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Events |
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Hong Kong is known
as the Events Capital of Asia. Throughout the year, we offer
spellbinding film and arts
Festivals.
Concerts by famous international artists and
local Canto-pop singers create dynamic experiences.
Theatre
productions include dramas, Broadway musicals, contemporary and
Chinese
Dance,
as well as ballet. The calendar also features thrilling
Sports,
including horseracing, rugby, golf and soccer. Click on any of these
links to find out more about your favourite event in Hong Kong plus
information on the many
Performing Companies which feature homegrown
talent that Hong Kong is rightly proud of. |
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Festivals |
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Hong Kong offers up
eclectic festivals that will whet the appetite of visitors and locals
alike. Cinephiles will enjoy the offerings of the
Hong Kong
International Film Festival. Equally
pulsating entertainment comes from the
Hong Kong
Arts Festival, one of the best such events
in the Asia-Pacific region.
Cultural offerings with a decidedly more Asian flavour can be found at
the
Legends of
China festival (Oct/Nov 2003) and the
New Vision
Arts Festival (Oct/Nov 2004), which are held
in alternate years. Hong Kong also boasts the finest celebration of
French culture in Asia with
Le French May.
Continuing in a European vein comes a celebration of all things
Italian with
Italy 2003:
Quality & Lifestyle.
Hong Kong
International Film Festival
From international
award-winning movies to avant-garde indies, this 16-day extravaganza
in April screens nearly 300 films from around the world. It is a
premier cultural event that never fails to entertain. Popular
categories include Hong Kong Panorama and a retrospective from the
Hong Kong Film Archive. For more information about this event, please
visit their
website.
Hong Kong Arts Festival
Tickets sell at a record clip for this
three-week arts feast held annually in February and March. From
world-class ballet to stunning symphonic offerings; from grand theatre
to the giants of modern music, performers from around the globe
descend upon Hong Kong for an all-star cultural extravaganza. For more
information about the festival, visit their
website.
In 2004, look for the Komische Oper Berlin, Sir Colin Davis with the
London Symphony Orchestra, Campañia Nacional de Danza from Spain and
The Art of Cheng Yanqiu: 100th Anniversary.
Legends of China
One of the largest
festivals of its kind, Legends of China runs from mid-October to
mid-November 2003. This biennial festival showcases the best Chinese
arts and culture with world-renowned artists and ensembles from
Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and overseas Chinese communities.
You can see stage performances, workshops, seminars, outdoor shows and
exhibitions. The rich tapestry of Chinese history, literature and
legends are brought to life during this unique festival that promotes
the understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture and history.
New Vision Arts Festival
Part of Hong Kong's vibrancy is fuelled by the city's fusion of
Eastern and Western elements. The New Vision Arts Festival highlights
this connection with a month-long cultural bonanza featuring artists
from Asia and the West. It could be modern dance or Chinese opera,
theatre or ballet, and everything in between. Stories are told in
refreshingly different ways that highlight the synthesis of East and
West. This festival is a biennial event and will be held again in
October and November 2004. For more information visit their
website.
Le French May
This annual festival of French arts and culture
enhances the European flavour within Hong Kong. Elite French
symphonies provide stunning music led by world-famous conductors. Jazz
musicians improvise perfection. Cutting-edge theatre transforms old
themes. Complementing these performances are displays of French art,
cuisines to savour and wine to whet the palate. For more information
on Le French May, please visit their
website.
Italy 2003: Quality & Lifestyle
Hong Kong is a
cosmopolitan city with a diverse population. The Italian community in
Hong Kong celebrates all their country has to offer with Italy 2003:
Quality & Lifestyle. Fine Italian food, fashion, films and Ferraris
are just some of what this annual festival of excellence has to offer.
To find out what in store at this year's Italian festival, visit their
website. |
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Concerts |
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The music scene in Hong
Kong is brimming over with activity offering fans of every stripe the
musical moments that they will cherish forever. Home-grown Canto-pop
stars create unique music that is distinctly Hong Kong. Among those
performing in the past year were Kelly Chen, Sammi Cheng, Jackie
Cheung, Andy Hui, Aaron Kwok, Leon Lai and Andy Lau. |
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Theatre |
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Hong Kong people love big,
glitzy Broadway musicals and have been swept away by the likes of
Singin' In The Rain, the beloved Hollywood musical starring Gene
Kelly. Fame - the Musical was a hit as were Les Misérables, CHICAGO -
The Musical and Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash-hit Phantom of the Opera. |
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Dance |
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The eclectic world
of movement exists in many shapes and forms within Hong Kong, from
classical ballet to contemporary Chinese dance. Hong Kong boasts a
variety of
homegrown dance companies and plays host to
dance companies from North America, Europe and the rest of Asia. |
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Sports |
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Horseracing,
rugby,
cricket,
golf,
tennis,
soccer,
marathon running and
dragon boat
racing are just some of the exciting
attractions Hong Kong has lined up sports fans from around the globe.
The action never stops in Hong Kong.
Horseracing
Horseracing
is the sport that defines Hong Kong: fast paced, a field of
international competitors, vast amounts of money and a favourite of
all. From September to June, on most Wednesday evenings and weekends,
hoofs pounding down the stretch can be heard at the two glittering
racetracks: Happy Valley on Hong Kong Island and Sha Tin in the New
Territories. Don't miss the prestigious international horse races like
the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Hong Kong International Races when
world-class horses and jockeys fly into Hong Kong to compete for the
world's richest purses. Check the Hong Kong Jockey Club's
website for the latest horseracing
information.
Rugby
Hong Kong comes
alive as the famous Seven's fever grips the city in March. Twenty-four
of the world's top seven-a-side teams compete in this dynamic event
while enthusiastic spectators revel in the action. In addition to the
Hong Kong Sevens, the weeklong celebration
also includes a
RugbyFest, the
Hong Kong Tens and a Hong Kong Women's Rugby
Sevens & Asian Championships.
Cricket
The Hong Kong
Cricket Sixes provides a wonderful weekend for cricket fans with some
of the best cricket you are likely to find in these parts featuring
teams from India, Pakistan and South African and Hong Kong. For more
information about the event click on their
website.
Golf
Hong Kong Open
routinely attracts some of the world's best players vying for the top
prize. In past years, the tournament has attracted Tom Watson, Greg
Norman, Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam. The Hong Kong Open features
60 players from the Davidoff Tour and 60 players from the European
Tour. For more information on the golf tournament, please visit the
Asian PGA
website.
Tennis
Tremendous tennis
action takes place at Centre Court in Victoria Park during the annual
Hong Kong Ladies Challenge every January. Top ranked world stars like
the Williams sisters and Monica Seles have dazzled Hong Kong audiences
with their athletic artistry. For more information on the event please
visit their
website.
Soccer
Hong Kong is soccer
crazy and there is no better time to catch the fever than during the
Chinese New Year football tournament. This two-day, round-robin
international tournament pits three of the world's elite teams against
a select group of Hong Kong all-stars. Games are played on Chinese New
Year Day with the championship decided on the fourth day of Chinese
New Year. To find out more about this great tournament, click
here.
Marathon Running
With more than
18,000 participants in 2003, the Hong Kong Marathon is the biggest
sporting event in the city. Runners from around the world and Hong
Kong compete in the event's marathon, half-marathon and 10-kilometre
run. They follow a demanding course that takes them from the heart of
Kowloon, up to the awe-inspiring Tsing Ma Bridge and over to Hong Kong
Island. To learn more about this exciting event, visit the marathon's
website.
Dagon Boat Racing
Dragon boat racing is held to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival (Tuen
Ng) and is one of the most exciting sports you'll ever see in Hong
Kong. With their crews straining on their paddles, these 15-metre-plus
(50-foot) craft slice through the water with incredible speed. Local
teams usually compete on Tuen Ng Festival Day (early June) and you can
catch the action if you go to Aberdeen, Stanley, Sha Tin, Tai Po,
Cheung Chau and Lantau Island.
Others
The action is
fast and furious around the streets of Macau during their Grand Prix
weekend in November. The Grand Prix not only offers gripping Formula
Three racing, but also spellbinding motorcycle action. To learn more
about this event, click
here. |
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Performing Companies |
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Hong Kong offers
sophisticated performances by dynamic local companies that explore new
artistic concepts while perfecting traditional styles. Whether your
interests run from classical music to contemporary dance, you'll
discover performances that are sure to please.
HONG
KONG BALLET
 "Hong Kong Ballet is considered a rising star on the international
dance circuit."
- The Globe and Mail - Toronto, November 2001
Founded in 1979, the
Hong Kong Ballet has grown in stature to
become one of the foremost classical ballet companies in Asia and has
built an international reputation with successful tours to North
America, Europe and Mainland China. The company presents a broad-based
repertoire, covering both classical works as well as new works with a
Chinese theme, such as The Last Emperor, The White Snake and Mu Lan.
HONG KONG DANCE COMPANY
 Established
in 1981 with the aim of promoting Chinese dance, the
Hong Kong Dance Company has a repertoire
that covers traditional and folk dances, dance dramas as well as
original works based on Chinese and specifically Hong Kong themes.
Since its establishment, the company has staged over a hundred
productions choreographed by local, mainland and overseas
choreographers to critical acclaim.
CITY CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY
 Founded
by Willy Tsao in 1979,
City Contemporary Dance Company is a Hong
Kong-based professional dance company that endeavours to rally the
best of Chinese talents to create dance in the contemporary context of
China. Every year, the company reaches 100,000 people around the world
with the distinctive style of its diverse range of programmes.
 HONG KONG PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (HKPO)
As Hong Kong's oldest, largest and most active orchestra, the
HKPO's mission is to present classical music
of an international standard, enriching the community's quality of
life. In its 29th season, the orchestra will present about 200
performances for about 200,000 people. Frequent radio and television
broadcasts as well as recordings attract an even larger audience. The
orchestra also tours overseas and 2003 marks its European debut.
HONG KONG
CHINESE ORCHESTRA
 Founded in
1977, the
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra is Hong Kong's
only professional Chinese orchestra. Under Music Director Yan
Huichang's baton, the 85-musician orchestra has undertaken the
promoting of Chinese music as its mission. Its repertoire includes
both traditional folk music and contemporary full-scale works.
HONG KONG SINFONIETTA Founded in 1990, the
Hong Kong Sinfonietta is a 58-member
professional orchestra
 supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development
Council. Under the leadership of Music Director Yip Wing-sie, the
orchestra collaborates regularly with renowned artists and groups, and
participates in the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Le French May and the
Saint-Riquier Festival in France. |
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Information provided by
Hong Kong Tourism Board. |
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