ENG-1991 — Page 371

RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

The council contributed a total of HK$573,000 to the Hong Kong Arts Festival 1991 to sponsor the debut of Cheek by Jowl in Hamlet, the Playwright Workshop conducted by Stephen Jeffreys, the opera The Marriage of Figaro directed by Stephen Lawless, and Ben Johnson's Volpone performed by the Chung Ying Theatre. The council also co-organised and co-sponsored the Guildhall Ensemble's visit to the Academy for Performing Arts; the David Hockney graphics touring exhibition Grimm's Fairytales at the Arts Centre and Urban Council Civic Centres; the Hand-Dupré Guitar Duo at the regional town halls and the British Film Week at the City Hall.

The British Council continued to provide grants-in-aid to young, aspiring local artists to further their training and development in the United Kingdom.

Cultural Events

The Urban and Regional Councils present year-round programmes of music, opera, dance, films and entertainments in their own venues. In addition, Hong Kong enjoys a wide variety of special events, such as the Arts Festival, the Festival Fringe, the Chinese Theatrical Arts Festival and the International Children's Arts Festival.

Hong Kong Arts Festival

Over its 19 years' history, the Hong Kong Arts Festival has developed a strong following with its audiences growing every year. In 1991, over 100 000 people attended the 144 performances in a festival lasting 23 days.

In one of the first tributes worldwide to mark the Mozart bi-centenary, the festival presented a host of international and local artists in the Mozart Series, including the New Mozart Ensemble with Melvyn Tan, a fortepiano recital by Paul Badura-Skoda and a special opera production and a Cantonese drama production of The Marriage of Figaro.

The festival has become known for the diversity and quality in its programme, above all in its music presentations. Among this year's highlights were conductor Simon Rattle with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, recitals by Mischa Maisky and Simon Preston, as well as early music, Japanese classical music and a host of jazz artists. Crossing all musical boundaries, the festival welcomed its first artist-in-residence clarinettist Richard Stoltzman.

Another festival first was the screening of Charlie Chaplin's City Lights, with the original orchestral score performed by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Carl Davis.

Bringing a traditional Chinese feel to the festival were the Hubei Province Peking Opera Troupe, the Central Conservatory Chinese Music Ensemble and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra.

The USA Dance Series awakened audiences to the possibilities of dance with the style and energy of the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballroom Theatre and the ISO Dance Theatre.

Theatre also played a leading role in the festival with English companies, the Royal Shakespeare Company and Cheek by Jowl, the Italian commedia dell'arte company Tag Teatro, and productions by local companies Hong Kong Repertory Theatre and Chung Ying Theatre Company.

With four exhibitions, workshops, talks and masterclasses the festival offered additional ways to help share and broaden artistic perceptions.

URBAN COUNCIL PUBLIC LIBRARIES

REFERENCE LIBRARY

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