Hong Kong Ballet and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra present Carmina Burana,
a celebration of music, dance and literature
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[Hong Kong—31 August 2022] Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) join forces to bring the exciting production Carmina Burana, featuring a world premiere of The Last Song by HKB’s Choreographer-in-Residence Hu Song Wei Ricky and Septime Webre’s powerful dance masterpiece Carmina Burana. Under the baton of HK Phil Resident Conductor Lio Kuokman, this epic double bill programme uniquely brings the acclaimed dancers of HKB and the world-class musicians of the HK Phil together for a celebration of culture and artistry, combining riveting music with visually arresting dance. Five performances of Carmina Burana will take place at Hong Kong Culture Centre’s Grand Theatre on 14-16 October 2022. Tickets are now available at URBTIX.
Inspired by selections by J.S. Bach and Oscar Wilde’s The Nightingale and the Rose, Hu creates his new work The Last Song, which features HK Phil Concertmaster Jing Wang and Principal Cello Richard Bamping as soloists, exploring the ultimate definition of beauty. Carl Orff’s iconic Carmina Burana is a commanding interpretation of 24 medieval poems found in a monastery in 1803. With dances from medieval times to the present, Webre’s choreography is influenced by Orff’s bombastic music and by themes from Virginia Woolf’s novella ‘Orlando’ about our eternal search for love. Striking eight-metre scaffolding surrounding the stage holds over 100 members of the HK Phil Chorus and The Hong Kong Children’s Choir, who are joined by soprano Vivian Yau, tenor Ren Shengzhi and baritone Elliot Madore.
The production is exclusively sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), and is one of the many initiatives supported by the HKJC’s approved donation of HK$630 million to the Government of the HKSAR to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. The Hong Kong Jockey Club is resolute in pursuing its purpose of acting continuously for the betterment of society, all in support of creating stronger communities together.
Editor’s Notes:
Hong Kong Ballet x Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Carmina Burana
14–16 OCT 2022
FRI 7:30pm
SAT-SUN 2:30pm & 7:30pm
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
$1,200 (Limited VIP Tickets), $800, $600, $420, $240
Suitable for ages 6 and above
|
WORLD PREMIERE: THE LAST SONG |
ASIAN PREMIERE: CARMINA BURANA |
LIVE ORCHESTRA Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
CONDUCTOR Lio Kuokman, Resident Conductor, HK Phil
For further information, please contact:
Phoebe Ko | Director of Marketing, HKB | T: 21059716 | [email protected]
Jerry Qiu | Assistant Programme and Marketing Manager, HKB | T: 21059753 | [email protected]
Dennis Wu | Director of Marketing, HK Phil | T: 27219035 | [email protected]
Emily Hui | Media Relations & Communications Manager, HK Phil | T: 27211585 | [email protected]
About Hong Kong Ballet
One of Asia’s premier ballet companies, Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) is internationally recognised as a vibrant arts institution that represents Hong Kong’s unique character. Established in 1979 and led by Artistic Director Septime Webre, HKB has a dynamic repertoire performed by nearly 50 dancers from all over the globe and award-winning education and community programmes.
With almost 50 international tours, HKB has won recognition from critics and fans both at home and abroad. Its diverse repertoire includes classic and modern masterpieces, original full-length ballets created for HKB, an interactive ballet series for younger fans and groundbreaking dance by today’s most sought-after choreographers, including Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Jiří Kylian, Nacho Duato and Trey McIntyre, among others. HKB maintains an active schedule of community initiatives throughout Hong Kong to ensure that ballet is accessible to people from all walks of life.
About The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) is regarded as one of the leading orchestras in Asia. The orchestra’s annual schedule focuses on symphonic repertoire, with conductors and soloists from all around the world. The HK Phil runs extensive education programmes, commissions new works and nurtures local talent. Recent recording projects with Jaap van Zweden include the complete Ring Cycle by Richard Wagner; Mahler’s Symphony no. 10 (performing version by Willem Mengelberg) and Shostakovich’s Symphony no. 10, both to be released in November 2022 (Naxos). With Music Director Jaap van Zweden since 2012, the HK Phil has toured Europe, Asia, Australia, and on numerous occasions to Mainland China. Yu Long has been Principal Guest Conductor since the 2015/16 Season. Lio Kuokman was appointed as Resident Conductor in December 2020. The HK Phil won the prestigious UK classical music magazine Gramophone’s 2019 Orchestra of the Year Award – the first orchestra in Asia to receive this accolade.
Cover | Dancer: Reina Sawai | Creative: Li Chi Tak | Photography: Bobyeah│ Courtesy of Hong Kong Ballet
