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To commemorate the centenary of the death of playwright Ibsen, his masterpiece Doll House performed by Mabou Mines Company (United States) and The Wild Duck produced by the Hong Kong Federation of Drama Societies were presented by the department.
Creating greater appreciation of Chinese opera is a key objective of the department. In line with this aim, it organised the fourth Cantonese Opera Day which was held on the last Sunday in November. The event was part of the 'Bravo! A Cantonese Opera Fiesta!' series. Newly commissioned works included Recollection of Dreams, Nine Heroines of the Tang Dynasty, the Ravaged Plum Blossoms Bloom Again and a special programme to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of veteran artist Sit Kok-sin.
Chinese opera highlights from other regions included the Peking Opera Gala and a re-run of the young cast Kunqu Opera The Peony Pavilion produced by Pai Hsien- yung.
The LCSD also presents a diverse range of thematic film programmes and cooperates with consulates in Hong Kong, and cultural and film institutions to present film and video shows. Major programmes in 2006 included The Glorious Modernity of Kong Ngee, the International Children's Film Carnival, A Retrospective of Mainland-Hong Kong Co-productions of the 80s and 90s, the Microwave International New Media Arts Festival and the 35th French Cinepanorama.
The LCSD also assisted in the holding of major local film events by providing venues for them to be staged. These events included the annual Hong Kong International Film Festival and Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony. The LCSD provides funds to the Hong Kong Arts Centre to hold its annual Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards ceremony.
The department continued to cooperate with consulates-general and cultural institutions to promote cultural exchanges and to sponsor cultural events such as the Le French May, the Year of Italy in China and the Year of Russia in China.
Entertainment Programmes
During the year, a total of 651 carnivals and entertainment programmes were organised by the LCSD. More than 1 million people turned up to these events.
Outdoor extravaganzas included the Lunar New Year Lantern Carnival, Mid- Autumn Lantern Carnival and the New Year's Eve Countdown Carnival. A new Youth Band Marathon was introduced during the year, featuring local youth bands that performed in different styles and catered to different tastes. The summer highlight, 'O, Recharge Station', was staged in Stanley and Sai Kung. This year's Asian Ethnic Cultural Programmes featured Korean artists performing both traditional and modern dance and rendered a similar mix of music.
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