Cover Heidi Lee, Emelda Wong Trainor, Michelle Miller Erb, Emily Lam-Ho and Elaine Kwok on December 17 (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Ballet)
Heidi Lee, Emelda Wong Trainor, Michelle Miller Erb, Emily Lam-Ho and Elaine Kwok on December 17 (Photo: courtesy of the Hong Kong Ballet)
1 / 1
The 15th edition of the Hong Kong’s Ballet’s signature fundraiser was held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre’s Grand Theatre on December 17
Who? Daisy Ho, Septime Webre, Emily Lam-Ho, Michelle Miller Erb, Emelda Wong Trainor and Maya Lin
Where? Hong Kong Cultural Centre’s Grand Theatre
When? December 17, 2023
Here’s what you missed:
Organised by the Hong Kong Ballet Guild, this year marked the 15th annual Nutcracker Christmas benefit. The vision of the Guild is for children to experience ballet from a young age, in the hopes that it will eventually nurture a life-long love of the performing arts.
Hosted by The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit co-chairs Emily Lam-Ho, Michelle Miller Erb and Emelda Wong Trainor, guests attended artistic director Septime Webre’s original take on The Nutcracker. Under Webre’s direction, the classic, soundtracked by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, was re-envisioned as an ode to Hong Kong and featured 35 of the organising committee members’ children.
Daisy Ho, chairman of the Hong Kong Ballet board of governors addressed the audience: “Ballet is not just about learning to stand on toes—it is about standing tall. It teaches discipline, perseverance and fosters lifelong friendships. [Today] our aspiring dancers will take home memories and experiences, leaving a lasting impact on their lives, and you have all made this possible. It’s truly a precious gift.”
The 2023 Nutcracker Christmas Benefit organising committee
1 / 14
More than 360 prominent members of the community attended the performance. Among them were organising committee members Ava Kwong, Christy Liang, Maya Lin and Deirdre Fu-Tcheng.
The benefit’s engaging live and silent auctions and Make a Pledge campaign raised money for the company’s Student Ticket Fund, and for education and community outreach initiatives that support its dancers. Additionally, Make a Pledge raised much-needed funds for the Dancing to Hong Kong’s Heartbeat 2.0 programme, which will bring ballet to seniors and underserved families in Hong Kong.
The performance kept the audience on the edge of their seats for a true celebration of Hong Kong’s heritage, sprinkling a little magic over the festive season ahead.
Credits
Photography: Courtesy of the Hong Kong Ballet
As Content Director at Tatler Hong Kong, Tara shapes the brand's editorial vision across social, digital and print, and reports on Asia's most influential figures — from CEOs and leaders across business, style and the arts. In her dual role as Head of VIP, she also drives the planning and execution of Tatler's flagship IPs, curating star-studded events and building the relationships and communities that define the brand. Born and raised in the Middle East, she honed her craft in Dubai, crafting communication strategies for luxury brands across the Gulf. Follow her on Instagram @tarasobti.
