RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
Entertainment Programmes
The Urban Council organised 312 entertainment programmes throughout urban areas in parks, playgrounds, community halls, commercial plazas and community arts centres. during the year. Most of these were free and were attended by more than 248 000 people.
For the first time, the council presented a Cantonese Operatic Songs Parade '90, featuring a series of 18 performances attended by 8 000 people.
Other annual territory-wide entertainment events organised by the council included the Spring Lantern Festival, the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, the Concert in the Park, the Summer Fun Festival, the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnivals and the Christmas Carnival. About 256 000 people attended these events. The Urban Council also played a co-ordinating role in various territory-wide events including the Lunar New Year Fireworks Display.
Regional Council Presentations
The Regional Council presented a balanced programme of music, opera, drama, dance, film shows and other performing arts to cater to the diverse tastes of local residents and to build up new audiences.
In presenting established artists of high standing and appeal as well as novel programmes, the council aims to broaden the horizons of audiences in their appreciation of the arts. In 1990, it presented a wide range of overseas groups including the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra from Yugoslavia, the Leningrad State Ballet Theatre and the Moscow Children's Choir from the Soviet Union, the Grand Kabuki from Japan, the Royal Ballet of Flanders from Belgium, the Toelz Boys' Choir from Germany, the Boys' Choir of Harlem and the Magical Moonshine Theatre from the United States, the I Solisti Italiani from Italy and the Shanxi Song and Dance Troupe from China.
To provide more opportunities for residents to attend performances of world-class status, plans are in hand to collaborate with the Hong Kong Arts Festival and the Urban Council to jointly organise more cultural programmes in the New Territories.
Ample performing opportunities were given to leading as well as burgeoning local performing groups, such as the Chor Fung Ming Opera Troupe, the Chung Sun Sing Opera Troupe, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Ballet, the Chung Ying Theatre Company, the Sha Tin Theatre Company, Anonymity Dramatic Club and the New Territories District Children's Choirs. The council also established close links with various district arts organisations in order to develop local talents.
In 1990, the number of programmes presented by the Regional Council amounted to 538, reaching a total of audience of 333 040.
Entertainment Programmes
The Regional Council regularly presents free cultural and entertainment programmes in community halls, playgrounds or open spaces to provide community leisure activities for residents in the vicinity. In 1990, a total of 339 programmes were organised attracting 215 720 people.
Such free programmes, including Chinese music, Western music, Chinese folk dance, modern dance, Cantonese opera, puppet shows, pop shows and variety shows, provided opportunities for budding artists to improve their performing skills. These performances also help to preserve the cultural heritage of Chinese puppetry.
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