the spring of 1949. Mr. Yeung had originally offered to present a large section of his collection to the Government on certain con- ditions, which included the founding of a Government Museum to house it. In the summer of 1949 the Government requested the assistance of the British Museum to advise on the collection, and Mr. Soame Jenyns of the Department of Oriental Antiquities flew out to Hong Kong and after examining the collection advised the Government to decline Mr. Yeung's offer and instead offer to purchase outright 165 selected pieces. Mr. Jenyns' advice was taken, and the Legislative Council approved the purchase of the pieces, which include some fine examples of Han dynasty tomb pottery, a superb collection of early bronze mirrors, and several valuable pieces of Sung and Ming porcelain which are now housed at the Fung Ping Shan Library, where they are available for study purposes.
The Sino-British Orchestra has continued to maintain a good standard of playing, and it has now reached the satisfactory position in public esteem where it is extremely difficult to get seats for one of its concerts without booking well in advance. The Stage Club, the Garrison Players and other amateur dramatic societies have presented plays throughout the year, but from the point of view of the Westerner with an interest in things Chinese probably the most interesting dramatic event of the year was the Wah Yan College production of "A Lizard is No Dragon". This play was another in the series started by Father Sheridan, SJ. and Mr. Wong Chin Wah, who have worked in collaboration to produce authentic Cantonese plays in the English language. All the proper Chinese dramatic conventions are observed in these productions, and even the songs, also in English, are set to melodies in Cantonese style. The plays, which are well acted and produced on the small stage of the Wah Yan College hall, are unique of their kind and among the most interesting and entertaining pieces of dramatic art to be seen in the Far East.
The
In October the British Council inaugurated a series of broadcasts over Radio Hong Kong with the idea of conveying to the Chinese public an idea of the British way of life, British points of view on subjects of mutual interest, and excerpts from British music. Council has also provided Radio Hong Kong with the scores of a number of chamber music works by contemporary British composers, with a view to stimulating local interest in this kind of music. Already several of these works have been performed, the most notable example being the performance of Edmund Rubbra's Second Violin and Piano Sonata, which was given by two Chinese artists.
The bi-centenary of the death of J. S. Bach was observed in the Colony; the Hong Kong Singers gave a Bach concert, which was attended by the Officer Administering the Government, at the Roof Garden of the Hong Kong Hotel, and Radio Hong Kong broadcast a play on the life of Bach, written specially for the occasion.
During April Mr. Edmund Blunden, the distinguished poet and essayist, spent several days in the Colony on his way from Tokyo to London, and lectured to the University on the subject of Falstaff. He also lectured at the British Council Centre where he read extracts from and commented on the English poets of the romantic revival.
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