Speech by Ms Grace Lang (Programme Director of Hong Kong Arts Festival Society Ltd) at the 2005 Festival Kick-off Press Conference

October 28th, 2004

The Festival continues to set milestones: the 2005 edition will feature eight areas of new development which I would like to highlight.

Commissioning a work from a Putonghua theatre from the MainlandThe first attempt for a commission of this kind, Amber will extend its run outside of Hong Kong to Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore. This Festival is co-producing this production with the National Theatre Company of China and Singapore Arts Festival.

Performances in the UKThe first time that the Festival will produce a tri-lingual play with the Yellow Earth Theatre and Chung Ying Theatre performed in English, Cantonese and Putonghua. Following the Festival The Nightingale will then continue the Festival platform in a six-week run in the UK.

Joint Venture with the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, SingaporeThe Hong Kong Arts Festival and the Hua Yi Festival of the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, Singapore, share the belief of cultivating China’s talented artists and preserving the best of contemporary Chinese art. Investing together for the first time All That Shanghai Jazz will feature 11 young artists from China.

5 Asian Countries CollaborateInnovative artists from Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Malaysia; Korea and Japan will jointly create Little Prince Hamlet, the first collaboratively ASIAN Festival dance theatre commission. World Famous Dance Master meets Hong Kong Choreographer in the NetherlandsNederlands Dans Theater III, the top performers in dance theatre, will mentor local choreographers and dancers in workshops and video sessions. The climatic moment will be the announcement of a selected local choreographer, who will be invited to the Netherlands in April 2005 to be present at the final rehearsals of Ji i Kylian’s new work.

The Youngest RecitalistHong Kong has been grooming outstanding young musicians. The 2004 Gina Bachauer International Junior Piano Competition winner, 12-year-old Rachel Cheung, will give her debut recital at the Festival.

Thematic Educational Link with Universities and SchoolsOur 12-year-old Young Friends Scheme has recently launched its website (www.yfs.artsfestival.org). Students can enrol online and enjoy two free Festival performances. As part of the Young Friends Scheme study programmes are tailor-made together with universities and schools to enrich the participants’ artistic educational experiences.

Festival CD SamplerFor the first time, the Festival has produced a limited edition, 16-track CD sampler for your enjoyment. Make sure you get a copy!

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