Cover The Great Gatsby by the Hong Kong Ballet (Photo: courtesy of SWKit and the Hong Kong Ballet)
The Great Gatsby by the Hong Kong Ballet (Photo: courtesy of SWKit and the Hong Kong Ballet)
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This month’s arts and cultural events bring top names and iconic performances in the city’s dance, music and visual arts scenes
The arts scene in Hong Kong is in full splendour this October. For starters, the Hong Kong Ballet’s The Great Gatsby, a stage adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel by the same name, returns after its critically acclaimed premiere in the city in 2019. Then renowned music composer He Zhanhao, who co-wrote the famous Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto 65 years ago, will pay tribute to the original through conducting a new arrangement of the iconic piece. Meanwhile, those who want to enjoy the cooler autumn weather can head to Central Harbourfront for an outdoors cinema experience. Here we bring you seven cultural events to add to your must-attend list this month.
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1. ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘International Gala of Stars’
Above ‘The Great Gatsby’ (Photo: courtesy of SWKit)
Above From left: Alexander Yap and Gao Ge in ‘International Gala of Stars’ (Photo: courtesy of SWKit and Hong Kong Ballet)
‘The Great Gatsby’ (Photo: courtesy of SWKit)
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When: October 27 to November 5
Where: Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
What: Hong Kong Ballet’s (HKB) show The Great Gatsby, which premiered in 2019, makes a glittery return this autumn. The show is based on F Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel of the same name, which tells the story of millionaire Jay Gatsby and his passion for his former lover Daisy Buchanan, set amid the flamboyant times of the Roaring Twenties. Hong Kong Ballet’s performance features an original jazz score composed and arranged by acclaimed saxophonist composer Billy Novick and performed by award-winning theatre actor and singer E Faye Butler.
Running in conjunction with this production is the International Gala of Stars, a show that brings top dancers to the city to perform excerpts from classics such as Swan Lake and Don Quixote; as well as HKB’s own production of Romeo and Juliet, and new works by HKB’s choreographer-in-residence Ricky Hu Song Wei.
2. ‘Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto’
Above He Zhanhao (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra)
He Zhanhao (Photo: courtesy of Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra)
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When: October 27 to 28
Where: Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui
What: Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO) celebrates the 65th anniversary of Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto with a new arrangement of the iconic piece to be performed in a tribute concert, conducted by He Zhanhao, one of the co-composers of the original. Instead of the violin performance in the original, this one will incorporate notes of gaohu (a Chinese string instrument) played by concertmaster Zhang Chongxue. The show will also feature other works by He, including The Horse Race and Life on the Plateaux.
3. ‘Abundance’ exhibition
Above Thomas Houseago (Photo: courtesy of Gagosian)
Thomas Houseago (Photo: courtesy of Gagosian)
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When: Until November 4
Where: Gagosian, 7/F, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central
What: Abundance features a series of new still-life and landscape paintings by British artist Thomas Houseago, which were produced outdoors and from a new studio in Malibu, California. The artist first became known for his figurative sculptures, which he created by combining traditional materials such as steel and brass with less conventional ones such as hemp and rebar. This new body of work is inspired by nature, specifically Malibu scenery, and reveals the influence of historical masters such as Vincent van Gogh and Edvard Munch; the paintings of 13th-century Buddhist monk Muqi Fachang and Chinese painter Ma Yuan (c. 1160–1225); the writings of Japanese poets Saigyō Hōshi (1118–90) and Matsuo Bashō (1644–94), Chinese poets Li Bai (701–62), Wang Wei (699–759), and ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi. This is Houseago’s second solo exhibition in Hong Kong, following his 2016 Gagosian show Psychedelic Brothers—Drawn Paintings.
4. ‘What Is It Like to be a (Virtual) Bat?’
Above ‘What Is It Like to be a (Virtual) Bat?’ (Photo: courtesy of Zheng Mahler)
‘What Is It Like to be a (Virtual) Bat?’ (Photo: courtesy of Zheng Mahler)
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When: Until November 4
Where: PHD, Causeway Bay
What: For their first solo show at PHD Group, artist duo Zheng Mahler—consisting of Royce Ng and Daisy Bisenieks, who is also an anthropologist—present mosaics, immersive videos and a meditative virtual reality experience exploring animal habitats on Lantau Island. Titled What is it Like to be a (Virtual) Bat?, the exhibition features new works which reference philosopher Thomas Nagel’s seminal 1974 essay of the same name, and which explores interspecies relationships, using technology to bridge, as well as challenge, the gap between us and other creatures. This summer, the duo participated in the Helsinki Biennale, where they debuted a new work, Soilspace (2023), a speculative exploration of Singapore and Hong Kong’s urban archaeology.
5. India by the Bay
Above India by the Bay (Photo: courtesy of India by the Bay)
India by the Bay (Photo: courtesy of India by the Bay)
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When: October 7 to 15
Where: Various locations
What: The annual festival of Indian art and culture returns to physical form after two years of digital versions. This year features a wide range of music, dance, literary and wellness activities, including the musical Bollywood Love Story, which will be staged at Xiqu Centre; a conversation between Francesca Cartier Brickell, a direct descendant of the Cartier family, and the Maharani of Baroda, Her Highness Maharani Radhikaraje Gaikwad; and a series of ayurveda and yoga workshops.
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6. ‘Abstract Ink Art in New Modes’ exhibition
Above 黃河之水天上來by Victor Wong (Image: courtesy of Victor Wong)
黃河之水天上來by Victor Wong (Image: courtesy of Victor Wong)
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When: Until October 11
Where: Exhibition Hall, 1/F, Low Block, Hong Kong City Hall
What: Co-curated by curator Wong Shun Kit and art historian Dr Lai Mei Lin, the exhibition showcases ink paintings, ink installations and digital ink animations by contemporary Hong Kong artists who are using modern methods, practices and even AI to interpret the traditional Chinese art form. Instead of purely calligraphy pieces and paintings, some of the artists also look into the possibility of adopting their art pieces to mobile phone cases, tableware and fashion designs to explore the evolving functionality and artistic value of ink art.
7. The Grounds
When: October 12 to December 30
Where: AIA Vitality Park, Central
What: The third edition of The Grounds, one of the city's most popular outdoor screening events, returns this month with the new option of two-person sofas available at all screenings. This season's lineup features Oscar-winning movie, Everything Everywhere All at Once; popular Hong Kong movie Anita; cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show; family favourite Encanto and much-loved musical The Greatest Showman. Grab a drink and order your dinner to enjoy the show with.
