***********************************************
The annual International Arts Carnival opened tonight (July 10) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC). Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the annual summer arts festival will run until August 16, featuring more than 400 events for members of the public.
Officiating at tonight's opening ceremony was the Acting Secretary for Home Affairs, Ms Florence Hui. Before the ceremony, iStage performed the outreach touring programme "Hands of the Mermaid" at the HKCC foyer.
The festival opened with the Shaanxi Acrobatic Troupe's "Legend of the Silk Road", which combines breathtaking acrobatic feats, dance, costumes and stage design, and showcases the superb skills of performers in more than 20 stunning acrobatic feats such as aerial silks, meteors, the Russian Bar and swinging high crutches. The programme takes the audience on an epic adventure along the ancient Silk Road, crossing over the perilous Loulan desert, the awe-inspiring Dunhuang and the mesmerising Persia before reaching the Roman Empire.
The performance will also be held at 3pm and 7.30pm tomorrow (July 11) and at 3pm on July 12 at the HKCC Grand Theatre. To meet overwhelming demand from the public, a limited number of tickets for box seats with restricted view are available for sale for each performance at the price of $140 at the box office of the HKCC from 10am onwards on the day of the performance. Each person can purchase a maximum of two tickets per transaction on a first-come, first-served basis while stocks last.
Other performances in the festival line-up include music, multimedia theatre, puppetry, interactive theatre for infants, magic theatre and musical theatre. Films from around the world will also be screened.
The outreach touring programmes also include "The Breakthrough of Charlie" by the Theatre Wonderland. The summer fun party "Cute EliSHARKbeth Aquarium", talks for parents, workshops, a cultural tour, a pre-concert performance and exhibitions are also part of the extension activities.
Tickets priced from $40 to $580 are available at URBTIX. Half-price tickets are available for full-time students, senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities and their minders, and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. Booking discounts of up to 20 per cent are available for full-price performing arts/film programmes.
Programme brochures are available at URBTIX outlets or at the carnival website www.hkiac.gov.hk. For programme enquiries, please call 2370 1044.
Internet bookings can be made at www.urbtix.hk. Telephone credit card bookings can be made on 2111 5999.
Ends/Friday, July 10, 2015
Issued at HKT 20:14
NNNN
