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Mr Wilford
PS Mr. Royle
RV
n
12016
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HONG KONG ARTS FESTIVAL
1. On Mr Crowson's submission of 15 May Mr Royle minuted
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that he would like to write and congratulate the Governor
and Mr Hunter. I attach drafts accordingly.
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2.
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The draft to Mr Hunter also refers to his letter to
Mr Royle of 24 May. On the advice of Cultural Exchange
Department our draft does not allude to the possibility of
a visit to China by the London Symphony Orchestra, which
Mr Hunter also mentions in his letter, because the prospects
for such a visit are apparently not encouraging at present. 3. The only real failure of the festival was that too many of the tickets were allotted in blocks to foreign tourist
operators, who did not always use them, and the arrangements for sale to local people, particularly students, were too
rudimentary. As a result the Danish ballet, for example,
performed before very empty halls and a group of Hong Kong
University students, whom I met at lunch with the Governor,
complained that they had not been able to get tickets. The
Governor is well seized of this minor administrative slip up.
4. Mr Royle wondered whether it might be worthwhile getting a member of the Royal Family to open the Festival next year, and suggested Prince Charles as a possibility. We have taken this suggestion up with Protocol & Conference Department.
Their first reaction is to doubt whether Frince Charles would
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