Your Family-Friendly Guide To Hong Kong Arts Festival 2024

Launched in 1973, the Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) showcases top local and international artists from various disciplines in the performing arts from music, dance, theater, opera, and more. The 52nd HKAF will run from February 22 to March 24, 2024 and will feature a variety of shows to suit all tastes and audiences.

Highlights from the 52nd HKAF program include:

• A focus on Arab Arts: Anchoring is a solo dance work created and performed by female Egyptian choreographer Salma Salem and Losing It sees two female artists from Palestine explore the past and present of their troubled homeland as well as their own identities through live music and dance.
• Family-friendly performances: La Scala Ballet, one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world will be performing Le Corsaire a 19th-century classic featuring pirates, storms and shipwrecks and will surely delight audiences of all ages. There are matinees on March 16 and 17 suitable for ages 3 and above. Other family-friendly performances include a family concert inspired by the classical fairytale Peter and the Wolf by the Hankyung arte Philharmonic and narrated in Cantonese, as well as a concert by the Baltic Sea Philharmonic of the Nutcracker Reimagined. Experience the awe-inspiring performances of multimedia artist Miwa Matreyek, where animation and shadow silhouettes merge. Previously showcased at renowned venues like the Museum of Modern Art in New York, these family-friendly shows take you on a mesmerizing journey into dreamlike realms, delving into the profound connection between humans and nature. Prepare to be captivated by an experience hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “unlike anything you’ve seen before”!
• Contemporary theater: Courville is a visually stunning and emotionally charged theater production by Robert Lepage. Set in the 1970s, it tells the story of Simon, a 17-year-old navigating teenage angst, relationships, and societal upheaval. Combining puppetry, stage effects, and projections, the play offers a heartfelt exploration of adolescence with tenderness and compassion.
• Stunning classical music: a recital by Minsoo Sohn, a piano virtuoso and recording artist will be performing an all-Liszt repertoire, and The Tallis Scholars, one of the premier early music vocal ensembles, will be on stage for 3 nights.
• Immersive theater: Building on the success of their previous hit shows, Fight Night (2015) and £¥€$ (LIES) (2019), the renowned theater collective from Ghent brings forth an exciting new production. This immersive theatrical experience invites the audience to engage in a one-on-one encounter that explores trust and intimacy through visual, physical, and sensory connections. Playing Fields is The Chop’s immersive touring production that tackles youth issues through participatory theater. Audience members wearing headphones engage in interactive dialogues with teenagers, exploring themes of land use, ownership, and identity. The performance incorporates sports as a starting point and culminates in a group choreography, providing insights into the challenges faced by young people today.
• An intriguing pop music concert: critically acclaimed The Promise is a thrilling modern song cycle by Dutch singer-songwriter Wende. It contemplates identity, womanhood, and origins through an intoxicating blend of pop, chanson, and electro music. This one-woman musical cabaret, accompanied by a talented ensemble, showcases Wende’s powerful vocals and the evocative lyrics of five emerging female writers.