　　The inaugural Chinese Cultural Festival (CCF) will present a number of quality Chinese opera performances from June to September, covering Cantonese opera, North Road Bangzi opera, Chiuchow opera, Liuzi opera, Yue opera, Kunqu opera, Wu opera and Peking opera, which allows members of the public to appreciate the essence of Chinese opera, with a view to promoting Chinese culture as well as the arts of Chinese opera. The local production "Cyrano de Bergerac" – A Cantonese Opera Interpretation kicked off the series of performances at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre today (June 14), which also marked the start of the 12th Chinese Opera Festival (COF). The performance is one of the highlights of the 35th anniversary of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre as well.
　　The "Cyrano de Bergerac" – A Cantonese Opera Interpretation is a new production developed by Cantonese opera virtuoso Law Ka-ying, who has been working on it for a decade. The play is an adaptation of a 19th-century French classic piece of the same title. Law partners with famous veterans Liza Wang and Sun Kim Long to present this well-known story of a love triangle. This adaptation not only preserves the performing techniques, traditional forms and artistic charm of Cantonese opera, but also exhibits an exquisite combination of the plot and musical elements of Western drama to reflect the protagonist Zhu Bufan's deep love for the princess. The touching performance won warm applause from the audience.
　　The LCSD has invited outstanding troupes from all over the country to participant in this year's festival, including the Academy of Xinzhou Studies, Guangdong Chiu Chow Opera Theatre Number One Troupe and Sun Hon Kwong Chiu Chow Opera Troupe, the Centre for the Safeguarding of Liuzi Opera of Shandong, the Fujian Fanghua Yue Opera Troupe, the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre, the Zhejiang Wu Opera Research Centre, and the Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company. In addition, the LCSD will arrange a series of extension activities, including talks, meet-the-artists sessions, an exhibition and Chinese opera film screenings, throughout the CCF period to promote the artistry and culture of Chinese traditional opera. The "Artistic Essence Everlasting – Chinese Opera Festival Photo Exhibition", currently being held at the Foyer Exhibition Area of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, features a fine selection of memorable moments from past performances on stage at the COF, allowing Chinese opera lovers to revisit the captivating brilliance of top-notch Chinese opera artists from various genres. Admission to the exhibition is free, and the exhibition will run until June 16 (Sunday).
　　For more information about the Chinese opera programmes of the Chinese Culture Festival, please visit
www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme-categories/chinese-opera/.
　　The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the LCSD's Chinese Culture Promotion Office, aims to enhance the public's appreciation of Chinese culture and cultivate citizens' national identity and cultural confidence. The inaugural CCF is being held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, including selected programmes of the Chinese Opera Festival, exemplary local arts projects recognised by the China National Arts Fund, performing arts programmes from arts and cultural organisations, film screenings, exhibitions, talks and more, the festival allows members of the public and visitors to experience the broad and profound Chinese culture with a view to promoting Chinese culture and patriotic education as well as enhancing national identity among the people of Hong Kong, making contributions to the steadfast and successful implementation of "one country, two systems". For details, please visit the CCF website www.ccf.gov.hk.
　　The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.
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