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In Chinese drama the plays ranged from the school perform- ance of the prize-winning play in the School Drama Competi- tion to Dr. S. I. Hsiung's 'Lady Precious Stream'. This was presented as a live show in Cantonese, and an adapted version of the play was broadcast by Radio Hong Kong in English. Other plays included 'Lady West' presented in Mandarin and depicting the last days of Imperial China, 'A Thousand Ingots of Gold', also in Mandarin and the presentations of other drama groups in Cantonese.
Musical events included the Schools Musical Festival Prize-Winners' Concerts and a rendering of 'Papageno' by one of the schools, 'The Creation' by the Hong Kong Singers and the Sino-British Orchestra, and concerts by the Hong Kong Choral Group and the Sino-British Chinese Modern Music Group.
Among the visiting celebrities during the year were Maurice Clare, Irene Kohler, Benjamin Britten, Peter Pears, Louis Kentner, Eugene Istomin, Dr. Reinhand Raffalt, M. Gafni, Piatigorsky, Yoko Kono and Annarosa Taddei; other visitors were Helen Henschel (Lady Claughton) who was adjudicator at the Schools Musical Festival and Hector J. McCurrach, examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Visiting groups included the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Westminster Choir, and a Folk Artists Group from China.
Some new societies were formed during the year, reflecting an increased interest in the arts. The formation of the Music Society and its enrolment of 800 members in this past year is noteworthy. An Oratorio Society has been established and has given its first concert. A new group, the Shakespeare Players, has presented its first play. The Hong Kong Society of Architects was formed in September, and it plans to stage exhibitions of architecture, including examples of local work and from overseas.
In the schools, music, drama and painting continue to