RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS
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Hong Kong Ballet
The Hong Kong Ballet also celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1999. The first celebration activity was a month-long tour of the Mainland in May. Other celebration programmes included its new productions of Beauty and the Beast and Romeo and Juliet. During the year, the company staged 20 productions (involving 70 performances), receiving favourable comment both locally and abroad.
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra is Hong Kong's only professional Chinese music orchestra. In its 23rd professional season in 1999, the orchestra staged 28 regular concerts and nine ensemble concerts, attracting 34 131 people. Besides, it gave 34 free concerts in schools and community centres. During the year, the orchestra made two commercial CD recordings and collaborated with the Education Department in the production of an educational television programme introducing famous Chinese folk music to students.
Hong Kong Dance Company
The Hong Kong Dance Company is the only professional Chinese dance company in the SAR to present traditional Chinese dances and original dance dramas on Mainland and Hong Kong themes. The company presented five productions in 1999, attracting 9 771 people to 15 performances. Apart from giving 162 free performances and providing workshops in schools and community arts centres to 66 560 people, the company organised a two-week summer dance day camp in which 49 students took part. Special programmes for the elderly and young people were also presented.
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Each season, over 150 000 people attend more than 100 concerts presented by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director David Atherton, appears frequently with internationally acclaimed artists at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong City Hall and cultural venues in the New Territories. It also organises free student concerts, pre-concert talks, seminars, music appreciation courses, ensemble visits to schools, the 'Young Audiences Scheme' for secondary school students, the 'Friends of the Philharmonic', and publishes music-related educational books and CDs.
Hong Kong Repertory Theatre
The Hong Kong Repertory Theatre staged seven productions, involving 112 performances, in 1999. These attracted 40 970 people. Apart from its major productions, the company toured schools and community centres regularly to give free performances. It gave 128 free performances for 59 880 people. During the summer vacation, the company organised 17 theatre education day camps for 694 students.
Hong Kong Sinfonietta
The Hong Kong Sinfonietta presented various concert programmes during the year, and these included: a New Year Concert, Salute to Hong Kong Composers, Chamber Music, and the Cultural Ambassador Series. The orchestra commissioned three works
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