RECREATION AND THE ARTS
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cultural and educational organisations, each providing courses of instruction and arts facilities. It also has European and Chinese restaurants and, on the top floor, a members' club equipped with its own lounge, library and bar.
The Arts Centre is an independent enterprise. It is not subsidised from public funds, although the government provided the site and guaranteed final building costs. The opening of the centre has been made possible largely through the donations of individuals and companies in Hong Kong - and this support is continuing.
The provision of such an important cultural facility without subsidies is a considerable achievement and one of which Hong Kong feels particularly proud.
City Hall
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Hong Kong's foremost and oldest cultural centre is the City Hall which, unlike similar centres overseas, is almost entirely devoted to the arts. The cultural life of Hong Kong has centred around the City Hall since it opened in 1962. The two build- ings that make up the City Hall -- the High and Low Blocks -- are administered by the Urban Council.
Located in the City Hall are a 1,500-seat concert hall that can be quickly converted for opera and drama productions; an intimate 470-seat theatre that doubles as a cinema; two exhibition halls; lecture rooms; conference and class space; two restau- rants; two bars; the Hong Kong Museum of Art and libraries. With the ever- increasing interest in cultural activities in Hong Kong, a new recital hall has been added to the existing facilities and, since the inaugural concert in the hall in 1976, many events have been staged there.
In 1977, 74 overseas performers, some of whom appeared with the assistance of various consulates and national cultural organisations - including the Goethe Institute, the Alliance Francaise and the Dante Alighieri Society - appeared at the City Hall. Among them were the Sydney String Quartet; the Barrel-house Jazzband of Frankfurt; the Music Group of London; pianists Rafael Orozco and Michel Beroff; the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra; the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre; the Viennese Operetta Festival; the Italian Film Festival; the Theatre of Silence Dance Company from France; the Dublin Theatre Festival Company; guitarist Jean-Pierre Jumez and flautist Karl-Bernard Sebon.
The Urban Council takes an active interest in promoting local artistic talent. Local performers appear regularly at the City Hall and the demand for the facilities there is heavy. During the year, the Urban Council promoted local artists in 47 concerts of Chinese and Western music and in 59 productions of opera, drama and dance. The Hong Kong Philharmonic, in its fourth professional season, performed 24 different programmes in 46 concerts.
In addition to Urban Council presentations, local music groups and soloists gave 216 concerts at the City Hall. Chinese and English drama groups, both amateur and professional, presented 158 performances.
Two major ventures by the Urban Council in 1977 were decisions to set up the Hong Kong Chinese Music Orchestra and the Hong Kong Repertory Company on a professional basis. The orchestra made its debut at the Urban Council's Second Festival of Asian Arts and since then has given a number of concerts. The aim is to develop Chinese music using traditional instruments.