The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)'s "Hong Kong Artists" Series will stage a vocal recital by soprano Viola Cheung in November. Accompanied by pianist Leona Cheung, the soprano will showcase her extended vocal range and resonant timbre through a selection of classical opera arias and contemporary music pieces, guiding audiences into a musical world interwoven with romance, fairy-tale enchantment, poetic subtlety and whimsical fantasy. 

     In this concert, Viola Cheung will not only perform beloved lieder, including Schubert's "So lasst mich scheinen, bis ich werde" and Berg's "Sieben frühe Lieder", but will also present a selection of songs inspired by fairy tales. Among these are three opera arias: "Ah! Douce Enfant" from Massenet's "Cendrillon", which marks the entrance of the Fairy Godmother; "It's my Wedding" from Dove's "The Enchanted Pig", where Adelaide, the witch's daughter, finds herself arranged to marry a prince who has been cursed into a pig; and "Wo ich bin" from Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel", sung by Gretel just before the siblings discover the enchanted gingerbread house. 

     The performance will also encompass several art songs by female composers: Vieu's "La Belle au bois dormant" is a "sung waltz" depicting the fairy-tale Sleeping Beauty awakened by the Prince's melody, while Bonis' "Trois Melodies" and Lehmann's "Five Little Love Songs" capture different facets and sentiments of love. A selection of songs in French will also add exotic flavours to the programme, such as Debussy's "Rondel Chinois" and Ravel's "Cinq Mélodies Populaires Grecques". The evening will conclude with the coloratura aria "Doll Song"  from Offenbach's opera "Tales of Hoffmann" - sung by the mechanical doll Olympia, the poet Hoffmann's first love - adding a final touch of operatic fantasy that brings the concert to a captivating close.  

     Viola Cheung was awarded the scholarship of Best Student in Concentrated Studies by Hong Kong Baptist University and elected as one of the "Young Music Makers" by Radio Television Hong Kong in 2015. She continued her music studies in the Netherlands and obtained Master's Degrees from both the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague and the Codarts Rotterdam. She has been invited to perform different roles in operas around the world in recent years after her successful debut as Königin der Nacht in Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte" in 2017, and has featured in more than 30 premieres of new compositions.

     The "Hong Kong Artists" Series: Vocal Recital by Viola Cheung will be staged at 8pm on November 13 (Thursday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $200 and $240 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. The "Hong Kong Artists" Series 2025 to be held in November and December also includes the Duo Recital by Aristo Sham (Piano) and Angela Chan (Violin) on November 3 and the Guzheng Recital by Grammy Yeung on December 1. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1843.html.

     The "Hong Kong Artists" Series of the LCSD aims to provide a platform for local artists to showcase their remarkable talents. In addition to individual performances, it also encourages cross-genre works to highlight their unique styles. This year's series introduces 12 distinguished musicians in seven stunning programmes, featuring violin, piano, cello, guzheng and vocal arts. Among them, a cross-genre performance of music and painting was staged to showcase Hong Kong's unique cultural character, embracing diversity and innovation. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_1823.html.

Ends/Monday, October 13, 2025
Issued at HKT 11:00

NNNN