For immediate release
The 50th Hong Kong Arts Festival in 2022
Latest Update to Festival Finale
Shanghai Opera House’s semi-staged operas
Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci will close the 50th Hong Kong Arts Festival
(14 March 2022, Hong Kong)
Due to developments in the COVID-19 pandemic, the online concert
Roméo et Juliette by Shanghai Opera House will not take place as scheduled. In its place, we are pleased to present the Shanghai Opera House’s semi-staged operas double bill
Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci as the Festival Finale performance. This will be available for free viewing on the HKAF website from 20:00 Hong Kong Time on 26 March to 20:00 Hong Kong Time on 23 April upon registration. Please see the HKAF website at
www.hk.artsfestival.org for updates.
The Festival Finale on 26 Mar is sponsored by ICBC (Asia)
Join a global audience to celebrate the Festival Finale with this opera double bill bursting with passionThis double-bill of classic Italian operas is performed by the Shanghai Opera House, led by Maestro Xu Zhong—President of the Shanghai Opera House, internationally renowned conductor and pianist, and the first Chinese artist to be appointed International Chair in Opera of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. For this epic performance, they are joined by He Hui—described by Opera World as “one of the most important dramatic singers of her generation”; Xue Haoyin, Grand Prize winner of the Rimsky-Korsakov International Vocal Competition; and Han Peng, winner of the gold medal in the Turandot International Opera Competition held in Verona.
The two operas are united by the theme of passion: Mascagni’s
Cavalleria Rusticana tells the story of a village love affair that spirals out of control. In Leoncavallo’s
Pagliacci a troupe of travelling players comes to town—and the emotions behind their performance turn out to be dangerously real.
About the Hong Kong Arts FestivalLaunched in 1973, the Hong Kong Arts Festival is a major international arts festival committed to enriching the cultural life of the city. In February and March every year, the Festival presents leading local and international artists from all genres of the performing arts, giving equal importance to great traditions and contemporary creations. The Festival also commissions and produces work in theatre, music, chamber opera and contemporary dance by Hong Kong’s own creative talents and emerging artists, many of which have had successful subsequent runs in Hong Kong and overseas. Every year, the Festival also presents over 250 “PLUS” and educational activities that offer diverse arts experiences to the community as well as tertiary, secondary and primary school students. In addition, through the “No Limits” project co-presented with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Festival strives to create an inclusive space for people with different abilities to share the joy of the arts together.
Media EnquiriesFor further enquiries, please contact Ms Katy Cheng, Marketing Director, at
katy.cheng@hkaf.org, or Ms Valentina Wong, Marketing Manager, at
valentina.wong@hkaf.org.