HK Phil Presents a Diverse Range of Programmes 
Fusing Ballet, Photography and Choral Work Respectively
An Alpine Symphony in Images (21 & 22 October)
Romeo & Juliet (28 & 29 October)
HK Phil x HKU Muse: Yu Long | Fauré Requiem (4 & 5 November)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: 
Dennis Wu
Director of Marketing 
Tel: (852) 2721 9035
Email: [email protected] 

Emily Hui
Media Relations and Communications Manager
Tel: (852) 2721 1585
Email: [email protected]

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[23 September 2022, Hong Kong]In the coming October and November, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) performs you a wide range of programmes fusing ballet, photography and choral elements with orchestral music. Accompanied by stunning photography and live projection, HK PhilResident Conductor Lio Kuokman presents An Alpine Symphony in Images on 21 & 22 October 2022 (Fri & Sat). Lio Kuokman also conducts Romeo & Juliet on 28 & 29 October 2022 (Fri & Sat), with Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) gracing the stage in a special appearance. Lastly, HK Phil Principal Guest Conductor Yu Long conducts HK Phil x HKU Muse: Yu Long | Fauré Requiem on 4 & 5 November 2022 (Fri & Sat), presenting Fauré’s peaceful and transcendent choral work, as part of a poetic encounter of Eastern and Western music.

An Alpine Symphony in Images (21 & 22 October)

HK Phil Resident Conductor Lio Kuokman takes a supersized orchestra on an audio-visual mountain journey: waterfalls, glaciers and breathtaking views, along with stunning images of the Alps by photographer Tobias Melle in Richard Strauss’ An Alpine Symphony. Sharing the evening is versatile violinist Alena Baeva playing the luscious Violin Concerto by Korngold – the Viennese genius who made it big in Hollywood. The concert opens with Richard Strauss’ Festliches Präludium.

An Alpine Symphony in Images will be held on 21 & 22 October 2022 (Fri & Sat) at 8PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Tickets priced at HK$520, $420, $320 and $220 are available at URBTIX and POPTICKET. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

Romeo & Juliet (28 October)

Swire Saturday Family Series: Romeo & Juliet (29 October)

The HK Phil and Resident Conductor Lio Kuokman celebrate the 425th anniversary of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with three most popular musical settings of this timeless story. Penned by Tchaikovsky, who was deeply inspired by Shakespeare, the love theme from Romeo & Juliet, Fantasy-Overture has become one of his most memorable melodies. Following is Symphonic Dances from Bernstein’s West Side Story, in which the warring Montagues and Capulets became New York street gangs – the Sharks and the Jets. The revolutionary musical was recently remade into a new film by Steven Spielberg. To conclude the concert, dancers from HKB join the HK Phil in scenes from Prokofiev’s brilliant ballet, with spectacular choreography by HKB Artistic Director Septime Webre.

Romeo & Juliet will be held on 28 & 29 October 2022 (Fri & Sat) at 7:30PM in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre. The performance on 29 October 2022 is a Swire Saturday Family Series concert. Tickets priced at HK$420, $320 and $220 are available at URBTIX. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

HK Phil x HKU Muse: Yu Long | Fauré Requiem (4 & 5 November)

HK Phil Principal Guest Conductor Yu Long brings together East-meets-West elements together in a programme featuring erhu soloist Yiwen Lu, soprano Anna Zhang Jingdan, baritone Caleb Woo, HK Phil Chorus Fellows and HKU Chamber Singers.

Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, a large-scale choral work filled with a sense of warmth and serenity, makes a perfect contrast to Berlioz’s colourful and vivid Roman Carnival Overture which opens the concert. Chen Qigang’s modern masterpiece Un Temps Disparu for Erhu and Orchestra boasts a profoundly poetic meeting of Eastern and Western musical traditions.

 
HK Phil x HKU Muse: Yu Long | Fauré Requiemwill be held on 4 November 2022 (Fri) at 8PM in the Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium and 5 November 2022 (Sat) at 8PM in the Grand Hall of The University of Hong Kong. Tickets priced at HK$420, $320 and $220 are available at URBTIX and POPTICKET. For enquiries, please call +852 2721 2332 or visit hkphil.org.

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AN ALPINE SYMPHONY IN IMAGES

Artists

Lio Kuokman, conductor [full description]

Currently serving as Resident Conductor of the HK Phil and Programme Director of the Macao International Music Festival, Lio is praised by the Philadelphia Inquirer as “a startling conducting talent”. He was the second prize winner of the third Svetlanov International Conducting Competition in Paris with Audience Prize and Orchestra Prize, and he has also served as the first Chinese Assistant Conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 2021, Lio was the recipient of the Hong Kong Ten Outstanding Young Persons award. In 2022, he was awarded Artist of the Year (Music) of the 16th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards and appointed a Justice of the Peace by the HKSAR Government.

Alena Baeva, violin [full description]

Described as “a magnetic presence” and “a constantly fascinating sound technician” by the New York Classical Review, Russian violinist Alena Baeva is considered one of the most exciting, versatile and alluring soloists active on the world stage today. Baeva’s career as an international soloist of the highest renown has grown at an extraordinary pace over recent years. Major debuts of the 2021/2022 Season include Alte Oper Frankfurt, Estonian Festival Orchestra, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln and Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich and the Tonkünstler Orchester.

Tobias Melle, photography & live projection [full description]

Tobias Melle has been working in the dynamic sphere between musical and visual worlds for over 25 years. As a musician, he has played the cello since his youth, has participated in various orchestras over many years, and has also been on stage for most of the works he has worked on photographically. As a photographer, he prefers to seek the connection of photography with music. For his Symphonies in Images he often travels for months with camera and score in his luggage to find the right images.

AN ALPINE SYMPHONY IN IMAGES

21 & 22 | 10 | 2022

FRI & SAT 8PM

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall

HK$520 $420 $320 $220

Tickets now available at URBTIX and POPTICKET

For ages 6 and above

Artists

Programme

Supported by

Goethe Institut

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ROMEO & JULIET

Artists

Lio Kuokman, conductor [full description]

Currently serving as Resident Conductor of the HK Phil and Programme Director of the Macao International Music Festival, Lio is praised by the Philadelphia Inquirer as “a startling conducting talent”. He was the second prize winner of the third Svetlanov International Conducting Competition in Paris with Audience Prize and Orchestra Prize, and he has also served as the first Chinese Assistant Conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 2021, Lio was the recipient of the Hong Kong Ten Outstanding Young Persons award. In 2022, he was awarded Artist of the Year (Music) of the 16th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards and appointed a Justice of the Peace by the HKSAR Government.

Septime Webre, choreography [full description]

An internationally recognised ballet director, choreographer, educator and advocate, Septime Webre joined Hong Kong Ballet as its Artistic Director in July 2017 after 17 years as Artistic Director of The Washington Ballet from 1999-2016, and six years as Artistic Director for the American Repertory Ballet in Princeton from 1993-1999. Much sought-after as a choreographer, Webre’s works appear in the repertoires of ballet companies globally. He has also worked frequently in theatre as well as opera. His work has received numerous honours, grants and awards.

ROMEO & JULIET

28 | 10 | 2022

FRI 7:30PM

SWIRE SATURDAY FAMILY SERIES:ROMEO & JULIET

29 | 10 | 2022

SAT 7:30PM

Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre

HK$420 $320 $220

Tickets now available at URBTIX

Artists

Programme

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HK PHIL X HKU MUSE: YU LONG | FAURÉ REQUIEM

Artists

Yu Long, conductor [full description]

Yu Long, the distinguished Chinese conductor with an extensive international reputation, is the Music Director of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Artistic Director & Chief Conductor of the China Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Director of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. He is also the Principal Guest Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Maestro Yu is the Founder of the Beijing Music Festival and was its Artistic Director from 1998 to 2018. He is the Co-Director of the MISA Summer Festival in Shanghai.

Yiwen Lu, erhu [full description]

Yiwen Lu is one of the most well-known erhu players in China. She is the director of the Erhu Committee of the China Nationalities Orchestra Society and is currently teaching Erhu in Shanghai Conservatory of Music. During her studies in Shanghai Conservatory of Music, she was under the guidance of Liu Jie, Professor Chen Chunyuan and Erhu virtuoso Min Huifen. In recent years, she has been active in major music scenes all over the world. 

Anna Zhang Jingdan, soprano [full description]

Anna Zhang Jingdan received her Bachelor of Music (Honours) Degree in 2021 and is currently studying for Master of Music at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) under the tutelage of well-known soprano Professor Nancy Yuen. Zhang has received generous support from Duchess of Kent International Scholarship and Academy Development Fund Scholarships. She has been selected to attend masterclasses with various famous singers, including Darryl Edwards, Nelly Miricioiu and Warren Mok. She has also studied with world-acclaimed soprano Sumi Jo and Barbara Bonney. 

Caleb Woo, baritone [full description]

Caleb Woo was granted chances to perform many Bach vocal works. He is now serving as the Music Director of Tuen Mun Alliance Church; Voice Instructor at Music Department, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Qin Music School; Assistant Professor at Wong Bing Lai Music and Performing Arts Unit, Lingnan University; Resident Artist at the Education University of Hong Kong; Co-ordinator of Ensemble Music Ministries at the Hong Kong Baptist University; and conductor of HKU Chamber Singers. Elected as a Member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and President of the Hong Kong Chapter, he is devoted to promoting healthy vocalism and the ability to appreciate the beauty of voice as creation.

Hong Kong Philharmonic Chorus Fellows, chorus [full description]

Established in 1980, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Chorus collaborates with the HK Phil to perform a range of different works. In 2013, the Chorus undertook a new recruitment drive, and over 450 singers were attracted to attend the auditions. The first performance by the reformed Chorus was Handel’s Messiah. Since then, the Chorus has performed with the HK Phil in major works by composers including Britten, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Haydn and Mahler under renowned conductors Lorin Maazel, Nicholas McGegan and Jaap van Zweden. The Fellows programme was launched in the 2020/21 Season.

HKU Chamber Singers, chorus [full description]

The HKU Chamber Singers, conducted by Caleb Woo, performs high quality repertoires from the Renaissance to the modern era and from sacred music to jazz. A wide range of topics is covered, including choral techniques, ensembleship, performance practice and score analysis. Under the hybrid teaching modes during the pandemic, the Chamber Singers started to release online music performances in the form of online concert, music video production as well as virtual choir presentation.

HK PHIL X HKU MUSE: YU LONG | FAURÉ REQUIEM

4 | 11 | 2022

FRI 8PM

Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium

5 | 11 | 2022

SAT 8PM

Grand Hall, HKU

HK$420 $320 $220

Tickets now available at URBTIX and POPTICKET

For ages 6 and above

Artists

Programme

Co-presenter

HKU MUSE

Supported by

Department of Music, The University of Hong Kong

Endowment Funds for Music & Fine Arts