Festival Hong Kong 2019 – A Cultural Extravaganza@Shanghai to showcase arts of Hong Kong (with photos)
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will hold Festival Hong Kong 2019 – A Cultural Extravaganza@Shanghai in Shanghai from November 1 to 23 next year, showcasing arts of Hong Kong with cultural creativity, connectivity between Shanghai and Hong Kong and youthful vitality as focuses.
Speaking at the press conference today (October 16), the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mrs Cherry Tse, said that Festival Hong Kong 2019 – A Cultural Extravaganza@Shanghai is the first major cultural exchange activity to be organised by the HKSAR Government since the 2010 Shanghai Expo, and is aimed at providing a platform for Hong Kong arts groups and artists to showcase their creativity while demonstrating Hong Kong's diverse culture in creative industries.
Mrs Tse said that there will be a strong line-up of participating local arts groups and artists who will collaborate with cultural venues, museums and cultural organisations in Shanghai. She added that the cultural collaboration between the two cities will fully demonstrate the spirit of Shanghai and Hong Kong working together as a family.
Festival Hong Kong 2019 – A Cultural Extravaganza@Shanghai is co-ordinated by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Around 20 programmes are under planning, including cultural performances, film screenings, exhibitions and an outdoor carnival. The event will provide a platform for Hong Kong artists from different sectors to showcase their talents and for cultural exchanges with Mainland counterparts.
A series of cultural performances will be presented in Shanghai featuring Chinese and Western music, dance, theatre, Chinese opera and multimedia. Arts organisations planning to participate are the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Dance Company, the Hong Kong Ballet, the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Chung Ying Theatre Company, Zuni Icosahedron, the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society. There will also be four programmes co-ordinated by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council featuring music, dance, theatre and Chinese opera. Some programmes will be featured in Hong Kong Culture Week of the 21st China Shanghai International Arts Festival.
The Hong Kong Film Archive will organise the film series "One Tale, Two Cinemas", screening films from the 1930s and '40s involving Shanghai film companies or producers and Hong Kong classic works from the 1980s and '90s with old Shanghai as the story background. Seminars and exhibitions on qipao costumes and film posters will also be arranged to demonstrate the close connection between Shanghai and Hong Kong in film culture. In addition, Festival Hong Kong 2019 – A Cultural Extravaganza@Shanghai will feature an exhibition on intangible cultural heritage items to display various forms of traditional craftsmanship, as well as an illustration-themed exhibition curated by Create Hong Kong.
Other guests attending the press conference today included the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Michelle Li; the Music Director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr Jaap van Zweden; the Resident Conductor of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Mr Chew Hee Chiat; the Artistic Director of the Hong Kong Dance Company, Mr Yang Yuntao; the Artistic Director of the Hong Kong Ballet, Mr Septime Webre; the Artistic Director of the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Mr Anthony Chan; the Artistic Director of Chung Ying Theatre Company, Mr Ko Tin-lung; the Artistic Director of "Legend of White Snake" by the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong, Mr Sun Kim-long; the Director of "Pavilion of a Hundred Flowers", Dr Fredric Mao; the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival, Ms Tisa Ho; and guest performer of Zuni Icosahedron Mr Wong Ka-jeng.
