Arts and Cultural Management: A Series of Three Talks

29.10.2019 to 26.11.2019, VTC Tower

In this series of three talks, practitioners from a range of local cultural industries share the requirements and unique functions of their areas of expertise, present case studies on successful execution of projects, and explore and compare Hong Kong’s current landscape with the international art scene

Past event

Conversations on Women, Architecture, and the City

23.11.2019, Asia Society Hong Kong Center

The discussions examine the life and work of nine women and their roles in shaping the built environment in Asia, prompting the reappraisal of criteria and methods used to assess architecture

Past event

Contemporary Classical Music Exchange Programme

31.10.2019 to 01.11.2019, The Room, Freespace

Six composers from Taiwan and Hong Kong join us for a two-day artistic exchange. The event includes a free public seminar on current developments in contemporary classical music in the region and free concert and sharing session on the process of composing

Past event

Dramaturgy and Beyond

12.10.2019 to 31.10.2019

The second year of our three-year “Dramaturgy and Beyond” programme and explores the role of dramaturgy in curating and festival making through a series of public seminars and professional workshops

Past event

Chinese Culture Talk Series IV

28.08.2019 to 30.10.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

In this series of expert talks, renowned academics and artists including Ou Da-wei, Dr Otto Lee, and Tony Miller introduce some of the ancient arts of Chinese literati and scholar-officials

Past event

Cantonese Opera and Modernity

26.10.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, Prof Li 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 this traditional performing art form

Past event

Dunhuang Murals: Ancient Depictions of Daily Life

23.10.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, Special Researcher of Dunhuang Academy Lee Mei-yin will introduce the history and cultural background of Dunhuang. Using photographic illustrations of the precious Dunhuang murals, Lee looks at the folk customs of the ancient people and explores their relationship with modern cultures

Past event

SHOWTIME! West Kowloon’s Artistic Strategy for Performing Arts

15.10.2019, Jockey Club Innovation Tower, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Alison M Friedman, West Kowloon’s Acting Executive Director and Artistic Director, Performing Arts shares the artistic vision and strategies for our two major performing arts venues – the Xiqu Centre, a contemporary gateway to the ancient art form of Chinese traditional theatre, and Freespace, Hong Kong’s new centre for contemporary performance

Past event

What is Stage: Space as Poetry

01.07.2019 to 27.09.2019, The Box & The Room, Freespace

This September, renowned German stage and costume designer Anna Viebrock joins us for a public seminar and five-day artist workshop on how stage design goes beyond space. In preparation for the workshop, Edward Lam introduces Viebrock’s work with a public talk and series of professional screenings exploring the aesthetics of some of her most important opera and stage productions

Past event

M+ International × Mori Art Museum: What Do Collections Mean to Museums?

26.09.2019, Academyhills, Tokyo, Japan

Reflecting on the ideas raised during the two-day symposium, this public event takes museums of different regional, historical, and financial backgrounds, and with various administrative structures, as a starting point for discussion

Past event

The Music of Cantonese Opera

24.09.2019, 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

Past event

The Stage Movements of Cantonese Opera

10.09.2019 to 17.09.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

In two separate talks, experienced Cantonese opera performers look at how acting, martial arts and dance are combined in Cantonese opera to create patterns of formulaic gesture that contribute to the unfolding of plot and help define character for male and female roles

Past event

Memorial Talk Series Commemorating Wong Yuet-sang, Maestro of Cantonese Music Culture

11.08.2019 to 15.09.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

To mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Wong Yuet-sang, maestro of Cantonese music culture in Hong Kong, the Xiqu Centre and the Centre for Chinese Music Studies of the CUHK present a series of talks on his work

Past event

Introducing Cantonese Opera Music: What is Erhuang?

08.09.2019 to 11.09.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

The talk scheduled on 8 & 11 September 2019 (Sunday and Wednesday) is cancelled. Programme Enquiries: (852) 2200 0804

Past event

Seminar: The Innovation and Conservation of Cantonese Opera

07.09.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

The seminar scheduled on 7 September 2019 (Saturday) is cancelled. Programme Enquiries: (852) 2200 0441

Past event

Shirley Tse: Stakeholders, Hong Kong in Venice｜Hong Kong Talk Series

30.08.2019 to 31.08.2019

In conjunction with ‘Shirley Tse: Stakeholders, Hong Kong in Venice’, and in anticipation of the response exhibition at the M+ Pavilion in May 2020, M+ is hosting two panel discussions in Hong Kong this summer

Past event

Work-in-progress: Every Time You Walk into Our Class

06.08.2019 to 18.08.2019, The Room, Freespace

This August, Edward Lam Dance Theatre presents their first work-in-progress series in which Taiwanese actor Shih Yi-hsiu and a small audience of 60 people interact to shape both content and performance. Blending workshop and presentation, Shih Yi-hsiu revisits the role of teacher, this time with the audience as his students

Past event

Screening: Teachers and Students

02.08.2019 to 16.08.2019, The Room, Freespace

Co-curated by Edward Lam, this screening series features seven international films on teachers, students and education. Looking at the role of schooling beyond transmission of knowledge, it presents a range of perspectives on how our minds and hearts are shaped during our formative years

Past event

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cantonese Opera Art Development Forum

13.08.2019, Tea House Theatre, Xiqu Centre

Bringing together renowned scholars and artists from the region, this forum looks at the development of Cantonese opera over the last decade, as well as the legacy of the art form and future directions for education and promotion

Past event

Screening: Edward Lam Dance Theatre – Four Works

03.08.2019 to 04.08.2019, The Room, Freespace

Edward Lam Dance Theatre showcases four of the company’s original stage works written between 1997, the year of the handover, and 2000, the year of extensive educational reforms in Hong Kong – two events that had a major impact on the dreams and aspirations of the young people of Hong Kong

Past event

Cantonese Opera and Kunqu: Major Works

03.08.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, Chinese opera scholar Chan Chun-miu uses audio and video demonstrations to illustrate and compare the literary styles of a selection of Kunqu and Cantonese opera works with similar themes

Past event

Love or Hate: Dowager Xiao-Zhuang and Dorgon

01.08.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

To accompany GuoGuang Opera Company’s production of Dowager Xiao-Zhuang and Dorgon, lead cast members – Wei Hai-min (Dowager Xiao-Zhuang) and Tang Wen-hwua (Dorgan) – join us for a pre-performance discussion and sharing session about their work and the relationship between their characters

Past event

Chinese Culture Talk Series III

26.06.2019 to 31.07.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

Throughout history, tea and incense have played an important part in traditional Chinese culture. This series of talks looks at the historic and contemporary cultural uses of incense and tea, and explores their aesthetic and ritual significance

Past event

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

Past event

Cantopop and Local Indie Music in the Digital Era

16.07.2019, Seminar Hall, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, Stella Lau, former Programme Director in Performing Arts at HKU SPACE, explores the Hong Kong recording industry, the evolution of Cantopop, the characteristics of mainstream and indie music and the challenges and opportunities that the digital era has opened up for local pop music culture

Past event

Kunqu: Portrayals of Human Nature

06.07.2019, Seminar Hall & Studio, Xiqu Centre

In this talk, Chinese opera scholar Chan Chun-miu looks at the development of Kunqu productions over time, and explores how stories of life and human nature have become central themes for the genre

Past event

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

Past event

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

Past event

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

Past event

From a True Story – Christian Rizzo

14.06.2019 to 15.06.2019, The Box, Freespace

Incorporating eight male dancers and two live drummers, French choreographer Christian Rizzo’s acclaimed dance work From a True Story blends folkloric gesture and contemporary movement with repetitive tribal rhythms, creating a work that strikes at the core of human experience. Hong Kong debut

Past event

Choreographic Landscapes

07.06.2019 to 12.06.2019, The Room, Freespace

French choreographer Christian Rizzo joins us to lead a five-day professional workshop for dancers and visual artists on choreographic compositions and the relationship between movement, performance and space. The collaboration opens with a public discussion on his work and the importance of emptiness as a space for imagination

Past event

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

Past event