RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
342
The Atherton and Friends series brought the season to a splendid close with three renowned string instrumentalists playing solo, double or triple concertos during four weekends, giving Hong Kong audiences the opportunity to enjoy some of the most popular, and several rarely-heard, string masterpieces.
Highlights of the first half of the 1992-93 season were the appearances of internationally- acclaimed artists such as French horn player Barry Tuckwell, tenor Robert Tear, pianist John Lill and organist Peter Hurford.
The year also saw the release of an educational music video featuring Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals, a melange of animated puppets and theatre. The video was the first such family video shown in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Repertory Theatre
The Hong Kong Repertory Theatre staged nine productions in 121 performances in 1993, attracting 55 820 people.
Two of the productions, Shakespeare's King Lear and Jerry Sterner's Other People's Money, were staged in Cantonese and Putonghua and directed by the company's Artistic Director, Daniel Yang. A revival production and a new production, both on Hong Kong themes and written by the company's Playwright-in-Residence, Raymond To, were also featured. The others were mostly translated plays.
Apart from staging its regular productions, the company also toured schools and community centres regularly, giving free performances, lecture-demonstrations and workshops. In 1993, the company gave 62 such performances to a total audience of 15 000.
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra is Hong Kong's only professional Chinese music orchestra.
In 1993, the 85-member orchestra celebrated its 16th professional season and gave 106 performances under the baton of its new Music Director, Henry Shek, and various local and overseas guest conductors, attracting 90 196 people.
Apart from regular concerts, the orchestra presented ensemble concerts, participated in district arts festivals, and organised free outreach performances at community arts centres and schools. In November, the orchestra gave two performances in Guangzhou, China.
Recognised as one of the world's leading Chinese orchestras, it explores new frontiers in Chinese music by experimenting with new techniques and styles. The orchestra has continued to expand its repertoire by commissioning new works by both local and overseas composers.
Hong Kong Dance Company
The Hong Kong Dance Company is the only professional Chinese dance company in the territory to present Chinese traditional and folk dances and full-length dance dramas choreographed on Chinese and Hong Kong themes.
In 1993, the company presented five productions a new dance drama choreographed by the company's Rehearsal Master Leung Kwok-shing, two revivals, a dancers' choreo- graphy showcase and a dance showcase of the minority nationalities of China. A total of 21 performances were staged, attracting 12 945 people. In addition, the company also gave free performances and lecture-demonstrations, in schools and community arts centres, to 39 800 people.