ENG-2001 — Page 478

RECREATION, SPORT AND THE ARTS

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Through the 'Artists-in-residence' Scheme, local arts groups may use one of these 11 venues as their home base for a designated period to develop and promote their creative works and educational programmes among the district communities.

Indoor Stadia

The Hong Kong Coliseum and the Queen Elizabeth Stadium are two of the largest multi-purpose indoor stadia in Hong Kong. The 12 500-seat coliseum is a leading venue for pop concerts, musicals, entertainment spectaculars, international sporting events, cultural programmes, major celebrations and conventions. The 3 600-seat stadium is suitable for holding cultural and entertainment performances, sports events, school ceremonies, conferences and variety shows.

In 2001, 426 performances were staged in the two indoor stadia, attracting over 1 767 000 people.

Cultural Presentations

Leisure and Cultural Services Department Cultural Presentations

During the year, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department presented around 2 000 performances, covering a rich variety of performing arts programmes given by local and visiting artists. These attracted a total audience of some 750 000 people.

Music highlights included concerts by the Philadelphia Orchestra with conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra with conductor/pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy; the Midsummer Classics by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra; flautist James Galway and the Polish Chamber Orchestra; acclaimed Chinese composer/conductor Tan Dun taking part in the Community Concert for the 4th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; the partnership project with Radio Television Hong Kong and the Morgan Stanley financial services company The Hong Kong Competition for Young Asian Musicians; celebrated pianists Mikhail Pletnev and Yefim Bronfman, cellist Janos Starker and bass baritone Bryn Terfel performing the Encore Series; the City Hall Music Galaxy featuring the Quartetto Gelato from Canada, soprano Maria Guleghina, violinst Maxim Vengerov and flautist Emmanuel Pahud; and a newly commissioned production of Verdi's opera Il Trovatore.

Highlights of the dance programme included performances by the Pina Baush Tanztheater Wuppertal of Germany, the Theatre Talipot of France and the City Contemporary Dance Company, and ballet performances by the Stuttgart Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Hong Kong Ballet. There was also a series of dance performances by renowned Chinese artists showcasing the rich cultural heritage of China. On the multi-arts front, screening of the horror classic film Dracula, with on- stage accompaniment by conductor Philip Glass and the Kronos Quartet from the United States, and the Tango Passion from Argentina attracted much public interest. Theatre programmes featured a wide variety of works by local creative forces including the Chung Ying Theatre Company, Zuni Icosahedron, Theatre Ensemble, Actors' Family, Prospects Theatre and the Theatre du Pif. A MonoFest, featuring solo theatrical performances staged by local and overseas artists in various art forms, was organised. An innovative Canadian ensemble, the Theatre Smith-Gilmour, was also invited to perform Chekhov's Shorts.