RECREATION AND THE ARTS
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from China,
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festival was held from October 18 to November 3 and 10 overseas groups India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Middle East, the Philippines and Thailand were invited to take part. Local performers also played a significant part in the festival.
A total of 52 indoor performances were presented at the City Hall, the Ko Shan Theatre, the Space Museum Lecture Hall and the Hong Kong Coliseum, and 20 free performances were staged mostly in parks and playgrounds. The indoor and outdoor programmes attracted 50 825 and 26 540 people respectively.
In addition, 23 lectures and demonstrations by visiting and local artists were organised during the festival to promote appreciation and understanding of various art forms. Four museum exhibitions were held to coincide with the festival.
Hong Kong Arts Festival
The 1985 Hong Kong International Arts Festival was the most successful ever with box-office sales reaching close to 95 per cent of capacity. The Arts Festival is supported by the Urban Council, the Council for the Performing Arts and the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club.
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There was a strong emphasis on theatre in the programme with plays in three languages being performed by the Actors Theatre of Louisville, from the United States, the People's Art Theatre from Peking, the Urban Council's Hong Kong Repertory Theatre and the Seals Theatre Company of Hong Kong. Mime theatre, ever popular in Hong Kong, was presented by the Trestle Theatre from Britain.
Western opera, in the form of a festival production of The Barber of Seville was matched by a Chinese Opera from the Jing'an Shaoxing Opera Troupe of Shanghai, while choral and orchestral concerts featured the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the German Bach Ensemble, the Hong Kong Philharmonic and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. Chamber music and recitals by the British-based Chilingirian Quartet, the American guitarist Eliot Fisk and the British harpsichordist George Malcolm completed the traditional musical offerings. Less conventional were performances by the British-born comedienne Anna Russell, Canadian folk singers Kate and Anna McGarrigle, the Argentinian Cedron Tango Quartet and the Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble.
Hong Kong Festival Fringe
The shows that made up Fringe '85 were numerous and varied, including the Arts Fair, the Fringe 'On Campus', the Marathon Arts Relay, 56 shows, 42 exhibitions, 60 street performances and six workshops. An estimated 150 000 people attended these events.
The Fringe, which is given financial assistance by the Urban Council and the Arts Festival Society, is an open arts festival that takes place at the same time as the annual Hong Kong Arts Festival. All the artists present their shows at the Fringe with their own resources. The Fringe, as an organisation, does not select or set any standard for the works presented at the Fringe Club. The Fringe provides throughout the year a venue for aspiring performers to gain stage experience as well as for informal training in traditional art forms. The premises are made available rent-free by the government.
Arts Festivals and Entertainment Programmes in Non-Urban Areas
The Seventh Tsuen Wan Arts Festival, jointly organised by the Tsuen Wan District Board, the Tsuen Wan Culture and Recreation Co-ordinating Association and the Cultural Services Department (before the formation of the Regional Services Department), was held from February 10 to March 14. The Fifth Yuen Long Arts Festival, jointly organised by the