw, Poland, with Persona. Marilyn.
Using innovative choreography to interpret Tolstoy’s classic novel, Anna Karenina from the Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg was acclaimed by both audiences and critics.
Uncle Vanya, performed by the Maly Drama Theatre of St. Petersburg, addresses eternal themes of joy and sorrow through bitter-sweet moments of ordinary life.
The dynamic concert by the Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra from Hungary was transmitted by outdoor live relay to the Piazza of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, creating a festive outdoor atmosphere on the night. Other highlights of visiting programmes included a performance by the Don Cossacks State Academic Song and Dance Ensemble in honour of Anatoly Kvasov from Russia, Romafest Gypsy Dance Theatre of Romania’s Romafest – A Gypsy Song and Dance Fiesta, Divna and Melodi from Serbia with The Soul of Orthodox Chant, and work by the Terem-Quartet from Russia. Local programmes complementing the festival included Class 7A Drama Group’s The Memorandum and JohnChen Ensemble’s Uasiankrainian Jam.
A live outdoor relay of the concert by the Budapest Gypsy Symphony Orchestra entertained a large audience in the Piazza of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
During the month-long festival, eight visiting and five local arts groups/ artists presented 119 events, including extension activities such as exhibitions, film and video screenings, workshops, talks, meet-the-artist sessions, school tours as well as an arts criticism mentorship programme. The festival attracted an audience of around 124 700 in total, with an average attendance of 84 per cent of capacity for ticketed events.
