Tag Archives: China

　　After a 17-year hiatus, the Centre for the Safeguarding of Liuzi Opera of Shandong is returning to Hong Kong, upon the invitation of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), to stage the classic hualian (painted face) work “Zhang Fei Crashing the Palace Gate” and the signature piece “Sun An Presenting Memorials” with its best line-up at the first Chinese Culture Festival in July. National Class One performer Wang Wei will bring immediacy to the “hualian” (painted-face) characters (Zhang Fei and Xu Long) he portrays in these two plays respectively with his exquisite, high-pitched singing and vivid acting, demonstrating the explicit charm of Liuzi opera as a regional opera genre. This programme is one of the highlights of the 12th Chinese Opera Festival.　

　　Liuzi opera has a history of nearly 600 years and is known as one of the four ancient Chinese opera genres. It was also one of the four major vocal styles in Chinese opera in the early days of the Qing dynasty. With its comprehensive repertoire of set tunes, Liuzi opera has significant value for research on Chinese opera music during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and was inscribed on the first list of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the National Level. Liuzi opera originated from popular vernacular songs and short tunes during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, blending the robust style of the North with the graceful, delicate features of the South. Its lyrics extol naturalness and simplicity while maintaining a rich vernacular touch.

　　The first performance is “Zhang Fei Crashing the Palace Gate”, which is the signature piece of Zhang Chunlei, a famous actor who played hualian roles in Liuzi opera and was hailed as the “living Zhang Fei”. This time, Wang Wei, who is trained in Zhang’s iconic style, will take the hualian role, performing with a thunderous and grinding singing style, mostly in falsetto. In the excerpt “Crashing the Palace Gate”, which is the climax of the play, General Zhang Fei enters the stage in a civil way of holding a folding fan, and his conflict with Zhuge Liang is highlighted with the intense music of the “jianzi” trombone and the “four big hand fans” (a pair of large cymbals). Zhang Fei rises above the chorus with his high-pitched singing, thus enhancing the dramatic moment of the play.
 
     The second performance, “Sun An Presenting Memorials”, is a representative work of Liuzi opera. Zhou Jinwei, a third-generation actor of Sun An, will perform the set tune called “Zanzi” with a robust vocal style that befits the aged character. He will be joined by Chen Fengying, who will act as Sun’s wife, and Wang Wei, who will play the role of Duke Xu Long. Together, the three will inject a fresh burst of youthful energy into this traditional opera genre.
 
　　Details of the two performances are as follows:

“Zhang Fei Crashing the Palace Gate”
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Date and time: July 5 (Friday), 7.30pm
Main cast: Wang Wei, Hou Pengtao, Zhou Jinwei, Zhang Zhongqiu, Chao Dahai, Peng Yanhui
Synopsis: During the Three Kingdoms period, Liu Bei stations his army at Xinye and appoints Zhuge Liang as his marshal. As Zhuge is young and new to the position, Zhang Fei, one of the valiant generals, regards him with spite. Zhang deliberately turns up late during the officers’ roll call at the Palace Gate. Zhuge intends to shape up the army under stricter martial law, and Zhang is so enraged that he crashes into the gate, threatening to kill Zhuge. Other generals reprimand Zhang, and in great anger, Zhang decamps. When Xinye is under attack, Zhuge shows his military acumen and lures the enemy into his ambushing troops, and is greatly impressed by Zhang.
 
“Sun An Presenting Memorials”
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Date and time: July 6 (Saturday), 7.30pm
Main cast: Zhou Jinwei, Chen Fengying, Wang Wei, Li Weiguo, Chen Yanmiao, Chao Dahai, Zhang Zhongqiu
Synopsis: During the Wanli reign of the Ming dynasty, the Grand Tutor Zhang Cong holds sway at court, embezzles relief funds and causes many innocent people to die under his despotic governance. Sun An, a local official, petitions the emperor thrice to impeach Zhang. However, the young emperor, influenced by Zhang’s slander, sentences Sun to death. Duke Xu Long goes on a rampage at court, sternly pleading for justice. In the end, Sun is pardoned, and justice prevails.
 
　　The Centre for the Safeguarding of Liuzi Opera of Shandong, established in 1959, is affiliated with the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. It is the only professional performing group in China that specialises in Liuzi opera. The troupe’s representative works include “Sun An Presenting Memorials”, “Zhang Fei Crashing the Palace Gate”, “Rendezvous on the Boat after the Fair”, “The Story of the White Rabbit”, and more. In recent years, the troupe has dedicated itself to safeguarding, inheriting, developing, and innovating the art form, with the aim of promoting exemplary traditional culture and ensuring the legacy and development of Liuzi opera.

　　The two performances will be held at the Auditorium of Ko Shan Theatre New Wing. Each performance will run for about two hours and 30 minutes, including an intermission of 15 minutes. Lyrics and dialogue are with Chinese and English surtitles. Tickets priced at $180, $280 and $380 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit
www.ccf.gov.hk/en/programme/centre-for-the-safeguarding-of-liuzi-opera-of-shandong/.

　　A meet-the-artists session entitled “Upholding Traditions and Innovating: The Artistic Essence of Liuzi Opera” (in Putonghua) will be held at 7.30pm on July 4 (Thursday) at AC2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The speakers include Chen Yuan, a winner of the China Theatre Plum Blossom Award, and Yang Chunwei, a second-generation Sun An actor, also the former deputy director of the troupe. Chinese opera researcher Chen Liangliang will be the moderator. Admission is free and online registration is required (www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/chinese_opera/programs_1716.html#tab_13_0). Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
　　The programme will also feature a session under the “Chinese Culture for All: A Special Performance Series” at 2.30pm on July 7 (Sunday) at the Auditorium of Ko Shan Theatre New Wing, with free admission specially for local primary and secondary school students. Performers from the Centre for the Safeguarding of Liuzi Opera of Shandong will stage six selected excerpts, giving students a chance to learn more about and appreciate the artistic style of Chinese regional opera so as to experience the wonders of Chinese culture and arts. Interested schools can call 2268 7325 for details.
 
　　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 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 amongst 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.

        

     The 22nd Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Cooperation Meeting (the Meeting) co-ordinated by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, was concluded in Hong Kong today (June 6). During the Meeting, working group meetings, a meeting of culture departments’ leaders of the three places and a main conference were held. About 130 officials responsible for cultural affairs, and representatives of relevant associations from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, attended the Meeting to conclude the co-operation experiences in arts, culture and creative industries during the past year, and to discuss a number of collaboration initiatives in the coming year. The Meeting charted the progress to date, noting fruitful results in various areas of collaboration.
      
     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, expressed gratitude to the Director General of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, Mr Li Bin, and the Director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Ms Leong Wai-man, for attending the Meeting and giving speeches in person. This shows that the three places attach great importance to the promotion of cultural exchanges and collaboration in the region. He hopes that the high-level framework of the Meeting can provide guidance on cultural exchanges and collaboration among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and further enhance the breadth and depth of the co-operation.
      
     Mr Yeung said, “As an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, we will continue to make use of our distinctive advantages under ‘one country, two systems’, enjoy the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, and spare no effort in promoting cultural exchanges and collaboration among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, jointly developing a cultured bay area, while opening up international markets together at the same time. In the coming year, we will bring programmes of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival which have been implemented for two years to the Greater Bay Area (GBA) through various platforms.”
      
     Mr Yeung said that the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX) to be held this year will include visits to Guangzhou and Shenzhen. He said he looks forward to joining hands in leveraging the cultural resources in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to expand markets. On the collaboration of heritage and museums, Hong Kong will organise the 4th Museum Summit in March next year. Practitioners will be invited from Guangdong, Macao and abroad to join. Hong Kong will continue to engage in the cultural collaboration of the three places actively, with a view to fostering people-to-people exchanges and telling the good stories of China together.
      
     In his remarks at the main conference, Mr Li said, “In the past year, we had close exchanges and pragmatic co-operation with the culture departments of Hong Kong and Macao, which effectively facilitated the stable and progressive development of the culture and tourism sectors in the GBA. The culture departments in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will continue to seize historic opportunities brought by the development of the GBA, and give full play to our own advantages, exploring co-operation opportunities in a wide array of areas.”
      
     In her remarks at the main conference, Ms Leong said, “Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have yielded fruitful outcomes in areas such as performing arts, heritage and museums, intangible cultural heritage, public services as well as the culture industries. Through discussing and finalising new goals at the Meeting, we strive to contribute more to promoting Chinese culture, telling good stories of China, enhancing mutual learning, and benefiting people in the GBA.”
      
     During the main conference today, representatives of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council introduced the key events of the 4th GBA Culture and Arts Festival and HKPAX to be held in October this year. The GBA Culture and Arts Festival is an annual important event jointly taken forward by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. This year, Hong Kong will be the host city for the first time. More than 100 programmes, including a number of programmes co-created by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, will be staged in the three places under the approach of being “Hong Kong-based, while synchronising with Guangdong and Macao”. As for the first HKPAX, it will serve as a large-scale international platform for the performing arts industry. Besides exhibitions and business activities for the trade, HKPAX will also offer many world-class programmes for the public and tourists to enjoy.  Programme tickets will go on sale in August this year. Details will be announced in due course.
      
     The delegations of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao attended working group meetings yesterday (June 5) afternoon. In the evening, they visited the “teamLab: Continuous” exhibition under “Art@Harbour 2024”, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, for a sensory experience of culture at the Victoria harbourfront, and joined the Tai Kwun Guided Tour to appreciate the collaboration between culture and conservation projects. They also enjoyed “King Lear”, a non-verbal theatre production of gestures adapted and directed by Hong Kong artist Tang Shu-wing. The delegations will visit the Hong Kong Museum of Art, as well as the Hong Kong Palace Museum and M+ museum of the West Kowloon Cultural District after today’s meeting to experience Hong Kong’s rich and diverse cultures.
      
     The first Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Cooperation Meeting was held by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in 2002. An agreement on cultural co-operation was signed in August 2003 to establish a cultural co-operation framework for the region. In the Meeting this year, working groups had discussions on five specific topics, namely exchanges for performing artists and co-organisation of cultural programmes, co-operation in public libraries and cultural information, co-operation in museum services, exchanges and co-operation on intangible cultural heritage, and co-operation in cultural and creative industries. read more

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, at the Saudi Air Connectivity Program and Cathay Pacific Route Launch Signing Ceremony today (June 6):

Mr Hamad Aljebreen (Consul General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Hong Kong), Mr Majid Khan (Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Air Connectivity Program), Mr Ronald Lam (Chief Executive Officer of Cathay Group), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     As-SalÄ�mu Alaykum (Peace be upon you). It gives me great pleasure to be here today and witness the signing of the Marketing Cooperation Agreement between Cathay Pacific (CX) and the Saudi Air Connectivity Program.

     The co-operation between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia has never been stronger, and it was further strengthened by our Chief Executive’s visit to Saudi Arabia last year. Since then, we have witnessed soaring collaboration between the two places in various fields, spanning from investment promotion to dispute avoidance and resolution. Such a collaboration presents abundant opportunities for both business and tourism. On one hand, Hong Kong stands as a gateway to the Mainland China market, particularly the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which houses a population of around 86 million. On the other, Saudi Arabia stands at the heart of the Islamic world, embodying a rich tapestry of tradition and modernity. Bolstering connectivity, therefore, brings new prospects for not only our two places, but also for the broader global landscape. 

     Saudi Arabia has been a long-standing and close aviation partner to Hong Kong. The Air Services Agreement between us was signed almost two decades ago. Over the years, our aviation ties have grown stronger, witnessing remarkable developments in air services, especially in the area of all-cargo operations. The robust growth and success of our all cargo services have been instrumental in enhancing trade and connectivity between our two regions. 

     But let’s not forget the focus of today, the signing of the Marketing Cooperation Agreement, which marks a significant milestone for the already prospering aviation partnership between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia. I am very pleased to learn that the Agreement paves way for the commencement of CX’s non-stop flights to Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, later this year. The re-establishment of passenger air services since 2017 signifies our unwavering commitment to providing seamless travel experiences for passengers between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia. It also shows our trust, our confidence and our deep belief in the vast potential for further co-operation between the two places. There are still a lot of possibilities to pursue in our relationship, for example in tourism, in trade and many other areas, something I can only eagerly anticipate.

     I would also like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to CX, our flagship carrier, for their unfaltering support to the Government’s policies and for considering Hong Kong’s strategic development needs in their network planning. With CX’s forthcoming relaunch of services, we also ardently look forward to the establishment of passenger connectivity between our regions by airlines of Saudi Arabia in the near future.

     As many of you may know, Hong Kong International Airport is being developed into a Three-Runway System, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The expanded airport will be able to handle 120 million passengers and 10 million tonnes of cargo per year from 2035 onwards. We will no longer experience the capacity constraints that have limited the expansion of air services in the past. By leveraging the opportunities brought by the Three-Runway System and our country’s support of the “Air Silk Road”, we are poised to open up a new aviation hinterland to support the international aviation hub development of Hong Kong. 

     In line with this vision, the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) Government is committed to strengthening aviation services on current major routes and routes along the Belt and Road with potential. Saudi Arabia sits at the crossroad between East and West, holding with it unquestionably strong strategic importance. Following CX’s initiative to commence services to Riyadh, we will be able to expand Hong Kong’s aviation network and enhance air connectivity between us and the Middle East, which further consolidates Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub.

     I wish to emphasise that our commitment does not end here. We welcome further collaboration with Saudi Arabia to establish even more flight connections between the two places in the future. In addition, we encourage both sides to continue our promotional efforts to attract more tourism and business activities between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, capitalising on the established air links.

     Thank you. 

  

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 6) that the … read more

     The Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2024 organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present two pop music concerts, “ART!ON POP”, in July. Curated by renowned local music producer Carl Wong, the concerts will gather four new-generation singers and a number of top-notch Hong Kong music makers to reinterpret masterpieces by acclaimed composer Joseph Koo and lyricist James Wong that are related to works of literary giant Jin Yong, passing down a legacy of timeless melodies. Tickets will be on sale from June 12 (Wednesday).
      
     Jin Yong’s literary works have spread far and have been long remembered. The songs composed for his works by Joseph Koo and James Wong still linger. As the music director of this pop concert, Carl Wong will collaborate with various talented local music makers including Jun Kung (drums); Jason Kui and SONi Cheng (guitar); Abby Wong and Daniel Chu (keyboards); Herman Wong@The Hertz, Tse Chin-lui and Tse Chin-tung (vocals); and others, to inject new vitality into Hong Kong pop-culture classics associated with these three legendary figures from the 1970s to the 1990s. Singers Jeremy Lee, Wilson Ng, Yoyo Sham, and Tang Siu-hau have been invited to reinterpret the related theme songs and soundtracks, enabling the brilliance of a golden era to resonate with a new generation.
      
     Carl Wong has served as the producer/music director of albums and concerts for various local singers like Juno Mak, Eason Chan, Nicholas Tse, Wilson Ng and Jer Lau. He has also received numerous awards, including the Best Arranger and the Ultimate Album at the Ultimate Song Chart Awards, the Best Album Producer at the 30th Golden Melody Awards and Best Music Arrangement at the Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards.
      
     The Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2024: “ART!ON POP” concerts will be held at 8pm on July 21 and 22 (Sunday and Monday) at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets priced at $680, $880 and $1,080 will be available for sale from June 12 (Wednesday) from URBTIX. On the first date of sales, tickets are available only on the URBTIX website (www.urbtix.hk), its mobile ticketing app URBTIX (Android, HarmonyOS and iPhone/iPad versions) and telephone bookings (3166 1288), with a maximum of four tickets that can be purchased in each transaction. URBTIX outlets and self-service ticketing kiosk bookings will also be available from the second day of sales (i.e. June 13) onwards. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1659.html.
      
     The LCSD presented the first Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival last year to great acclaim. This year, the second edition features “Arts & Action” as its theme, taking audiences on a journey through time to explore the charm of Hong Kong’s pop culture. It encompasses both “Arts” (creative works) and “Action” (martial arts), in an attempt to show the dynamic inheritance, diffusion, integration and breakthroughs within Hong Kong’s pop culture. Among them, other programmes themed under Jin Yong, Joseph Koo and James Wong includes “A Path to Glory – Jin Yong’s Centennial Memorial • The World of Wuxia”, “A Path to Glory – Jin Yong’’ Centennial Memorial, Sculpted by Ren Zhe”, “Jin Yong’s World of Martial Arts Reading Corner”, “Book Display: Taste of Jin Yong’s Novels”, “Exhibition on Dr. Louis CHA Collection”, “Arts or Action, Why Not Both? Classic Martial Arts Drama Costumes and Props Exhibition”, the Multi-dimensional Reading of Jin Yong’s Martial Arts Novels” Subject Talk, “The Hong Kong Musicians Series: Music Document Highlights of Joseph KOO and James WONG” and “A Laugh at the World: James Wong”. For more information, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/en.