ENG-1993 — Page 406

RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

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International Arts Carnival

The annual International Arts Carnival entered its 12th year in 1993. It aims to stimulate the interest of children and young people in the performing arts and to provide them with cultural programmes during their summer vacation.

The carnival took place in July and August, and featured 30 performances of magic, mime, puppetry, ballet, Cantonese opera, children's musical works and drama. The shows were staged by four overseas and seven local groups. In addition, a free fun fair comprising a marching band, variety show, puppet show, cartoon video wall, games, and arts and crafts stalls was held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre piazza.

The programmes offered half-price tickets for students and senior citizens and attracted 81 863 patrons.

Entertainment Programmes

During the year, the Urban Council staged 253 entertainment programmes in parks, playgrounds, community halls, housing estates and community arts centres in the urban areas. Most of these programmes, which were attended by over 101 900 people, were free.

Annual territory-wide events organised by the council included the Spring Lantern Festival, Summer Fun Festival, the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival, Christmas Carnival and the District Cantonese Opera Parade. About 551 700 people attended these events.

The council also played a part in the co-ordination of the 1993 Lunar New Year fireworks display and was a co-organiser of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival International Races and the Concert in the Stadium. On New Year's Eve, it supported the territory-wide pilot project 'Countdown '94'.

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 develop new audiences. The number of events totalled 478 and reached an audience of some 284 000 in 1993.

By presenting established artists of high standing and popular appeal, and novel programmes, the council aims to broaden the horizons of concert-goers. During the year, overseas artists and companies appearing under the council's auspices included Fou Ts'ong, the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Le Jeune Ballet de France, the Mantovani Orchestra, Lin Hwai-min's Cloud Gate Dance Theatre from Taiwan, and violinist Ruggiero Ricci.

Chinese opera presentations were also high on the list of performances: the Wu Zhou Cantonese Opera Troupe from Guangxi, Yu Kuizhi with the Peking Opera Academy of China, and the Hebei Clapper Opera Troupe all performed for local audiences at the council's venues.

The council's collaboration with the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society broke new ground in 1993. Besides jointly presenting the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and the magician Jeff Mcbride, for the first time the council commissioned a local programme as a contribution to the festival. The nine performances of the commissioned programme the Hong Kong Ballet's Cinderella - were played to full houses at the council's three town halls.

Support for local performing companies became a regular feature of the council's cultural promotion efforts, with performances by the Hong Kong Ballet, City Con-