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Presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, a new dance piece namely Morphing Fractals will be staged on August 10 to 12 (Friday to Sunday) at the Hong Kong City Hall Theatre at 8 pm. Two is the essential number in this exciting production. The show is a double bill presenting two renowned Choreographers, Helen Lai and Allen Lam, as well as two kinds of art interaction.
In the first part, Helen Lai will once again display her masterful creativity in the opening Putting on Airs and Striking Poses which features counterpoints between the rare national treasure Kunju and the classic Western opera. She specially tailors this production for Andy Wong, Francis Leung and Yvette Huang, the three founding members of DanceArt. Each of the three talented dancers takes charge in the three different sections with corresponding role reversals. Sunny Pang will open the first section with the famous scene Wandering in the Garden from the Kunju masterpiece, The Peony Pavilion, accompanied on the dizi by Ken Wu. American male-soprano Randall Wong will dazzle the second section with Piangero from Handel's opera, Guilio Cesare, accompanied on the harpsichord by Trudy Chan. The third section unfolds exciting voice interactions of the two art forms, with the dancers engaging further in agon.
In the second part, the talented young Hong Kong choreographer Allen Lam brings sparkles with the literary jumble of Shakespearean drama and Chinese literary classic in the mystic and dreamy A Midsummer's Fantasy. It is a new feature presentation after his recent return from New York. This piece which reunites his former colleague Miwa Horikawa merges the fantasy-land from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream with the traditional secluded world of Cao Xueqin's Dream of the Red Chamber. Famous TV artist Samson Yeung in the pivotal role of the magician, the elf couple and the mortal lovers from the Shakespearean drama find themselves in a tangle of new relationships in the exotic setting of the ancient Chinese literary world. The combination of literature, contemporary music and dance will certainly open a new visage to the local art scene.
Tickets priced at $130 and $90 are now available at all URBTIX outlets. Half-price concessions will be granted to senior citizens, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Recipients (Limited tickets for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Recipients available on a first-come-first-served basis). A 10% discount is also available for Friends of LCSD performing venues.
In addition to the performance, a Movement Workshop with the theme "Dancing in side out" will be held on July 28 (Saturday) at the Rehearsal Room GR2, 8/F, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre. Instructors include Allen Lam and Miwa Horikawa. Applicants should have training in modern dance or ballet. Free admission upon prior enrolment on or before July 23. Please call 2734 2937 for application form. Places are limited.
Lecture Demonstration - "The Castrat in Opera" conducted in English by Randall Wong will also be held on August 2 (Thursday) at 7.30 pm at the Hong Kong City Hall Recital Hall (Upper Block). It is open to the public and the admission is free on a first-come-first-served basis.
Programme enquiries can be made on 2734 2937 while ticketing and reservations on 2734 9009.
End/ Tuesday, July 10, 2001
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