Hong Kong arts hub boss defends appointment of American artistic director
Henry Tang Ying-yen, chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, insists Alison Friedman is the ‘best person’ for the job
The new chairman of Hong Kong’s West Kowloon arts hub has defended the management’s appointment of an American as its artistic director for performing arts amid criticism from local performers.
Henry Tang Ying-yen, chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, said after a board meeting on Tuesday that Alison Friedman was the “best person” for the job.
“It is my view that we have selected the best person for the job because it is important that if we want to build an international, first-class cultural centre, we must have first-class people,” Tang said after chairing the meeting.
“Alison is very familiar with the Chinese culture and has lived in Beijing for more than 10 years. She was very successful in Beijing.”
He made the comments after Cantonese opera performers in Hong Kong said they were “extremely disappointed” that the job went to an American.
Liza Wang Ming-chun, chairman of the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong, which represents more than 1,000 Cantonese opera performers, said earlier that Friedman did not have any experience with xiqu, or Chinese opera.