Three co-chairs join forces to organise the established dance company’s annual fundraising event, featuring the beloved holidays staple, The Nutcracker
The Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) will host the Christmas Benefit on Sunday, December 4 for the first time at Xiqu Centre in West Kowloon, which is the Hong Kong’s largest performing arts venue dedicated to Chinese opera.
The benefit will feature HKB’s hugely popular The Nutcracker by artistic director and choreographer Septime Webre, whose show puts a Hong Kong twist on the holiday season’s favourite show about the Sugar Plum Fairy, Clara and her friends in a magical kingdom premiered last Christmas to rave reviews. Premiered last Christmas to rave reviews, this production is memorable for its ability to incorporate local elements—such as dancing dim sum characters, dancers in ravishing qipao dresses—as well as its stunning set design, including a model of the historic Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum that serves as Clara’s home, and the ink artworks that decorate its hallway.
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Tatler talks to Webre and the three co-chairs—Emily Lam Ho, Lillian Lee Fong and newcomer Emelda Wong Trainor—on this new Christmas classic for Hong Kong, and 2023’s season, which will feature a brand new production inspired by fashion queen Coco Chanel.
Tatler: What are your visions for the benefit this year?
Emily Lam Ho: I’m looking forward to maintaining and further pushing the high standards of ballet arts in Hong Kong with Septime, who has been incorporating aspects of Asian culture into the European arts form to create an amazing fusion [that acts as] a bridge between the west and the east.
We’re optimistic about having more people taking part in the benefit this year to raise community awareness for the importance of the arts. Their generosity really makes a difference in supporting and advancing ballet as a creative and artistic endeavor in Hong Kong.