Past Events
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Shirley Tse: Stakeholders, Hong Kong in Venice
11.05.2019 to 19.11.2019, Venice, Italy
The Venice exhibition is a culmination of Tse’s career-long interest in plasticity and in the various meanings and possible interpretations of materials and things
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The Heartless Men of Cantonese Opera
25.06.2019 to 23.07.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
In this series of two talks, theatre practitioner and critic Dr Cheung Ping-kuen examines the psychological and emotional journeys of some of Cantonese opera’s iconic “heartless men”, looking at the motivation behind their behaviour, and exploring the relevance of these characters for modern day audiences
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The Screendance School Programme connects artists and secondary school students to explore the synergy of dance and cinematography through talks and interactive workshops
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Seminar on the Culture of Ritual Opera Performance
23.06.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Through four expert talks, this seminar explores regional and ethnic variations in the genre, style and practice of ritual opera culture in Hong Kong, Guangdong, Chaoshan and Hailufeng
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The Face Painting, Costumes and Props of Kunqu
22.06.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre
Exploring the makeup and costumes of different role-types and characters, Chinese opera scholar Chan Chun-miu looks at how stage presentation lends richness and meaning to Kunqu performances
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The History of Hong Kong Indie Music: 1980s–2010s
18.06.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
In this talk, Stella Lau, former Programme Director in Performing Arts at HKU SPACE, looks at the development of indie music in Hong Kong from the 1980s to the 2010s in relation to social development and post-handover culture in Hong Kong
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Wearable Xiqu-inspired Jewellery Workshop – Imitation Kingfisher Feather Brooch
15.06.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre
Join a hands-on workshop and learn how to process and use ribbon to imitate the effect of kingfisher feathers, and design and create your own individual brooch
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The Face Painting and Costumes of Cantonese Opera
04.06.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre
This talk looks at the face painting and dressing processes used in contemporary Cantonese opera, and at the ways in which costumes contribute to the portrayal of different characters
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ExecLab: Executive Short Courses 2019 – University of the Arts London
31.05.2019 to 02.06.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre
Presented in collaboration with the University of the Arts London Short Courses, this three-day professional course offers insight into the skills required for managing arts and cultural events and developing sustainable creative business
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The Hidden Pulse at Vivid LIVE 2019
29.05.2019 to 02.06.2019, Sydney Opera House, Australia
From 29 May to 2 June, M+ and the Sydney Opera House co-present The Hidden Pulse as part of Vivid LIVE. This is a five-day programme of artists’ videos and films that explores the capacity of music and performance
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01.06.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
In this talk, Professor Yu Siu-wah examines the concepts and characteristics of Cantonese opera music, offers insight into basic structures and arrangements, and discusses some of the transformations that have taken place over the centuries
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29.05.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
In this illustrated talk, renowned local Ming furniture expert Dr Yip Shing-yiu offers insight into the artistry, style and development of some of the finest Chinese furniture design
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Reading Cantonese Music Notation
28.05.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre
In this talk, members of the arts group The Gong Strikes One demonstrate how to read traditional gongche music sheets and perform live on the zheng (Chinese zither) and dongxiao (bamboo flute)
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25.05.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre
In this talk, Dr Chan Chun-miu offers audiences insight into the distinctive sounds and melodies of the Kunqu art form, exploring the relationship between the use of dialects and the evolution of the art form, and the way that music and language is used to highlight different roles and characters
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Indie Music – An International Perspective
21.05.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Using examples from the US and Britain, Stella Lau, former Programme Director in Performing Arts at HKU SPACE, explores the musical, social and economic relationships that underpin independent music labels, and whether independent artists who become popular in the mainstream can still be labelled “indie”
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18.05.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre
Make your own life-size paper model and learn fun facts about xiqu headdresses in a fun, hands-on workshop
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07.05.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Cantonese opera plays an important role in the lives of people in Hong Kong. This talk explores its transition from the use of Mandarin to the Cantonese vernacular, demonstrating vocal styles and techniques and offering a deeper understanding of the aesthetic features of the art form
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04.05.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
This talk looks at Cantonese opera in the social context of modern Hong Kong, and examines how elements of western-modern music, literature and film culture have been adapted for use in the traditional performing art form
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30.04.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre
In this talk, Chinese opera scholar Chan Chun-miu looks at some of the literary texts used in Kunqu, and shares insight into Kunqu influence on xiqu songs and performance
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Between Cantonese Opera and Film: Connie Chan and Female Cross-dressing
27.04.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre
Since the post-war years, the convention of nüwenwusheng – female performers playing civil and military male roles – in Cantonese opera has been a popular practice in Hong Kong. In this talk, Prof Li Siu-leung looks at the recent history of female cross-dressing in Hong Kong Cantonese opera and film, with special reference to Connie Chan Po-chu
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Chinese Culture Talk Series II
27.02.2019 to 24.04.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
In this series of three talks, local experts share their understanding of poetry, calligraphy and the ancient Chinese divination text the I Ching, and explore the relevance of traditional literary arts in a contemporary society
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20.04.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre
During this 2-hour stone-painting workshop, Hong Kong’s first and only full-time stone painter Kam Shing-yan guides you through basic techniques, and helps you achieve a sense of focused calm that acts as a perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of the surrounding city
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M+ Screenings: In the World, Of the World
12.04.2019 to 14.04.2019, Broadway Cinematheque
This weekend-long screening programme explores artistic community in an alternately turbulent and exhilarating era defined by transnational mobility and displacement
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The Stories Behind the Xiqu Centre
09.04.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
In this talk, West Kowloon’s Executive Director of Performing Arts Louis Yu offers insight into the design and venue positioning of the Xiqu Centre, looking at the venue’s unusual use of space and its relationship with local Cantonese opera communities
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The Stage Movements of Cantonese Opera
06.04.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio 5, Xiqu Centre
This talk looks at how acting, martial arts and dance are combined in Cantonese opera stage movement to create patterns of formulaic gesture that help define character and contribute to the unfolding of plot
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02.04.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
This talk explores the wide range of musical elements used in Cantonese opera, looking at the different vocal styles used for male and female roles, and the use of percussive instruments and rhythmic melodies to enhance mood and narrative
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M+ at Art Basel Hong Kong 2019
27.03.2019 to 31.03.2019, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
M+ presents its own human library at Art Basel Hong Kong 2019 to create dialogue and deepen understanding between M+ and the public
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Through an interactive outreach workshop and a customised guided tour, students are encouraged to discover different ways of understanding contemporary visual culture and to explore their own relationship with it
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M+ Live Art: Miraculous Trajectories
29.03.2019, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Co-presented with Art Basel Hong Kong, M+ Live Art: Miraculous Trajectories is a live cinema event featuring a seventy-minute film written and directed by artist Cheng Ran, with an original soundtrack composed and performed by electronic musician Shao Yanpeng
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Hong Kong Flower Show 2019 – West Kowloon Cultural District
15.03.2019 to 24.03.2019, Victoria Park, Hong Kong
West Kowloon is staging a landscaped garden at this year’s Hong Kong Flower Show, taking inspiration from the Chinese hibiscus – the theme flower of this year’s event – and our upcoming venue, Freespace, in the West Kowloon Art Park. Join us at Victoria Park to explore a picture-perfect floral display
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09.03.2019 to 24.03.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Accompanying the China Theatre Association Plum Blossom Award Troupe performances, this screening series showcases the work of award-winning artists and the regional characteristics of different xiqu genres, and offers an exciting opportunity for audiences to catch some rare examples of fine xiqu cinema
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16.03.2019 to 17.03.2019, Eaton House
During this two-day event, we invite designers, artists, technologists, and cultural enthusiasts to use M+ Collections open data as raw material for creative and artistic projects
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ExecLab: Executive Short Courses 2019 – RADA Business
15.03.2019 to 17.03.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre
Working closely with RADA Business, the commercial arm of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), the world-class learning programme builds on dramatic arts, helping people at work to become brilliant communicators
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Wearable Xiqu-inspired Jewellery – Resin Stone Brooch
16.03.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre
In this fun creative workshop, local artists Kong Hoi-kan and Ng Sze-yu show you how to make a xiqu-inspired costume brooch using coloured resin stones and share insight into the symbolic role of garments and head pieces in xiqu performances
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Art+Feminism: Wikipedia Edit-a-thon on Women in Art in Asia
09.03.2019, Asia Art Archive A Space
Want to help improve representation of women artists and makers on Wikipedia? Join our Wikipedia edit-a-thon on Saturday 9 March—the day after International Women’s Day
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The Application of Nanyin in Cantonese Opera
05.03.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Looking at popular nanyin excerpts, this talk explores the history and evolution of nanyin, a form of Cantonese narrative singing, as one of the delivery styles used in Cantonese opera
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2018 M+ / Design Trust Research Fellowship Public Talks
02.03.2019, Hotel Stage
In these public talks, the 2018 M+ / Design Trust Research Fellows, Hugh Davies and the team of Fan Lok Yi and Sampson Wong, present their research
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From Plastic to Plasticity; Multiplicities to Negotiation
28.02.2019, Asia Society Hong Kong Center
In this talk, Tse discusses central concepts in her practice from the past twenty years. She is then joined in conversation by Christina Li, offering the audience a first glimpse of the Venice exhibition
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26.02.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
In this talk, members of the arts group The Gong Strikes One illustrate with live demonstrations how the vocal and instrumental melodies of nanyin are created and developed based on the lyrics
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Xiqu Film Screenings (February)
09.02.2019 to 24.02.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Featuring seven Cantonese opera films produced in Hong Kong between 1948 and 1962, this screening series explores the complex relationship between on-stage and on-screen personas of some of the most renowned stage artists of the time. Also included is the award-winning contemporary documentary My Way, chronicling the struggle of two aspiring Cantonese opera actors
Tickets now on sale
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Face Painting and Costumes of Cantonese Opera
02.02.2019 to 23.02.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
This talk looks at the face painting and dressing processes used in contemporary Cantonese opera, and at the ways in which costumes contribute to the portrayal of different characters
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Paper Puppet Making Workshop: Lion Dance Head
16.02.2019, Studio, Xiqu Centre
For an auspicious start to the Lunar New Year, join our handicraft workshop and create a personalised paper puppet of a lion dance head and learn more about this unique cultural tradition!
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Contributing to an Open Society through Digitised Museum Collections
15.02.2019, Hotel Stage
In this talk, the speaker discusses efforts to embrace the digital era’s potential to improve access to museum collections for creative reuse and public engagement
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Visitors Making Meaning – Constructivist Learning in Museums
31.01.2019, Hotel Stage
In this session, the speaker introduces the idea of constructivist pedagogy and how it can be applied in museums to the creation of all kinds of interpretation materials
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Xiqu Film Screenings (January)
26.01.2019 to 27.01.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Accompanying our Grand Opening performance The Reincarnation of Red Plum – an acclaimed production by Hong Kong’s legendary stars Yam Kim-fai and Pak Suet-sin – this screening series presents three comic Cantonese opera films showing the magical Yam-Pak chemistry on screen
Tickets now on sale
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West Kowloon at Hong Kong Trade Development Council Education and Careers Expo
24.01.2019 to 27.01.2019, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Visit our booth to find out more about our latest developments and career opportunities. We will also be conducting on-site interviews during the fair. Register now
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The Stage Movements of Cantonese Opera
26.01.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
This talk looks at how acting, martial arts and dance are combined in Cantonese opera stage movement to create patterns of formulaic gesture that help define character and contribute to the unfolding of plot
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The “Analects” in Cantonese Opera
24.01.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
In this talk, Cantonese opera playwright Woo Kwok-yin shares insight into the creative process behind his work The Peregrinations of Confucius, and explores how xiqu as a multidisciplinary art form can breathe new life and relevancy into classic texts
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06.01.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Between 1940 and 1970, a large number of stars from the Cantonese opera stage entered the film industry in Hong Kong. This talk looks at the impact of this phenomenon, and the importance of Cantonese opera films as historical records of performances from that era
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Pre-opening Gala Film Screenings
30.12.2018 to 06.01.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
To complement our Grand Theatre performances we present five Cantonese opera films produced between 1957 and 2011 and featuring some of the legends of the golden age of Cantonese opera film
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30.12.2018 to 06.01.2019, Xiqu Centre
Explore our new facilities and discover fun facts about the rich art of xiqu on our 60-minute guided tours
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Creation for Freespace: Dramaturgy and Beyond
Through a range of public round-table discussions, small group practicum sessions and workshops, “Dramaturgy and Beyond” will delve into the discourse in and around the practice of dramaturgy and the tools that are useful to the creation of dance and theatre within the contemporary context
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Cantonese Opera in the Hong Kong Religious Context
05.01.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Professor Chan Sau-yan, expert on the musical structure, performance practice, ethnographic and historical aspects of Cantonese opera, looks at the tradition of religious operas in Hong Kong, and the challenges of preserving an ancient art form in a market-oriented economy
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Perfect Wives in Cantonese Operas
04.01.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Cantonese operas are often based on stories of love and married life. The wives in these tales may be meek and loving or powerful and cunning. This talk looks at some of the Xiqu Centre opening performances to explore what makes a “perfect wife” on the Cantonese opera stage
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The Functions and Practice of Xiaoqu (short tunes) in Cantonese Opera
03.01.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre
Melodic and song-like, xiaoqu can incorporate traditional instrumental melodies, folk songs, contemporary pop songs and even theme tunes from films and TV shows. This talk explores the origins and development of xiaoqu and its unique function in Cantonese opera
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