RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
The highlight of the year was the appearance of British pianist Peter Donohoe in the Russian Romantic Music Festival in June and July in which he performed the four concertos of Rachmaninov.
Renowned artists, such as pianists Peter Katin, Jon Kimura Parker, Kathryn Scott, Anne Queffelec and Arthur Pizzaro, appeared as soloists with the orchestra. Cellists Steven Isserlis and Misha Maisky, vocalist Philip Langridge and violinist Nobuko Imai, together with the orchestra, brought high-quality programmes.
The Urban Council runs three professional performing companies - the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and the Hong Kong Dance Company.
Hong Kong Repertory Theatre
Hong Kong Repertory Theatre celebrated its 15th anniversary in 1992 by staging George F. Walker's Nothing Sacred which was directed jointly by the company's Artistic Director, Dr Daniel Yang, and American director Edward Hastings.
The local audience continued to give enthusiastic support to the company. In 1992 the company staged seven productions - five translated plays and two originals - in 89 perform- ances, attracting 44 042 people. In addition, the company gave 78 performances, including free performances and lecture demonstrations, in schools, community arts centres and the foyer of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. These performances attracted a total audience of 14 722.
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Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
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Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra is Hong Kong's only professional Chinese music orchestra. In 1992 the 85-member orchestra gave 89 performances under the baton of its new Resident Conductor, Xia Feiyun, and various guest conductors, attracting a total audience of 724 000.
Apart from regular concerts, the orchestra also presented ensemble concerts, partici- pated in district arts festivals and organised free outreach performances at community arts centres, community centres and schools. It also participated in the Festival Hong Kong '92 in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada, in October.
Recognised as one of the world's leading Chinese orchestras, it explores new frontiers in Chinese music by experimenting with new techniques and styles. It continues to expand the Chinese orchestral music repertoire by commissioning local and overseas composers to work on new compositions and arrangements.
Hong Kong Dance Company
Hong Kong Dance Company is the only professional Chinese dance company in the territory to present Chinese traditional and folk dances and new dance dramas choreo- graphed on Chinese and Hong Kong themes.
In 1992, the company presented four major productions in 17 performances, attracting 11 453 people. In addition, the company gave free performances and lecture demon- strations in community arts centres, schools and community centres to 48 469 people.
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