Best of the Fest
The Hong Kong Arts Festival returns in February 2010 with remarkable performances by world-class performers. Caroline Ritter rounds up the best programs.
“Diversity is the one word I would use to describe the upcoming Arts Festival,” says Grace Lam, program director of the 38th Hong Kong Arts Festival. “We are bringing the best of the best to Hong Kong, combining our traditional Chinese roots with contemporary aspects of the performing arts. From the Russian Mariinsky Theater to Cantonese opera, to conductor Christoph von Dohnanyi from London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, who will be celebrating his 80th birthday in Hong Kong.”
According to Lam, there will be 13 world premieres at the festival. Audiences will have the opportunity to experience breathtaking performances from some of the world’s greatest artists. There are events that suit the tastes of both older and younger audiences, while embracing new ideas to ensure innovative programs. Lam has picked her favorite programs for us here.
The Mariinsky Theater
The Mariinsky is a historic opera and ballet theater in Saint Petersburg where classic masterpieces by composers Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky and Rimsky-Korsakov first debuted. With Valery Gergiev serving as its artistic and general director, the theater continues to enthrall audiences with its brilliant events.
Director David McVicar’s staging of Benjamin Britten’s “The Turn of the Screw” won Russia’s Gold Mask National Theater Award, and traveled to London’s English National Opera. McVicar conveys the electrifying tension in Britten’s beautiful score, while plunging us into the Henry James’ story of corrupted innocence and psychological manipulation.
March 26, 7:30pm; March 27, 2:30pm, Grand Theater, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. Tickets $200-$880, students $100-$340.
Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Opera
Two evenings of dramatic music conducted by the charismatic Valery Gergiev. The first evening draws on the Mariinsky Theater’s rich history and features music by Tchaikovsky and Wagner. The second concert includes symphonies by Prokokiev and Shostakovich, as well as “Baba Yaga” by Liadov.
March 27-28, 8pm, Concert Hall, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. Tickets $300-990, students $150-$360.
The Mariinsky Ballet presents Don Quixote
Captivating audiences since 1869, Don Quixote defines classical ballet and portrays the Mariinsky Ballet at its best, perfectly showcasing its brilliance with delightful dream sequences and joyous gypsy and oriental dances.
March 20-24, 7:30pm, Grand Theater, Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui. Tickets $200-$680, students $100-$340.