https://www.scmp.com/rss/326143/feed For news and reviews of the performing arts in Hong Kong - ballet, contemporary dance, opera, theatre, musicals and more - and interviews with key players from Hong Kong performing arts groups and visiting troupes, this is your page. Read about the productions of Hong Kong Ballet, Opera Hong Kong, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, City Contemporary Dance Company, Zuni Icosahedron, Hong Kong Dance Company, Chung Ying Theatre Company, as well as original commissions by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, New... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jayson Albano Jayson Albano Filipino-American drag queen Manila Luzon did not think her career would last this long. She gained international attention in 2011 for finishing as the runner-up on the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Unbeknown to her, the show would become a cultural juggernaut, bringing drag to mainstream attention and spawning over 100 seasons across its spin-offs globally. “We were the pioneers of the sisterhood. So all of my future sisters got to have an idea of what to expect,” Luzon says. “I did not... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3351518/drag-race-royalty-manila-luzon-asian-representation-and-providing-platform-others?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3351518/drag-race-royalty-manila-luzon-asian-representation-and-providing-platform-others?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Nearly two years after news of his appointment, 26-year-old Finnish-Filipino conductor Tarmo Peltokoski has officially arrived in Hong Kong to step into his full role as music director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Hailed by international critics as one of the most exciting young conductors in the world, Peltokoski will take the orchestra on an ambitious international tour just two months into his tenure. In November, the HK Phil will embark on a four-country, eight-city European... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3351631/yo-yo-ma-and-gustavo-dudamel-among-stars-hk-phils-2026-27-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3351631/yo-yo-ma-and-gustavo-dudamel-among-stars-hk-phils-2026-27-season?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 03:34:08 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls While the benefits of raising toddlers on Mozart are compelling, Dmitri Shostakovich’s music, particularly his Symphony No 11, should be avoided at all costs. Given its highly “cinematic” depictions of war, pre-performance disclaimers such as “explicit musical content” or “listener discretion advised” would not go astray even for any uninitiated concertgoer. Of its “brutal, horrific” nature, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra’s music director designate Tarmo Peltokoski also addressed the 11th’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3351545/tarmo-peltokoski-and-leila-josefowicz-lead-hong-kong-philharmonic-thrilling-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3351545/tarmo-peltokoski-and-leila-josefowicz-lead-hong-kong-philharmonic-thrilling-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:18:18 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Chinese painter Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010) remains one of the most important artists of the 20th century – a bridge-builder who combined traditional ink painting with the bold abstraction of Western modernism. Later this month, the Hong Kong Dance Company (HKDance) will explore his visual language in the cross-disciplinary Grand Dance Poem In Between – Wu Guanzhong’s Ink Odyssey. Co-presented with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and co-organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA),... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3351519/incredible-works-wu-guanzhong-reimagined-hong-kong-dance-crossover?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3351519/incredible-works-wu-guanzhong-reimagined-hong-kong-dance-crossover?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:15:07 +0000 Natasha Rogai Natasha Rogai Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) uses its annual show at the Academy for Performing Arts to present edgier, more modern programmes. This year’s offering was “Glam Rock”, a triple bill featuring the music of three rock bands: Depeche Mode, Queen and Hong Kong’s own Beyond. Brilliantly performed, this was an entertaining evening that showcased the versatility and range of the company’s dancers and included two noteworthy premieres. Martlet is a brand new work by the husband and wife team of Ricky Hu... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3349897/hong-kong-ballet-brilliantly-dances-beyond-queen-and-depeche-mode-glam-rock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3349897/hong-kong-ballet-brilliantly-dances-beyond-queen-and-depeche-mode-glam-rock?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu In the fifth of a series on challenges facing Hong Kong’s growing autistic population, Charmaine Yu meets autistic twin violinists and their mother to learn how they found their voice through music. While twin brothers Hugo and Jayden Pang often struggle to navigate a world of words, the violin provides a language in which they are always understood. Turning 26 this month, the brothers have traded early struggles in communication for international stages, proving that in Hong Kong’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3349210/how-autistic-hong-kong-violinist-twins-found-joy-and-confidence-music?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3349210/how-autistic-hong-kong-violinist-twins-found-joy-and-confidence-music?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls You have to admire long-standing ensembles that still retain the spirit and sound that their original founders intended. The acclaimed Academy of St Martin in the Fields (ASMF) began its first Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) concert on Saturday, March 28, fittingly enough, with something quintessentially British: Edward Elgar’s Serenade for String Orchestra. Positioned further back on stage than most groups appearing at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, the ASMF projected breezy wafts... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3348389/22-year-old-pianist-yunchan-lim-wows-hong-kong-arts-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3348389/22-year-old-pianist-yunchan-lim-wows-hong-kong-arts-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:15:07 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s month of celebrating art and culture is drawing to a close, but promises to end on a high. Art Basel, the prestigious international fair, opens on Friday and features 240 galleries from 41 countries and regions. It is the catalyst for a wide variety of other art events in March. The fair brings together artists, curators, galleries and other enthusiasts, fuelling the process of cultural exchange. A new five-year deal between the government and Art Basel is, therefore, a significant... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347990/hong-kongs-celebration-art-and-culture-sends-powerful-message?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347990/hong-kongs-celebration-art-and-culture-sends-powerful-message?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Jacqueline Kot Jacqueline Kot Art Basel Hong Kong 2026 is the pièce de résistance of Art Month, but beyond the annual international art fair, myriad free events around town contribute to making March the month to celebrate creativity. Collect Hong Kong Art Fair 2026 Hong Kong Arts Centre, until March 29 Presented by the Hong Kong Arts Centre and held across the Pao Galleries, The Showcase and Jockey Club Atrium venues at the centre, the Collect Hong Kong Art Fair is a platform to showcase up-and-coming local artists, Hong... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3347790/beyond-art-basel-best-hong-kongs-free-exhibitions-march?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3347790/beyond-art-basel-best-hong-kongs-free-exhibitions-march?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 04:00:33 +0000 Kevin Kwong Kevin Kwong The Fujian Province Liyuan Opera Inheritance Centre production of Red Wedding Bed is based on Chen San and Wu Niang, a love story that originated during the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279). The production is based on one of the oldest surviving vernacular (Teochew) opera scripts, dating back to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Chen San, a scholar from Quanzhou in Fujian province, travels to Chaozhou in Guangdong and meets the beautiful Huang Wu Niang at a Lantern Festival fair, and it is love at... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3347698/brilliant-chinese-opera-troupes-retelling-ancient-love-story-has-surprise-ending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3347698/brilliant-chinese-opera-troupes-retelling-ancient-love-story-has-surprise-ending?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Ken Smith Ken Smith Since its first Hong Kong appearance in 2017 with the Asian premiere of The Makropulos Case, the National Theatre Brno has twice been awarded festival of the year for its Janacek Brno Festival at the International Opera Awards in 2018 and 2025, and best new production for The Excursions of Mr Broucek in 2025. The thread connecting these distinctions is the modernist Leos Janacek (1854-1928), who spent most of his life in Brno, in the Czech Republic, and whose often-bracing music the company... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3347662/hong-kong-performance-tchaikovskys-eugene-onegin-subtle-yet-powerful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3347662/hong-kong-performance-tchaikovskys-eugene-onegin-subtle-yet-powerful?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:15:13 +0000 Enid Tsui,Ashlyn Chak Enid Tsui,Ashlyn Chak This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. With a surge of new venues and a relentless calendar of openings, navigating Hong Kong’s 2026 art week requires strategy. Here is our carefully curated shortlist. On the main stage Art Basel Hong Kong Art Basel Hong Kong remains the anchor of the season, with 240 exhibitors taking part. This year, two sectors have been added: “Echoes”, showing works made in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3347339/definitive-scmp-guide-navigating-hong-kong-art-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3347339/definitive-scmp-guide-navigating-hong-kong-art-week?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 03:15:08 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Eat this Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Hong Kong takes centre stage as it hosts the awards ceremony for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for the first time on March 25. To mark the occasion, a series of official Signature Sessions will see global culinary heavyweights take over local kitchens for one-night-only collaborations. Highlights include a powerhouse dinner at Ando featuring chefs from Taipei’s Logy and Florilège in Tokyo, a multi-hand feast at Caprice with the teams from Masque (Mumbai) and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347135/best-things-do-hong-kong-march-22-28?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347135/best-things-do-hong-kong-march-22-28?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has received dozens of complaints after Taiwanese rock band Mayday cancelled one of its coming concerts at Kai Tak Sports Park and replaced it with a new date later in the week, sparking frustration among fans – particularly those travelling from mainland China and overseas. The Consumer Council said that as of 1pm on Tuesday, it had received 24 complaints about the cancelled show – eight from local consumers and 16 from fans outside the city. The watchdog said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346132/sour-note-fans-after-taiwanese-rock-band-mayday-switches-hong-kong-date?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346132/sour-note-fans-after-taiwanese-rock-band-mayday-switches-hong-kong-date?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:15:06 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Ending the week with a requiem and a mass may sound like an overload of gravitas. Yet for their Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) concert on March 6, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and his Constellation Choir and Orchestra (CCO) gave Mozart’s two sacred works a buoyancy and transparency that was more uplifting than anything else. This was the Hong Kong debut of Gardiner’s new ensemble, founded in 2024 after an unfortunate incident that led to his departure from the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra, which he... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3346057/sir-john-eliot-gardiners-cco-plays-sumptuous-mozart-hong-kong-arts-festival-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3346057/sir-john-eliot-gardiners-cco-plays-sumptuous-mozart-hong-kong-arts-festival-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:15:07 +0000 Natasha Rogai Natasha Rogai Hard on the heels of the opening show La Belle Otero, the Hong Kong Arts Festival brought us another dance work inspired by an artist with a tumultuous life: Caravaggio. This was a work of stunning beauty and power, with Mauro Bigonzetti’s magnificent choreography performed by a cast of outstanding dancers led by the legendary Roberto Bolle. Among the greatest of Italian painters, Caravaggio (1571-1610) was notorious for his dissolute and violent lifestyle. He often found himself in trouble with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3346050/caravaggio-ballet-performance-hong-kong-work-stunning-beauty-and-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3346050/caravaggio-ballet-performance-hong-kong-work-stunning-beauty-and-power?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:32:07 +0000 Lauren James Lauren James Wit and warmth abounded in the Stella Cole Quartet’s run of four performances at Hong Kong’s Xiqu Centre. A baker’s dozen of jazz standards and classic film favourites delivered over an hour proved an ideal format – well paced and polished, without a moment of slack. Meanwhile, the retro stylings of the bijoux Tea House Theatre mirrored Cole’s profile as a performer: an old soul in youthful form. She sashayed into view in a midnight-blue satin gown, with cherry-red lips and white stiletto heels... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3345715/stella-cole-quartet-delivers-delightful-set-jazz-and-film-classics-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3345715/stella-cole-quartet-delivers-delightful-set-jazz-and-film-classics-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung The kaleidoscopic Art Month has arrived in Hong Kong, with the bulk of the performing arts events taking place under the banner of the 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival. Running until March 30, the non-profit festival features more than 1,100 artists and 170 performances organised under the theme of peace, courage and resilience – a fitting foil for the times we find ourselves in. The 2026 line-up doesn’t shy away from technology. The KAGAMI experience is the most eagerly anticipated headline act,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3345569/ryuichi-sakamoto-yunchan-lim-and-others-54th-hong-kong-arts-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3345569/ryuichi-sakamoto-yunchan-lim-and-others-54th-hong-kong-arts-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Sebastian Kaiser’s stage adaptation of Liu Yichang’s The Drunkard is as chaotic and electrifying as an exhilarating night out. This two-and-a-half-hour commission for the Hong Kong Arts Festival stays true to the 1962 novel’s rebellious spirit while freely adapting the stream-of-consciousness ramblings of a struggling writer drinking himself into oblivion. Among the many liberties taken is the splitting of the unnamed protagonist into two parts, played by actress Sze Wei and actor Yeung... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3345231/sebastian-kaisers-drunkard-adaptation-chaotic-timely-and-fiercely-alive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3345231/sebastian-kaisers-drunkard-adaptation-chaotic-timely-and-fiercely-alive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 12:15:07 +0000 Natasha Rogai Natasha Rogai This year’s Hong Kong Arts Festival opened with La Bella Otero, a full-length narrative work from Spain’s leading dance company, Ballet Nacional de España. La Bella Otero offers a lively, entertaining showcase of Spanish dance – always popular in Hong Kong, as the rapturous reception from the audience showed – and Noelia Ruiz did an excellent job of conveying star quality, high energy and sexual allure in the title role. On the downside, choreographer Ruben Olmo and dramaturge Gregor Acuña-Pohl... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3345134/la-bella-otero-led-wild-life-ballet-hong-kong-tries-tell-her-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3345134/la-bella-otero-led-wild-life-ballet-hong-kong-tries-tell-her-story?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Once a vital crossroads of the Silk Road, the historic oasis of Dunhuang remains a crown jewel of Gansu province in northwest China. It is home to the Mogao Caves, a Unesco-listed complex representing over a millennium of Buddhist devotion, from the Northern Liang to the Yuan dynasties. Generations of Dunhuangologists have poured over the cultural secrets woven into the elaborate murals inside the 492 preserved caves, including depictions of 4,500 musical instruments and 500 ensembles that are a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3344692/hong-kong-group-brings-ancient-silk-road-murals-musical-depictions-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3344692/hong-kong-group-brings-ancient-silk-road-murals-musical-depictions-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 07:15:07 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan In Washington, a city often in the spotlight for domestic and international politics, Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham views his instrument as a platform that can bridge cultures, transcend politics and connect people across borders. At 28, fresh from a landmark international competition victory, Sham is building a global career where his music often speaks louder than diplomacy. On Wednesday, just before stepping onto the stage at the US capital’s Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium for a Year of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344943/hong-kong-pianist-aristo-sham-brings-music-and-message-openness-washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344943/hong-kong-pianist-aristo-sham-brings-music-and-message-openness-washington?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 20:54:49 +0000 Enid Tsui Enid Tsui Billed as a maverick hybrid of Cantonese opera and contemporary political satire, Trump on Show returned to the stage on February 22 with up-to-date references that included the US Supreme Court’s ruling against US President Donald Trump’s global tariffs just days prior. The fourth version of the show, first created by feng shui master Edward Li Kui-ming in 2019, opened on the sixth day of the Year of the Horse and sold out quickly as a holiday blockbuster. It brings on board comedy actress... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3344471/trump-abducted-aliens-and-has-chinese-twin-chaotic-cantonese-opera?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3344471/trump-abducted-aliens-and-has-chinese-twin-chaotic-cantonese-opera?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:15:07 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu In a world obsessed with aesthetic perfection, Harmonia asks a radical question: what happens to our understanding of beauty when we trade judgment for curiosity? Uniting a cast of performers including dancers with congenital limb differences, dwarfism and wheelchair needs, the experimental dance project by Unusual Symptoms – a company-in-residence at Germany’s Theatre Bremen – exhibits the vocabulary of unconventional movement. The project premiered in Germany in 2022 and won best work at the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3343970/inclusive-dance-team-unites-unconventional-performers-coming-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3343970/inclusive-dance-team-unites-unconventional-performers-coming-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 04:15:07 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu At a rehearsal studio in Hong Kong on an early February morning, a group of 12 dancers gathered around a table, hands on deck and eyes locked in intense glances. They slammed the counter in unison. Then they twisted and turned their bodies with fierce precision, as a wave of energy swept through the room. Half stood, while the others moved in wheelchairs. The dancers dispersed into the four corners of the room. Evina Wong Wai-king, a 65-year-old wheelchair dancer, lifted her hand. Tilting her... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344206/belongs-everyone-wheelchair-dancers-move-beyond-boundaries-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344206/belongs-everyone-wheelchair-dancers-move-beyond-boundaries-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Although widely recognised as the world’s first professional inclusive music ensemble, there is so much more to the Paraorchestra than its full integration of disabled and non-disabled musicians. When the British collective won best ensemble at the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards in March 2025, it was lauded for “invigorating concert halls with thrilling experiences”. Indeed, the group has been celebrated around the world for its signature performance style that breaks the fourth wall of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3342865/paraorchestras-hong-kong-concert-lets-audience-walk-around-see-musicians-close?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3342865/paraorchestras-hong-kong-concert-lets-audience-walk-around-see-musicians-close?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:15:09 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu Part surrealist descent, part literary manifesto, The Drunkard by Shanghai-born Liu Yichang is a quintessential piece of Hong Kong literature and a landmark of modernist experimentation. The 1962 stream-of-consciousness novel – the first of its type written in Chinese – follows an unnamed writer struggling against a shallow, commercialised society. As he sinks into alcoholism against a gritty, neon-lit urban backdrop, his personal collapse serves as a poignant allegory for the brutality of World... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3342519/major-hong-kong-literary-work-drunkard-reimagined-stage-german-director?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3342519/major-hong-kong-literary-work-drunkard-reimagined-stage-german-director?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:15:09 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Sabrina Ma Suk-wai was something of a child prodigy. She started playing the piano, violin and drums when she was six, and became the SCMP Student Musician of the Year in 2001 when she was 16. Her decisions to study musical performance – specialising in percussion at the University of Michigan, in the United States – and to move to Berlin, Germany, as a freelance performer at 22 were all within the expected career path for a young, talented musician. But when she turned 30, something began to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3342094/hong-kong-percussionist-sabrina-ma-trades-orchestra-musical-triathlon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3342094/hong-kong-percussionist-sabrina-ma-trades-orchestra-musical-triathlon?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 07:22:37 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls “Wouldn’t you just die without Mahler?” Even if that line made famous by Rita’s flatmate Trish in the film version of Educating Rita is meant to satirise the pretentiousness of the intellectual class, the life-affirming nature of Gustav Mahler’s music is undeniable. When pondering the darker, enigmatic aspects found in his Symphony No 7, however, one can only imagine how much bleaker the piece would have turned out had the Austro-Bohemian written it during the dire years after its actual... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3341210/hk-phil-brings-mahlers-symphony-no-7-life-energetic-eerie-performance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3341210/hk-phil-brings-mahlers-symphony-no-7-life-energetic-eerie-performance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:15:08 +0000 Natasha Rogai Natasha Rogai The National Ballet of China (NBC) made a welcome return to Hong Kong this month with performances of Giselle and Chinese New Year, the company’s adaptation of The Nutcracker. In Giselle, an excellent cast was headed by prima ballerina Qiu Yunting in a luminous interpretation of the title role. When the company last performed the ballet here in 2017, Qiu made a striking impression as a young soloist dancing the evil Myrthe, Queen of the Wilis. Now, nine years later, she has matured into a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3340986/national-ballet-china-return-hong-kong-dazzling-giselle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3340986/national-ballet-china-return-hong-kong-dazzling-giselle?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Eat this Belon For a peek behind the curtain at Belon, chef Mina Güçlüer is hosting masterclasses that trade the dining room for the kitchen. The afternoon involves a rare behind-the-scenes tour, technical instruction and ingredient sampling, all aided by flowing champagne. Come 6pm, attendees segue into a multi-course dinner to feast on the fruits of their labour, complete with a four-glass wine pairing. 1/F, 1-5 Elgin Street, Central. HK$3,500; belonsoho.com Drink this Quinary Mixology... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3340957/best-things-do-hong-kong-january-25-31?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3340957/best-things-do-hong-kong-january-25-31?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 05:00:12 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung All good things must come to a coda. After 18 years of bringing the sort of chamber music that makes you sit up and pay attention, the Beare’s Premiere Music Festival is taking its final bow this week. It is a bittersweet affair, certainly, but if the programme is anything to go by, the event intends to go out with quite a bang. For the uninitiated, this festival – originally the Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival – has long been the city’s answer to those intimate European... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3340947/beares-premiere-music-festival-2026-hosts-hong-kong-finale?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3340947/beares-premiere-music-festival-2026-hosts-hong-kong-finale?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu At 80 years old, Margaret Leng Tan is a meticulous timekeeper – not just of days and years, but of the silent spaces between the notes she plays on her toy pianos. The Singapore-born, New York-based musician has left her mark on the history of 20th century avant-garde music. A classically trained pianist, she became the first woman to obtain a doctoral degree in music from New York’s Juilliard School, in 1971, a decade after winning a scholarship there. Later, she became a key interpreter of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3340389/singaporean-musician-living-ocd-uses-toy-pianos-and-cat-food-tins-tell-her-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3340389/singaporean-musician-living-ocd-uses-toy-pianos-and-cat-food-tins-tell-her-story?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 09:15:07 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung A new Cantonese musical written by Lora Chow Hiu-ching, a Yale University-trained soprano and composer, is one of the highlights of the coming Fringe Festival in Hong Kong. Called Dr Clown, it is the tale of a doctor who is so convinced that patients need emotional and psychological support alongside clinical care that he decides that his new calling is to become a hospital clown. Meanwhile, his nephew, a first-year medical student, secretly dreams of being a filmmaker. Like the titular... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3340165/hong-kong-composer-lora-chows-unusual-journey-finance-writing-cantonese-musicals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3340165/hong-kong-composer-lora-chows-unusual-journey-finance-writing-cantonese-musicals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Paola Ventimiglia Paola Ventimiglia Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, known as Caravaggio, would have loved to “free” that form trapped in marble – and even more so to paint a statuesque, sculpted body like that of ballet dancer Roberto Bolle. Every muscle in his finely defined physique tells the story of the effort, discipline and sacrifice the international star of classical dance has invested to become who he is today at the age of 50. I meet him at the Teatro Carlo Felice in the Italian city of Genoa, ahead of a performance... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3339596/ballet-star-roberto-bolle-dance-and-discipline-caravaggio-and-chiaroscuro?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3339596/ballet-star-roberto-bolle-dance-and-discipline-caravaggio-and-chiaroscuro?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Eat this Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic x Qu Lang Yuan Anne-Sophie Pic’s Hong Kong outpost welcomes Beijing talent Li Zhanxu of Qu Lang Yuan for a two-night residency on Monday and Tuesday. Li, whose home restaurant is housed in a serene courtyard in the capital’s historic Dongsi Hutong, brings a poetic Franco-Chinese dialogue to Pic’s harbourfront establishment. Expect a seamless meld of techniques: Pic’s signature comté berlingots are receiving an oolong infusion while Alsatian venison is... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3339304/our-cheat-sheet-what-do-hong-kong-january-11-17?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3339304/our-cheat-sheet-what-do-hong-kong-january-11-17?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:00:11 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Out with the old, in with the new: as January unfolds, Hong Kong’s weekend line-up mirrors this seasonal shift, with some experiences entering their final days while fresh options await. The debut of the city’s first major street dance festival leads the charge alongside a soon-to-close museum, a new anime pop-up and empowering run sessions, offering something for every pace and interest. Read on to find out more. 1. Cupnoodles Museum The Hong Kong branch of Japan’s Cupnoodles Museum, which... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3339139/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-january-9-11?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3339139/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-weekend-january-9-11?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 02:15:08 +0000 Hsiuwen Liu Hsiuwen Liu Early last year, I started noticing friends posting Instagram stories from a roaming club night called Cantomania. Under dim, shifting lights, the DJ spun Cantopop classics such as Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing’s 1984 hit “Monica” alongside cartoon theme songs from Digimon Adventure and Hamtaro, even the Donki jingle, while the crowd shouted the choruses in unison. The man behind the deck was DJ Fabsabs, real name Pete Sabine, a Hong Kong-born gweilo whose sets have become a celebration of the city’s... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3339157/cantomania-dj-night-driving-hong-kongs-cantopop-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3339157/cantomania-dj-night-driving-hong-kongs-cantopop-comeback?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung The founders of a new Hong Kong festival dedicated to street dance culture have pledged to transform local perception of a dance category that has made it into the Olympic Games but is still associated with “troubled youths”. Flo Fest was founded by the Hong Kong Street Dance Development Association (HKSDDA), which celebrated its 10th anniversary in November 2025, and is the culmination of a year-long programme that saw eight emerging local choreographers undergo intensive training in Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3338760/new-hong-kong-street-dance-festival-flo-fest-aims-change-troubled-kid-stereotype?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3338760/new-hong-kong-street-dance-festival-flo-fest-aims-change-troubled-kid-stereotype?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 10:37:05 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott One of the most popular arts stories of 2025 shone a light on Hong Kong pianist Aristo Sham, who in June was named the winner of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Shedding a less positive light on Hong Kong was a story about why so many classical music stars are skipping Hong Kong for other Chinese cities. A story about Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor – who became famous after a British king abdicated to wed her – also struck a chord. Here we look back at seven of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337980/7-best-arts-stories-2025-new-labubu-prize-winning-hong-kong-pianist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337980/7-best-arts-stories-2025-new-labubu-prize-winning-hong-kong-pianist?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:15:08 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li The festive season is upon Hong Kong, and as in past years, the city offers an array of cultural events for residents and visitors – from ballet to theatre and music. While unmistakably Christmas-themed events are available, some offer an alternative for those who want to spend their holidays in a slightly different way. The Post highlights some of the shows worth catching over the holidays. 1. Family-friendly performances The Hong Kong Ballet’s annual performances of The Nutcracker mark the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3337586/craving-art-music-and-theatre-christmas-heres-what-see-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3337586/craving-art-music-and-theatre-christmas-heres-what-see-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 07:00:13 +0000 Natasha Rogai Natasha Rogai Lucie in the Sky is an award-winning show from Australia that was presented by Hong Kong’s East Kowloon Cultural Centre (EKCC) as part of its grand opening season. In keeping with the centre’s mission to pioneer the creative use of technology in the arts, the piece by the Australasian Dance Collective (ADC) features six human dancers interacting with five drones. The tiny drones – seen by the audience as lights floating in the air – are beautifully choreographed and interact elegantly with the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337409/drones-meet-dancers-hong-kong-performance-lucie-sky?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3337409/drones-meet-dancers-hong-kong-performance-lucie-sky?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 10:15:07 +0000 Natasha Rogai Natasha Rogai Lucia di Lammermoor is one of the masterpieces of bel canto opera and the title role, with its challenging combination of exquisite, stylised singing and intense, realistic drama, is among the most prized in the repertoire. In Musica Viva’s new production, Lucrezia Drei’s gorgeous voice, flawless bel canto technique and vivid stage presence showed that this young Italian soprano is a worthy successor to such legendary Lucias as Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland and Natalie Dessay. Composed by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3336580/lucrezia-drei-dazzles-musica-vivas-lucia-di-lammermoor-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3336580/lucrezia-drei-dazzles-musica-vivas-lucia-di-lammermoor-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 07:15:09 +0000 Syrena Jin Syrena Jin Some of Hong Kong’s biggest names in classical music are coming together to raise funds for the family of the firefighter who died in the Tai Po fire. The concert, titled “Salute to the Brave, Soothing the Soul” and co-organised by the violinist and conductor Leung Kin-fung, will be held on December 22 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui. Firefighter Ho Wai-ho, 37, died in the line of duty in Wang Fuk Court. The worst blaze in Hong Kong in more than 70 years killed more than 160... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3336562/hong-kong-classical-concert-raise-money-family-firefighter-lost-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3336562/hong-kong-classical-concert-raise-money-family-firefighter-lost-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Dec 2025 03:15:08 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls As far as concert openers go, some say the bigger the better. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra took that to heart on December 11 by starting their Nordic-inspired programme with a downright noisy and massively orchestrated work by Finnish composer-in-residence Esa-Pekka Salonen, which was conducted by his mentee and fellow countryman Tarmo Peltokoski, also the orchestra’s music director designate. When it boiled down to a choice between Salonen’s portrayal of the eccentric Castor and his... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3336426/lang-lang-and-tarmo-peltokoski-pack-punch-concert-pushes-hk-phils-limits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3336426/lang-lang-and-tarmo-peltokoski-pack-punch-concert-pushes-hk-phils-limits?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:15:07 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung As the year draws to a close, Hong Kong is awash with set menus, cultural happenings, themed brunches and extravagant countdown parties. The offerings run the gamut from high tradition (yes, more turkey) to the decidedly unconventional (fried chicken, anyone?). Tai Kwun has launched its “Simple Gifts of Joy” celebration, running until January 4. The main event is “Circus Plays”, a programme bringing in high-calibre international circus acts, including the Asia premiere of The Genesis from... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3336172/what-do-hong-kong-christmas-michelin-star-feasts-circus-acts-and-charity-events?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3336172/what-do-hong-kong-christmas-michelin-star-feasts-circus-acts-and-charity-events?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:00:15 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Given the excitement surrounding Eric Lu’s victory at the 2025 International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition on October 21, it came as no surprise that the Chinese-American’s all-Chopin recital on December 7, presented by the HKU Muse Piano Laureate Series, sold out so quickly that an extra performance was added. The renowned music writer, composer and pianist Jed Distler described Lu as “a pianist who knows exactly what he wants from his instrument and how to get it”, while blogging on the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3335734/chopin-competition-winner-eric-lu-thrills-hong-kong-night-mesmerising-music?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3335734/chopin-competition-winner-eric-lu-thrills-hong-kong-night-mesmerising-music?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:15:07 +0000 Christopher Halls Christopher Halls Despite having “culture junkies” for parents, Andrea Fessler could never have foreseen becoming a champion of chamber music in Hong Kong or running a festival for small ensembles that would become an important fixture in the city’s classical music calendar. The Vancouver-raised Harvard Law School graduate and former corporate lawyer is the founder of performing arts group Premiere Performances (PPHK), which will hold the 18th and final edition of its Beare’s Premiere Music Festival, which... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3335676/hong-kong-chamber-music-festival-founder-why-its-mission-complete-ahead-final-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3335676/hong-kong-chamber-music-festival-founder-why-its-mission-complete-ahead-final-event?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:15:08 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Coinciding with the recent release of Wicked: For Good, a Hong Kong creative team has also brought Oz to life – in Cantonese. “Wicked in Canto”, a series of videos featuring songs from the global musical phenomenon performed in the city’s mother tongue, is making waves on YouTube and Instagram, with tracks dropping weekly. The project champions Hong Kong talent while highlighting the potential of international musical theatre productions performed in Cantonese. Officially leading the project’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3335174/wicked-songs-cantonese-new-online-series-champions-hong-kong-talent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3335174/wicked-songs-cantonese-new-online-series-champions-hong-kong-talent?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 07:15:09 +0000 Natasha Rogai Natasha Rogai Kung Fu Artistry is a new work by the Hong Kong Dance Company (HKDC) that marks the 85th anniversary of the birth of the great Bruce Lee, one of Hong Kong’s best-loved and most celebrated sons. Subtitled Bruce Lee’s No Way as Way, this dance drama explores his philosophy as well as his life and martial arts prowess. Visually stunning and filled with evocative images and music, the production features thrilling martial arts choreography and a tremendous performance by Ong Tsz-shen as Lee. With... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3334993/thrilling-bruce-lee-dance-show-explores-hong-kong-stars-life-and-career?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3334993/thrilling-bruce-lee-dance-show-explores-hong-kong-stars-life-and-career?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:15:08 +0000