2006 Hong Kong Arts Festival opens today Over 80% of all seats already sold

Febuary 09th, 2006

The Hong Kong Arts Festival is pleased to announce that the 34th Festival opens today on 9 February with the San Francisco Symphony under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas.  Response to the Festival has been exceptionally strong. As of today, 90,000 performance tickets have been sold, accounting for over 80% of all seats and setting a 34-year record high of sales for the Festival Opening. Ticket sales will continue during the Festival period, from 9 February to 12 March 2006.

The official opening of the 34th Hong Kong Arts Festival was held at 7:45pm today in the foyer of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The Honourable Mr Donald Tsang, the Chief Executive of the HKSAR and Patron of the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society, officiated at the opening ceremony together with Dr Patrick C P Ho, JP, the Secretary for Home Affairs; the Honourable Mr Ronald Arculli, GBS, JP, Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club; Mr Charles Lee, GBS, JP, Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society; Mr Vincent Cheng, Chairman of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited; Ms Anissa Wong, JP, Director of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Mr Douglas Gautier, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society. 

This year the Festival will present 109 performances of 48 different programmes featuring 40 performing groups, with five exhibitions. As an annual international event, the Festival provides a focus for the best of international performing arts along with a vibrant contribution from Hong Kong arts groups, composers and writers. It also includes a strong regional Asian component, as well as serving as a showcase for the best contemporary and traditional performing and visual arts from China.

For further enquiries, please contact Ms Katy Cheng, Marketing Manager, at
tel: 2824 3555.


Back to Press Releases