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Author Archives: hksar gov

Violin superstar Anne-Sophie Mutter to perform in November

     Internationally recognised as one of the world’s finest violinists, Anne-Sophie Mutter will return to Hong Kong in November for a not-to-be-missed recital with her long-time partner Lambert Orkis. The recital is part of the celebration events to mark the 30th anniversary of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC).
 
     The all-Beethoven programme will include the violin sonatas No. 4, No. 5 (“Spring”) and No. 9 (“Kreutzer”). The recital will be staged at 8pm on November 27 (Wednesday) at the Concert Hall of the HKCC.
 
     Anne-Sophie Mutter is a musical phenomenon. For more than 40 years the virtuoso has been a fixture in all the world’s major concert halls, making her mark on the classical music scene as a soloist, mentor and visionary.
 
     Since her recital debut at the 1976 Lucerne Festival and solo debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker under Herbert von Karajan at the 1977 Salzburg Whitsun Festival, Mutter has frequently performed with the world’s greatest orchestras. These have included the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra. She has also collaborated with the most prominent composers and musicians of our time.
 
     The four-time Grammy Award winner is as equally committed to the great classical works as to the future of music by performing world premieres of 26 works. She has received international awards and honours, including the Polish Gloria Artis Gold Medal for Merit to Culture, the Romanian Order of Cultural Merit in the rank of Grand Officer, the insignia of a Commander of the French Order of Arts and Literature and the International Ernst von Siemens Music Prize.
 
     The musical interests of Lambert Orkis encompass traditional and contemporary music performed on modern and period instruments. For more than 30 years, he has appeared with Mutter to capacity audiences in the world’s finest performance venues and has performed internationally as an orchestral soloist. He is a member of the United States’ Kennedy Center Chamber Players and is the Principal Keyboard of the National Symphony Orchestra. In acknowledgment of his accomplishments, Orkis was honoured with the Cross of the Order of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany.
 
     “Encore Series: Violin Recital by Anne-Sophie Mutter” is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tickets priced at $250, $400, $550, $700 and $880 will be available from August 10 (Saturday) onwards at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_822.html. read more

East Asia

CHP reminds public on precautions against heat stroke during very hot weather

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (August 9) reminded members of the public, particularly those undertaking outdoor activities, to take heed of necessary measures against heat stroke and sunburn in very hot weather.

     “The public should carry and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration while engaging in outdoor activities,” a spokesman for the CHP said.

     “Those engaged in strenuous outdoor activities should avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcohol, as they speed up water loss through the urinary system,” the spokesman explained.

     “The obese, the sick, including those with heart disease or high blood pressure, the old and the young are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. They should pay special attention,” the spokesman added.

     The public should adopt the following precautions:
 

  • Wear loose and light-coloured clothing to reduce heat absorption and facilitate sweat evaporation and heat dissipation;
  • Avoid vigorous exercise and prolonged activities like hiking or trekking as heat, sweating and exhaustion place additional demands on the physique;
  • Perform outdoor activities in the morning or late afternoon;
  • For indoor activities, open all windows, use a fan or use air-conditioning to maintain good ventilation; and
  • Reschedule work to cooler times of the day.

     If working in a hot environment is inevitable, introduce shade in the workplace where practicable, and start work slowly and pick up the pace gradually. Get into a cool area for rest at regular intervals to allow the body to recuperate.

     The public should also note the latest and the forecast Ultraviolet (UV) Index released by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). When the UV Index remains high (6 or above):
 
  • Minimise direct exposure of the skin and the eyes to sunlight;
  • Wear loose long-sleeved clothing made of close-woven fabrics;
  • Wear a wide brim hat or use an umbrella;
  • Seek a shaded area or put on UV-blocking sunglasses;
  • Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen lotion with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or above. Apply liberally and reapply after swimming or sweating; and
  • While using DEET-containing insect repellents for personal protection against mosquito-borne diseases, apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent.

     If symptoms develop, such as dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion, rest and seek help immediately, and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

     The public may get more information from the DH’s Health Education Hotline (2833 0111), heat stroke page and UV radiation page; the HKO’s Dial-a-Weather (1878 200), latest weather and forecast, UV Index and weather information for hiking and mountaineering; and press releases of the Labour Department on precautions against heat stroke for outdoor workers and their employers when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force. read more

East Asia