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RECREATION AND THE ARTS

Among the internationally-acclaimed artistes who performed under the council's auspices were the pianists Andre Tchaikovsky, Peter Katin and Nicole Wickihalder; violinist Salvatore Accardo; sitarist Ravi Shankar; vocalists Joann Grillo, Richard Kness, Elly Ameling and the Scholars; cellist Rohan de Saram; guitarists Alice Artzt and Julian Byzantine; the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra; the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra; the California Chamber Symphony; the Gulbenkian Orchestra; soloists from the Royal Danish Ballet; the Dance Theatre of Harlem; the National Ballet Company of Portugal and the Dublin Festival Theatre Company.

The Urban Council also takes an active part in promoting local artistic talent. In July and August, the Third Chinese Opera Festival was held, featuring Peking, Chekiang and Cantonese operas in a total of 11 performances. In addition, a number of talented new- comers made their debut under the council's sponsorship in the Young Artistes Series. During the year, the Urban Council presented 56 vocal and instrumental recitals, 22 opera performances and 22 Chinese and Western dance performances.

Festival of Asian Arts

The Fifth Festival of Asian Arts was held in Hong Kong for 17 days from October 16. This major artistic event, organised by the Urban Council, attracted more than 400 participants from Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey. They were joined by over 2,000 local performers.

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Altogether, 151 events covering a wide spectrum of the arts in Asia were staged at the City Hall, the Hong Kong Space Museum and at various outdoor venues on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon. Five exhibitions on Australian aborigines, Chinese anti- quities, the art of Chen Shu-jen, contemporary Philippine art and Singapore paintings, were also held. Well over 433,000 people were entertained by these performances at indoor and outdoor venues. Over the past five years, the festival has developed into a cultural event of considerable local and regional significance.

Hong Kong Arts Festival

During the month-long Arts Festival, held during February, Hong Kong audiences enjoyed 85 performances by a distinguished gathering of international and local artistes.

Theatrical productions were provided by the Arena Stage Company from the United States, whose two presentations You Can't Take It With You and After the Fall, played to capacity houses. The Hong Kong Repertory Theatre produced a Cantonese drama based on the well-known novel by Lao Tse, The Rickshaw-Puller Camel Cheung, while English- language presentations included reviews by well-established local drama groups and a presentation of the musical Cole.

The National Ballet of Spain delighted audiences of all ages with their rich and varied programmes of folk and regional dances.

Of particular note were the performances by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra gave 10 concerts and featured works by prominent New Zealand composers, which were played for the first time in Hong Kong.

Another highlight of the festival programme was a production of Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale, by an entirely local cast. It featured soloists of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and a fascinating blend of East and West in its imaginative choreography and narration.