ENG-1992 — Page 383

RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

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Entertainment Programmes

During the year, the Urban Council staged 243 entertainment programmes in parks, playgrounds, community halls, housing estates and community arts centres in the urban areas. Most of these programmes were free. The programmes were attended by over 128 000 people.

Annual territory-wide events organised by the council included a spring lantern festival, a summer fun festival, mid-autumn lantern carnivals, a Christmas carnival, District Cantonese opera parade and a concert in the park. About 650 000 people attended these events.

The council also played a part in the co-ordination of the 1992 lunar new year fireworks display and was one of the organisers of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival inter- national races.

Regional Council Presentations

The Regional Council presented a diverse programme of music, opera, drama, dance, film shows and other performing arts to cater to the tastes of local residents and to build up new audiences.

In presenting established artists of high standing, as well as novel programmes, the council aims to broaden the horizons of concert-goers. In 1992, overseas artists appearing under the council's auspices included Pei Yanling with the Hebei Clapper Opera Troupe, the I Musical de Montreal, Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal, Guitar Virtuoso Paco Pena and his Flamenco Dance Company, the American Symphony Orchestra, the London Festival Orchestra with pianist Pascal Roge, and the I Wan-jen Puppet Troupe under the leadership of Li Tianlu.

To strengthen the cultural content of the 1992 Hong Kong Arts Festival programme, the council co-operated with the festival organisers to present performances by Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and ethnic songs and dance by Africa Oye.

Co-operation between the Regional Council and the Urban Council continued during the year through the invitation of performing companies such as the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and Hong Kong Repertory Theatre to perform at the Regional Council's town halls.

Local professional companies were high on the list of Regional Council presentations. The Hong Kong Ballet, Chung Ying Theatre Company, City Contemporary Dance Company and Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra all appeared frequently at the council's venues.

In 1992, the council presented 579 programmes, enjoyed by a total audience of 286 269.

International Children's Arts Festival

The International Children's Arts Festival, into its third year in 1992, is an annual event organised by the Regional Council to bring cultural activities to young audiences. Highlights of the 1992 festival included performances by the Yunnan Youth Arts Troupe from China, the Helsinki Junior Strings Orchestra from Finland, the Bambini di Praga from Czechoslovakia, and the On Stage Entertainment Company from the USA. Contributions by local artists included a summer music gallery by Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra, a children's dance drama by the Children's Arts Association of the New Towns, Coppelia by Hong Kong Ballet and Story-Building Time and Story-Telling Time -