MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 1978
GOVERNOR OPENS ARTS FESTIVAL
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID THIS EVENING +A NEW DIMENSION IS BEING ADDED TO THE LEISURES OF AN EVER-WIDENING NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE, AND HONG KONG IS EVEN GETTING A NAME AS A BUDDING CENTRE OF THE ARTS.+
SIR MURRAY WAS SPEAKING AT THE GALA OPENING OF THE 1978 HONG KONG ARTS FESTIVAL IN THE CONCERT HALL, CITY HALL.
SIR MURRAY OBSERVED THAT IN THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS THIS ALLEGED DESERT HAS BLOOMED IN NEW CULTURAL MANIFESTATIONS OF EVERY SORT,
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+BUT FAR FROM BEING SURFEITED, CULTURAL APPETITES IN HONG KONG SEEM ONLY TO BE WHETTED, AND THE DEMAND GROWS FROM YEAR TO YEAR AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL AS WELL AS VISITING ARTISTS INCREASE, + SIR MURRAY SAID.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF SIR MURRAY'S SPEECH:
+ IT IS EXCITING TO BE AT THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER HONG KONG FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS. SHAKESPEARE WROTE IN TWELFTH NIGHT:
'IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, PLAY ON GIVE ME EXCESS OF IT THAT SURFEITING THE APPETITE MAY SICKEN AND SO DIE."
+WELL, THAT MAY WORK IN 16TH CENTURY. ENGLAND, BUT IT WILL NEVER WORK IN HONG KONG.
+ IN THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS THIS ALLEGED DESERT HAS
BUT FAR BLOOMED IN NEW CULTURAL MANIFESTATIONS OF EVERY SORT, FROM BEING SURFEITED, CULTURAL APPETITES IN HONG KONG SEEM ONLY TO BE WHETTED, AND THE DEMAND GROWS FROM YEAR TO YEAR AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL AS WELL AS VISITING ARTISTS INCREASE.
+AND INDEED A NEW DIMENSION IS BEING ADDED TO THE LEISURE OF AN EVER-WIDENING NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE, AND HONG KONG IS EVEN GETTING A NAME AA BUDDING CENTRE OF THE ARTS.
+THE BOLD SPIRITS WHO STARTED THE HONG KONG FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS SIX YEARS AGO PROVIDED THE STIMULANT FOR THIS SUDDEN UP SURGE IN CULTURAL INTEREST, AND CREDIT IS DUE TO THE URBAN COUNCIL FOR SUBSEQUENTLY CATERING FOR IT SO WELL.
+NOW, UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF SIR RUN RUN SHAW AND THE DIRECTION OF MR. CHARDET, THE FESTIVAL IS GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH.
+ONCE AGAIN WE ARE OFFERED WIDE CHOICE AND HIGH STANDARD AND WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO A MONTH OF VARIED ENJOYMENT.
+ WELCOME THE ARTISTS FROM ABROAD AND CONGRATULATE THOSE FROM HONG KONG WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN THIS FESTIVAL AND HAVE MUCH PLEASURE IN DECLARING WT OPEN.+
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