ENG-1991 — Page 372

RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

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Hong Kong Festival Fringe

Since its founding nine years ago, the Festival Fringe has developed from an annual open arts festival into a successful year-round operation that gives the emerging artists of Hong Kong the opportunity to hone their skills and create new works.

The Festival Fringe 1991, staged for three weeks in January, was attended by some 300 000 people.

Manned by a small and dedicated staff and open throughout the year, the Fringe Club provides artists with rent-free venues for performances and exhibitions. Its facilities include a 100-seat theatre, several rehearsal studios, a bar with an exhibition area, a pottery workshop with showroom, a restaurant, a gallery and offices. The Fringe Club arranges performances, exhibitions and classes on a year-round basis. It also houses a Theatre Workshop and a Mime and Movement Laboratory. An active outreach programme chalked up over 300 shows and special projects during the year.

Urban Council Presentations

To bring the arts to people from all walks of life, the Urban Council invited overseas and local artists to present a varied programme of music, opera, drama, dance, film shows and other forms of art in 1991. These totalled 387 performances attracting 272 353 during the year.

== A wide variety of programmes was presented, including orchestral performances by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Czecho- Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra; instrumental recitals by Alexei Sultanov, David Titterington, John Browning, Cecile Ousset, Jean-Pierre Rampal and Ruggiero Ricci; vocal recitals by Jose Carreras, Leona Mitchell and Aprile Millo, and concerts by St. John's College Choir, London Mozart Players, Xinjing Ethnic Troupe, Paco de Lucia Guitar Ensemble and Almeta Speaks Blues Ensemble. On the theatre and dance front, there was a large-scale opera production of The Tales of Hoffmann, a touring production by the Royal National Theatre, dance performances by the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, Pilobolus and Hong Kong International Ballroom and Latin American Dance Championship.

In support of Festival Canada '91, a series of programmes was presented featuring outstanding Canadian artists and groups such as Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Margie Gillis, Jean-Paul Sevilla, Ofra Harnoy and Mimeworks Mime and Story Theatre.

Local artists and performing groups also played an important part in the cultural scene. Performances included those by Chung Ying Theatre Company, Bestreben Drama Association, Spotlight Productions, Wang Kwong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Oratorio Society, Hong Kong Children's Choir, Yip's Children's Choir, Hong Kong Ballet and many others.

By presenting a balanced programme, the Urban Council aims to stimulate cross- fertilisation among the various art forms as well as removing barriers to the apprecia- tion of the arts.

Hong Kong International Film Festival

The annual Hong Kong International Film Festival has become one of the world's major non-competitive film festivals.