The 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival, presented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the People's Government of Guangdong Province and the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, will be held in the "9+2" cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) from October 19 to November 24. Hong Kong will be the host city of the Festival for the first time. The Festival, with the theme of "Integration in Diversity – Power and Possibilities", aims to showcase the vibrant and diverse cultural richness of the region and foster cultural exchange and co-operation among the cities.
The programme parade of the Festival was held today (September 10) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Addressing the event, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, said that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will organise the opening programme of the Festival and co-ordinate over 260 performances, exhibitions and exchange activities to be held concurrently in Hong Kong and other GBA cities. Major arts organisations in Hong Kong, including the nine major performing arts groups, the West Kowloon Cultural District, the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Hong Kong Members Association and the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society, will also present a wide range of programmes in the Festival, demonstrating the unity of Hong Kong's arts and cultural sector in support of this GBA cultural mega event.
One of the major features of this year's festival is that a number of programmes that are jointly presented by the LCSD, municipal governments and arts organisations of various GBA cities will be staged in Hong Kong, highlighting the in-depth exchanges and co-operation among the artistic talents in the GBA. The opening programme of the Festival is the world premiere of "Sound River", a work produced by contemporary renowned Chinese composer and conductor Tan Dun. He has travelled to the Silk Road, Central Asia and the GBA in the past 12 years and has recorded 16 sounds and moving images from different cities to create the "symphonic poem for 16 films" through interweaving light, shadow and music. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival Orchestra, newly formed by members of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra and the Macao Orchestra, will perform under the baton of Tan. The programme will also feature distinguished Mainland singer Zhou Shen as a special guest to deliver a song. This programme will be broadcast live on television, radio and the Internet. Details will be announced in the programme webpage www.gbacxlo.gov.hk/en/programmes/sound-river later on.
A wealth of signature arts and cultural programmes with the characteristics of the Bay Area and the Lingnan style will also be staged in this year's festival. They will be infused with Hong Kong elements to create an extraordinary cultural exchange experience. Highlight programmes include a special edition of the dance drama "Wing Chun" from Shenzhen. Based on the original performance, Hong Kong artists will participate in the production, including the theme song "Wing Chun", which is produced, composed, and sung by renowned local singer George Lam, with lyrics by Keith Chan. Local young conductor Fung Ka-hing will lead local orchestra, the Symphonic Pops, to play the soundtrack live. Huang Danyang, a graduate from the School of Dance of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, will perform together with the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre as a collaboration in creating a production that combines martial arts, dance, pop music and creativity from both places.
The "ChoreoMusica Soiree", an original production of Xinghai Concert Hall from Guangzhou, premiered to critical acclaim last year. This time, the Hong Kong version will feature renowned cross-disciplinary artist Tsang Man-tung as artistic director, director and choreographer. With his unique aesthetic vision, Tsang will lead Hong Kong dancers and musicians from the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra to reinterpret the works of Ravel and Piazzolla, bringing audiences a feast intertwined with music, dance and imagery.
The Festival also serves as a platform for exchanges, co-operation as well as cultural and artistic integration among the youth in the GBA. The "POP KONG" concert is produced by veteran musician Chiu Tsang-hei. Talented young singer-songwriters and a band from Hong Kong and Mainland China will perform their original compositions and popular hits to showcase the talents and creativity of young artists from both places. Led by music director Ng Cheuk-yin, the 2024 Zhuhai-Hong Kong-Macao Choral Concert, "Songs Echo My Voice", will feature six children and youth choirs from the three places to perform Chinese pop songs, allowing audiences to revisit pop classics and experience the charm of choral music from a new perspective. Also, Winky Wong and Chiutung from the popular girl group Beanies will be emcees. Their vibrant charisma will set the stage for a fun-filled evening and a fresh and exhilarating experience.
The Foshan Cantonese Opera Troupe will bring "The Legend of the White Snake", a classic repertoire preserved by the troupe, to the big screen to present the love story between Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian. The film was shot in a real-scene manner, and was directed by acclaimed Mainland national first-class director, Yin Dawei. Li Shuqin, the director of the troupe and a national first-class actor, and renowned Hong Kong Cantonese opera artist Law Ka-ying will take the lead roles of the film. This production has received multiple nominations at the 2nd Hong Kong Bauhinia International Film Festival, including Best Film and Best Art Direction. Li’s outstanding performance earned her the Best Actress Award at the Film Festival, while Law was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Opera fans should not miss the two screenings that will be organised during the Festival.
During the Festival period, members of the arts and cultural field will gather in Hong Kong. Taking this opportunity, the LCSD will organise the Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Symposium 2024 at the Ko Shan Theatre to explore new trends in the evolving arts and cultural scenes in the region to foster cultural exchange and future collaboration. The public seminars on October 25 and roundtable conferences on October 26 under the Symposium will be open for the public with free registration.
For the dates and venues of the above-mentioned highlight programmes, please see the Annex. Tickets will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk) from September 12 (Thursday) onwards. For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. A limited-time offer is available from September 12 until 25 for purchasing the selected stage programmes of the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2734 2960 or visit the Festival's website www.gbacxlo.gov.hk.
In terms of exhibitions, a free exhibition "Celebrating National Day – Auspicious Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Greater Bay Area", presented by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, will be held at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum from October 19, 2024 to March 31, 2025. Featuring auspicious animals, the exhibition will introduce intangible cultural heritage of the Bay Area to the public, including performing arts, traditional craftsmanship, and festive events, showcasing the superb skills and profound cultural substance. The "Heritage and Inclusion: Literary Treasures of the Greater Bay Area" exhibition will be held at the Hong Kong Central Library.
In addition, the LCSD and Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau will jointly host the Guangzhou Culture Week during the Festival, inviting Guangzhou troupes to perform the Cantonese opera "Princess Wencheng" and dance drama "Awakening Lion". Other visiting programmes include the arts tech showpiece "+1+1+1+" by Japanese media arts visionary Daito Manabe, choreographer MIKIKO, and her dance group ELEVENPLAY, as well as a concert by the renowned clarinettist and composer Kinan Azmeh featuring local musicians. Both programmes are also part of this year's Asia+ Festival. The "2024 GBA Youth Symphonic Spectacular" concert will showcase the young music talent of Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Macao, while the annual cultural extravaganza, "Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances 2024", will bring together the art and allure of more than 20 Asian countries. Local arts organisations also present various drama, dance, music and multi-media performances, film screenings, free exhibitions, talks and more, which will allow audiences to experience different kinds of humanistic charm in the Bay Area.
Apart from the above-mentioned programmes in Hong Kong, the LCSD will also bring Hong Kong's intriguing arts and cultural productions of different forms and styles to Bay Area cities through the Festival, and collaborate with artists there to foster integration and co-creation, demonstrating the harmonious and cultural pulse of the Bay Area in the new era.
In terms of music programmes, young musician KaJeng Wong will perform works of Bach and Mozart in Jiangmen, Guangzhou and Dongguan; "Teriver Cheung & Friends" concerts in Macao and Guangzhou will showcase the jazz power of new generation; internationally renowned violinist Yao Jue will lead the Hong Kong String Orchestra to perform the world premiere of "Cantonese Opera Fantasia" in Zhongshan, Foshan and Zhuhai; the Hong Kong Gaudeamus Dunhuang Ensemble will present "Museum Series: The Sounds from Cultural Relics" concerts in Guangzhou and Zhongshan to reveal the fascinating stories behind cultural relics; the "Sunrise, Sunset" concert for the "Every Life is A Song" Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Pop Music Week in Zhongshan will feature musicians from the GBA to present the daily life and spirit of Hong Kong from dawn till dusk; and the "POP KONG" concert will be held in the Tide Music Festival in Guangzhou.
Meanwhile, the Cantonese opera "Love in the Bamboo Grove", which premiered at the Hong Kong Arts Festival last year to critical acclaim, will be staged in Foshan and Zhuhai; the Utopia Cantonese Opera Workshop will reshape the classic Cantonese opera "Floral Princess" in Foshan and Guangzhou; the "Sans voix – Cent voies" by La P en V will be presented at the 21st Guangdong Dance Festival in Guangzhou; and the multimedia art production "Ashtanga" by Samana will be staged in Shenzhen. The "Ink Arts Ensembles – Exhibition Series in the Greater Bay Area" in Shenzhen will feature works of nine Hong Kong and Mainland artists to showcase the achievements of contemporary ink art and future trend.
During the Festival, the 11 cities in the Bay Area will present a rich variety of signature programmes, covering music, dance, drama, fine arts, literature, film and television, and Chinese opera, and launch a number of exchange and co-operation projects. For more information about the programmes and activities to be held in different cities in the Bay Area during the Festival, please visit the above-mentioned Festival website.
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