Don Quixote:
The Hong Kong Ballet opens the 2014-15 season
with a sensational story ballet for all the family
Hong Kong – 20th June 2014 Based on Miguel de Cervantes’ epic 17th century novel of the same name, Don Quixote promises rip-roaring fun for Hong Kong audiences. The extravagant production is a fast-paced dance spectacle featuring virtuoso dancing, Ludwig Minkus’s flamboyant music, a fanciful storyline and hilarious characters, all suffused with feisty Spanish passion. Don Q, as it is universally known in the ballet world, is a must-see ballet for all the family. All performances will be accompanied live by the City Chamber Orchestra Hong Kong, conducted by Judith Yan.
Miguel de Cervantes’ literary masterpiece was set at a time when the power of the once-mighty Spanish Empire was in decline. The eponymous hero, who misguidedly imagines himself a chivalrous and honourable knight, sets off in search of Dulcinea the fictional maiden with whom he has fallen in love. On his adventures he meets the beautiful Kitri and mistakes her for his beloved Dulcinea. This fun and feisty tale tells of Kitri and her sweetheart Basilio, and their encounters with the comically delusional Don Quixote and his simple squire Sancho Panza.
Nina Ananiashvili, the Georgian-born, Bolshoi-trained dancer who is recognised as one of the finest prima ballerinas of the 20th century is staging her own interpretation of Don Quixote for The Hong Kong Ballet. Nina made her name performing the flirty, free-spirited Kitri, and her interpretation is the performance all others must measure up to: “an exuberant amalgam of charm, comic timing, breathtaking virtuosity and classical purity,” according to renowned ballet writer Larry Kaplan. Nina and her production team have already visited Hong Kong several times to lead rehearsals, and the Company’s dancers are taking great inspiration from the world-class ballerina.
The Hong Kong Ballet is delighted to welcome another guest: Matthew Golding is a Principal Dancer at the Royal Ballet who will dance the role of Basilio, a penniless young barber and Kitri’s sweetheart. Canadian-born Matthew was awarded the "Grand Prix" from the Youth American Ballet Competition in New York in 2002, and received a prize scholarship at the Prix de Lausanne Ballet Competition to attend the Royal Ballet School in London. Since graduating, he danced with the American Ballet Theater and Het National Ballet Amsterdam before joining the Royal Ballet as Principal Dancer in 2014.
Don Quixote – event and booking details
22, 23, 29, 30.8.2014 – 7:30PM
23, 24, 30, 31 August 2014 – 2:30PM
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
8 performances
Tickets available at URBTIX from 22.6.2014
Programme Duration: approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes including 2 intervals
Suitable for ages 3 and above
Prices: $140, $280, $480, $680, *$1,000 (Limited availability VIP tickets)
#Joint Promotional Offer
Pre or Post Ballet Dining Options at InterContinental Hong Kong
Ticket holders of Don Quixote can enjoy 15% off food & beverage in all restaurants and bars at InterContinental Hong Kong before or after performance upon presentation of their tickets on the performance date. For details, please call 2313 2323 for details.
| Discounts | |
|---|---|
| 50% off | Full-time students, senior citizens, people with disabilities (Limited tickets for students and senior citizens avaliable on a first-come, first-served basis. This discount cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts.) |
| 15% off | Friends of The Hong Kong Ballet |
| 10% off (First two tickets) |
Energy Fun Club plus, Zuni's Friends, CCDC Dance Generation Premium members, HKPO Club Bravo members, Friends of HKCO and Friends of HKDC |
| Group Booking | 10% off for every purchase of 10-19 tickets at regular price, 15% off for 20-40 tickets. |
#Not combinable with other offers or promotions
*Patrons can enjoy only one of the above discounts for each purchase
*Discounts are not applicable to $1,000 VIP tickets
Ticketing Enquiries: 3761 6661
Credit Card Booking: 2111 5999
Internet Booking: www.urbtix.hk
Programme Enquiries: 2105 9724
| Champagne Partner | Make-Up Partner | Media Partner |
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PROGRAMME PLUS!
Get to know Don Quixote
12.8.2014 | Tue | 7:30pm - 8:45pm
GR3, 8/F, Grand Theatre Backstage, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Don Quixote has an incredible history spanning the 400 years since the novel was written in 1605. The ballet centres on love but also offers a hilarious look at an alternative view of chivalry and knighthood. Known for its balletic fireworks and bravura steps, this ballet is a tour de force, requiring the dancers to tackle some of the most technically-demanding choreography in classical ballet. Featuring brand new sets and costumes, come and learn more about Don Quixote and The Hong Kong Ballet's own unique take on this classical ballet staged by world famous prima ballerina Nina Ananiashivili.
Free admission. Conducted in English. Suitable for ages 6 and above.
Limited capacity, advanced registration required.
Registration & Enquiries
2105 9724 | [email protected]
Pre-performance Talk
22.8.2014 | Fri | 6:50pm
Level 2 Foyer, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Get a sneak peek into the background of Don Quixote before the curtain goes up on this premiere! Join us at the foyer outside the Grand Theatre for a short informative talk, where you will hear about the sumptuous sets and costumes, and learn some interesting facts that will help you appreciate this marvellous new production.
This programme is about 20 minutes long.
Free admission with Don Quixote tickets.
Conducted in English with Cantonese translation.
Pre-performance Workshop
23.8.2014 | Sat | 12:00pm – 1:00pm
GR2 or GR3, 8/F, Grand Theatre Backstage, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Designed for children aged 6-12, this fun interactive workshop uses dramatic storytelling to explore the great novel Don Quixote. Students will be encouraged to express their theatrical side through character interpretation and they will also learn some of the impressive bravura steps from this classical ballet. No previous dance experience is necessary.
Fee: $80 per person
Quota: 40
*10% off for Friends of The Hong Kong Ballet.
Only for ticket holders or Friends of The Hong Kong Ballet. Conducted in Cantonese and English.
Enquiries: [email protected]
About The Hong Kong Ballet
The Hong Kong Ballet is one of the premier classical ballet companies in Asia and is becoming internationally recognised as a world-class institution that represents Hong Kong’s unique fascination for the dance world. November 2013 marked the 35th anniversary of The Hong Kong Ballet, a Company that has evolved into a vibrant performing arts organisation with accomplished dancers, a strong repertoire, and sparkling, technically challenging productions.
The Company’s artistic team of over 40 dancers is led by Artistic Director Madeleine Onne. The majority of the dancers hail from China while others are from elsewhere in Asia, Europe and North America. In recent years the Company has won recognition from the public, from local arts awards and from significant figures in the ballet world.
The Company’s repertoire encompasses full-length ballets such as Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Giselle, as well as the finest classical and neo-classical works of the 19th to 21st centuries including Theme and Variations, Rubies and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux by George Balanchine; Christian Spuck's Le Grand Pas de Deux; Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo and Juliet and Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow and Coppélia. The Hong Kong Ballet also performs acclaimed contemporary ballets, such as William Forsythe’s Steptext, Nils Christe’s Symphony in Three Movements, Krzysztof Pastor's In Light and Shadow and Nacho Duato's Castrati.
The Hong Kong Ballet is establishing a unique repertoire by regularly commissioning works such as Natalie Weir’s Turandot, Cynthia Harvey's version of The Sleeping Beauty, Terence Kohler's The Nutcracker, Stephen Baynes’ The Way Alone, Peter Quanz’s Luminous and Jorma Elo’s Shape of Glow. The Company proudly maintains its position as Hong Kong’s cultural ambassador by commissioning many ballets that have a special connection with Hong Kong or China such as Black on Black by Kinsun Chan, A Room of Her Own by Fei Bo, Dancing with the Wind by Li Jun, The Frog Prince - A Ballet Chinois, choreographed by Yuri Ng and Associate Choreographers Yuh Egami and Ricky Hu, and The Dream of the Red Chamber by Wang Xin Peng.
The Hong Kong Ballet has continued to raise its international profile by conducting more than 30 tours to 10 countries in North and South America, Europe and Asia. The Company represented Hong Kong at the Expo 2010 Shanghai, presenting a mixed bill production and performing as part of Festive Hong Kong Celebration. Recent engagements include a North America Tour in the summer of 2012, incorporating the Company’s debut appearance at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival – the most prestigious and longest-running international dance festival in North America – as well as performances in Aspen, Montreal and Santa Fe. In autumn 2012, the dancers were back in the US to perform at the renowned Fall for Dance Festival in New York and a year later the Company presented two performances of Swan Lake at Guangzhou Opera House. In 2014 The Hong Kong Ballet was delighted to be invited to perform at Jacob’s Pillow again, and will be amongst the first international ballet companies to appear at the newly renovated Northrop Performing Arts Center in Minneapolis, USA.
Education and community outreach programmes are essential to help The Hong Kong Ballet develop new audiences, especially among young people. The Company collaborates with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department for many programmes, such as the School Culture Day Scheme, the School Arts Animateur Scheme, and the Arts Experience Scheme for Senior Secondary Students. The Hong Kong Ballet also organises projects such as talks, pre-performance workshops and Ballet Theatre Camps. Through these initiatives The Hong Kong Ballet reached over 20,850 participants in 2013, serving to deepen the awareness and appreciation of ballet. To bring the art form to those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to experience it, the Company also invites under-privileged young people to enjoy rehearsals and performances.
The Hong Kong Ballet's unique identity embodies the dynamic vitality of its home city and as the Company celebrates its 35th anniversary, we are proud of both our past and future as one of Hong Kong’s most important performing arts groups.
For enquiries, please contact
Tony Leung
Marketing & PR Manager
The Hong Kong Ballet
Tel: +852 2105 9716
[email protected]
DOWNLOAD PRESS PHOTOS
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Don Quixote
Promotional poster
Photographer: Almond Chu
Guest Artist
Matthew Golding
Photographer: Erwin Olaf
Staging & New Choreography
Nina Ananiashvili
