RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
320
Among the world-renowned artists and groups who performed in the centre during 1991 were Jose Carreras, Isaac Stern, Pinchas Zukerman, Ofra Harnoy, Ivo Pogorelich, Alexis Weissenberg, Dimitris Sgouros, Fou Ts'ong, Cumbre Flamenca, Joffrey Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Spanish National Ballet, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
The centre also plays an important role in promoting the local arts scene by staging performances by local artists and companies, and by making its facilities available for hire to cultural organisations. The centre is also the home of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.
To foster and develop public interest in the performing arts, the centre organises a wide range of free foyer programmes throughout the year, as well as regular organ recitals on its 93-stop, 8 000-pipe Austrian organ, one of the largest of its type in the world.
Total attendance at functions in the concert hall, grand theatre and studio theatre in 1991 was well over 547 000.
City Hall
The City Hall remained a major cultural centre on Hong Kong Island for performing arts activities. Occupying an area of 11 000 square metres, it has a concert hall, a theatre, two exhibition galleries, a small recital hall, conference rooms, a large public library, and Chinese and western restaurants.
The City Hall provides excellent venues for western and Chinese orchestral concerts and operas; drama, ballet and other dance performances; vocal and instrumental concerts; puppet shows; films; lectures, and conferences. During the year, 394 000 people attended 779 performances and 116 exhibitions were held.
Ko Shan Theatre
The Ko Shan Theatre is the only semi-open-air theatre in Hong Kong. It has 3 000 seats of which 2 000 are in the open.
Equipped with sophisticated lighting, sound and projection systems, the theatre is suitable for a wide variety of cultural and entertainment events. Popular Cantonese operas and operatic songs are frequently staged there. The second most popular events are rock concerts. In 1991, 13 495 people attended 180 performances in the theatre.
Civic Centres
―
The Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre - the Urban Council's first fully-fledged community arts centre has a 443-seat theatre, a 350 square metre exhibition hall, a 90-seat lecture room, two music practice rooms and a dance practice area. The centre's theatre was booked for 175 days, for 156 different kinds of performances, including drama, dance, variety shows as well as formal ceremonies, before audiences of more than 40 000 persons. The exhibition hall was used for 211 days for staging 24 exhibitions during the year, attracting some 16 400 people.
Completed in December 1988, the Sheung Wan Civic Centre is the second fully-fledged community arts centre and has a 511-seat theatre, a 150-seat lecture hall, an exhibition hall, a rehearsal hall, a dance practice room, four music practice rooms and two art studios. The centre is a control focal point for residents of Central and Western. The Urban Council's