2004 Hong Kong Arts Festival (Beijing Press Conference on 15 Dec)
December 15th, 2003
Every year during February and March the Hong Kong Arts Festival presents a showcase of the best international, regional and local artists over a four week period in Hong Kong. Established in 1972, the Festival's first Director had been the director of the world renowned Edinburgh Festival. Since then the Hong Kong Arts Festival has gained a reputation as a leading international event. The programme always includes a wide range of opera, classical music, dance, theatre, jazz and world music and it well reflects the cosmopolitan nature of Hong Kong and its status as an international city.
The Hong Kong Arts Festival held a press conference in Beijing today to introduce its 2004 programme to the capital's citizens. Over 34 days from 3 February through to 7 March 2004, the Festival will present a total of 111 performances, of 51 different programmes featuring 36 performing groups, plus three exhibitions and four special outdoor performances. An array of exceptional artists from around the globe will participate in the Festival, including 700 from overseas, 450 local and 160 Chinese mainland performers and crew members. Also for the first time the Festival will present a fabulous free outdoor programme on Hong Kong's beautiful harbour front during the opening "weekend" of the Festival.
Mr Douglas Gautier, Executive Director, said, "The programme in the 32nd Arts Festival is rich and diverse, catering to different tastes and preferences, and offering something for everyone."
Audiences will be able to experience such great artists as the Komische Opera from Berlin, Zurich Ballet, the London Symphony Orchestra, Bobby McFerrin, Jan Garbarek, Wayne Shorter, Kyung-Wha Chung, Compania Nacional de Danza from Spain, the Prague Chamber Orchestra and many more. The Festival is also pleased to have invited the China National Beijing-Opera Theater and the Peking Opera House of Beijing to stage two exceptional xiqu programmes; namely, The Art of Cheng Yanqiu:100th Anniversary and Two Centuries of the Legendary Tan Family.
In launching the Hong Kong Arts Festival in the Chinese mainland, the Festival is pleased to offer, in conjunction with Dragonair, Mandarin Oriental and Marco Polo Hotel Groups, a privileged Holiday Package to patrons in Beijing and Shanghai to travel to Hong Kong for the Festival. Also included in the Package is an exclusive 15% discount on Festival tickets.
Patrons in the Chinese mainland can go to the Festival web site www.hk.artsfestival.org for full programme information and ticket bookings, and thereafter contact the Dragonair Beijing or Shanghai offices to book the special Holiday Package.
This promotion of the Hong Kong Arts Festival in China, has been made possible by the Tourism Commission of the HKSAR Government.
Programme enquiry: Ms Chris Lam
Tel: (852) 2824 3555
Fax: (852) 2845 2284
e-mail: enquiry@hkaf.org
Internet ticket booking: www.hk.artsfestival.org
URBTIX credit card ticket booking: (852) 2734 9011 / 2111 5999
The Hong Kong Arts Festival Holiday Package is only applicable to guests who purchase Hong Kong Arts Festival tickets through www.hk.artsfestival.org. Then the guests should visit or call the Dragonair Beijing Office hotline at (010) 6518 7926 or the Shanghai Office hotline at (021) 6375 6375, or log onto the Dragonair website www.dragonair.com to book the Holiday Package.
Hong Kong Arts Festival web site is developed by Ion Global and supported by IBM China/Hong Kong Ltd.
The production of this VCD/CD-ROM/CD is sponsored by Eureka Digital Ltd.
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