※ Please switch off mobile phones and all electronic devices so they will not emit sound or light during the performance, disturbing the performers and other audience members.
※ Unauthorised photography or recording of any kind is strictly prohibited.
※ Please keep noise to a minimum during the performance.
※ The content of all works is independently produced by the creative team, and does not reflect the views or opinions of the Sponsor.
※ The content of this programme and the opinions featured in this publication are solely those of the artists/guest writers and do not represent the views or opinions of the Hong Kong Arts Festival (“HKAF”).
※ Ticket holders are strongly advised to arrive punctually. The HKAF reserves the right to refuse the (a) admission of latecomers (whether at the beginning of the performance or after the intermission) and (b) re-admission of audience members who leave the auditorium during the performance.
※ The HKAF also reserves the sole discretion to determine the possibility of admission and re-admission of audience members (which includes latecomers and audience members who have left the auditorium and are seeking re-admission), as well as the manner in which they are admitted.
※ In any case, should the HKAF permit the admission of latecomers, such latecomers shall only be admitted at designated latecomer point(s). No refunds or changes will be offered if ticket holders are refused admission due to late arrival. In the event of any dispute, the HKAF reserves all rights to make the final decision.
※ The English versions of the house rules on the HKAF website and front-of-house announcements will prevail in the event of any dispute.
Contents
Chief Executive’s Message
Chairman’s Message
Foreword
Choreographer’s Note
Programme
About T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land
Programme Notes
Creative, Production Team and Performers
Creators’ and Performers’ Profiles
About the Amsterdam Sinfonietta
About the ISH Dance Collective
About Bencha Theater
About the Hong Kong Arts Festival
Committee and Staff List
Acknowledgements
Message
I am pleased to congratulate the Hong Kong Arts Festival on the organisation of its 2025 season—the 53rd edition of one of the world’s most celebrated international cultural events.
This year’s Festival brings together over 1,300 international and local artists in some 125 performances covering music, dance, theatre, Chinese and Western opera and much more. The Festival-opening performance, by Italy’s Orchestra of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, conducted by Maestro Donato Renzetti, features classic Italian opera arias. Renowned Chinese conductor Lü Jia and the China National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra, together with international pianist Zhang Haochen and soprano Song Yuanming, bring the Festival to a close in grand style.
Festival PLUS returns, presenting a wealth of artist-audience events, including masterclasses and workshops, backstage visits, guided cultural tours and more. Besides, the Festival’s “Young Friends” programme features school tours, pre-performance talks, arts demonstrations and other special events designed to engage local young people with a world of arts and culture.
The Government is determined to enhance the appeal of Hong Kong’s culture. To further solidify Hong Kong’s position as a vibrant Eastmeets-West centre for international cultural exchanges, the Government has launched the Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development in November 2024, and has been actively working on the 71 measures under four key strategic directions as outlined in the Blueprint.
I am grateful to the Hong Kong Arts Festival and its dedicated team for their unremitting efforts in promoting arts and culture in Hong Kong, throughout the region and around the world. I am grateful, too, to the many sponsors and donors for their generous support for the Festival.
I wish this year’s Hong Kong Arts Festival another resplendent season of arts and culture, entertainment and memorable community engagement.
John KC LEE Chief Executive Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Chairman’s Message
A warm welcome to the 53rd Hong Kong Arts Festival. As a leading international performing arts event, the Festival is continuing its mission of enhancing Hong Kong’s cultural landscape by showcasing over 1,300 exceptional international and local artists in more than 125 performances of over 45 unique programmes, as well as organising about 300 PLUS and educational activities for the community.
I would like to thank the HKSAR Government, acting through the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, for its annual subvention and matching grant which are not only essential to our operations, but also an important recognition of the work we do. I also want to thank The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for its unwavering support during the past 53 years, as well as other corporate sponsors, charitable foundations and donors, whose contributions have enabled us to reach out to different sectors of the community and positively impact society through the performing arts.
My deepest gratitude goes to all participating artists for their dedication and exceptional performances. I also thank all HKAF staff, who worked extremely hard to bring this Festival to life.
Most importantly, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all audience members for your participation and support. May you find joy and inspiration in our programmes and events.
Lo Kingman Chairman Hong Kong Arts Festival
Supporting Organisation:
Promoting international cultural exchange has always been a key objective of the Hong Kong Arts Festival. This year’s Festival continues to invite renowned global masters and internationally recognised young pioneers to present a range of worldclass programmes, respecting tradition while encouraging new, innovative initiatives. Many of these works are inspired by classic literature or offer rediscoveries of the original, bringing vibrant artistic experiences to the city.
We will also present a series of programmes centred around “fantasy and adventure”. These include works that seamlessly blend the arts with VR and AR technology, as well as captivating new creations that draw on traditional puppetry and circus performances. The Festival will also continue to support local artists and encourage exchanges to foster a vibrant and diversified platform for the arts.
We also remain dedicated to advancing arts education and audience building. Our PLUS programmes will present a series of thoughtfully curated masterclasses, backstage visits, post-performance artist talks and an exhibition. And our Young Friends and educational activities will continue to offer multidimensional arts experiences to students.
We hope that you will enjoy this year’s arts extravaganza prepared by the Hong Kong Arts Festival team.
Flora Yu Executive Director Hong Kong Arts Festival
The Hong Kong Arts Festival is made possible with the funding support of:
請支持您的藝術 節！ Become a Supporter of Your Festival! P l ea se D on at e 請即捐 款 DONATE
The Waste Land is an artistic translation of T.S. Eliot’s poem The Waste Land and it deals with a hopeless world. A world of wars, abuses, a climate crisis, gender inequality and poverty. It shows that man does not learn from his mistakes. It is a vicious circle from which humanity cannot escape. Yet it is important to see the beauty of life and put energy into this. We must pass this on to the next generation.
The performance is quite dark and doesn't start off cheerfully. It is about the feelings people experience during their lives, including feelings of unruliness, selfishness and loneliness. You can see that atmosphere on stage. The choreography ends with a piece more focused on hope, breaking through the negative atmosphere and showing the beauty of life. A kind of rebirth of new thoughts.
There are three all-round dancers on stage. They dance quite earthily. The aerial acrobatics represent higher realms and hope. The choreography and aerial acrobatics refer to the upper and lower worlds. The fusion of the disciplines of Classical music, dance and aerial acrobatics is special and of a very high quality. For the audience, the crosspollination provides spectacle and another dimension. At the same time, the acrobatics also add something lighthearted to the performance.
I hope the performance provokes reflection. How can you make a difference yourself? Where do I stand in life? After all, looking away is not an option.
Text: Marco Gerris
Part I
Farokhzad Layegh (b. 1963)
“Lexis I” from Lexolalia Descenticum (arr. for string orchestra and tape by Ashkan Layegh)
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Double Canon (for string quartet)
Alban Berg (1885-1935)
“Allegro misterioso—Trio estatico” from Lyric Suite
Part II
Kiril Džajkovski (b. 1965)
Brothel Tango (arr. Rob Horsting)
Michael Nyman (b. 1944)
“Trysting Fields” (soundtrack from the film Drowning by Numbers)
Bryce Dessner (b. 1976)
“Pulsing” from Impermanence (version for string orchestra)
Part III
Farokhzad Layegh
“Lexis II” from Lexolalia Descenticum (arr. for string quintet by Ashkan Layegh)
Charles Avison (1709-70)
“Largo” from Concerto Grosso No 5 (after Domenico Scarlatti’s harpsichord sonata)
Rik Ronner (b. 1982)
Drowning (for string orchestra, percussion, and electronics)
Part IV
Eleni Karaindrou (b. 1941)
“Solitude” from Dust of Time (for solo violin)
Pablo Casals (1876-1973)
Song of the Birds (arr. for cello and strings by Wijnand van Klaveren)
Farokhzad Layegh
“Lexis V” from Lexolalia Descenticum (version for string orchestra and percussion by Ashkan Layegh)
Part V
Arvo Pärt (b. 1935)
Passacaglia (for violin, vibraphone and strings)
Fazil Say (b. 1970)
“Allegro assai” from the violin concerto
1001 Nights in the Harem (arr. for violin, string orchestra and percussion by Hugo Bouma)
Valentin Silvestrov (b. 1937)
The Messenger (for string orchestra, piano and synthesiser)
About T. S. Eliot’s
T. S. Eliot (1888-1965)
T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land commands attention not only for its powerful expression of post-war despair but also for its impenetrability. It was conceived in the aftermath of World War One and during a year of ill health, of intellectually (or morally) unsatisfying employment at Lloyds Bank (in the “unreal city” that was London’s financial district), and of fear that European civilisation was running dry.
Is it “absolutely insane” or does it succeed “brilliantly… by virtue of its incoherence… [and] ambiguities”? The many voices, the shards of shifting scenes, languages and monologues by literary, historical or unknown characters do seem devoid of a unifying perceiving consciousness or an overarching narrative structure. Yet readers open to the strange journey of Eliot’s 433 lines in five sections are likely to resonate with, if not fully understand, “these fragments I [Eliot] shored against my ruins” as an “emotional whole”.
Throughout the poem, the anguish of meaninglessness prevails, as the symptomatic fragments refract lives wasted in wars, lives wasted while chasing after profits and desires, and life drained from a culture no longer giving guidance or comfort. In various scenes, language seems futile as words are exchanged, but feelings not shared; sex is had but no relations built. Will rivers run again to fill the cracks and crevices of the long-parched land and souls? With perhaps a glimmer of hope, Eliot turns from Eurocentric imagery such as the Holy Grail to the Buddhist “Fire Sermon”, and invokes the Hindu thunder over the Ganges and the Himalayas, uttering a mystical word: DA. The poem ends with a Sanskrit chant, as an Upanishad would: “Shantih shantih shantih”, the Peace which passeth all understanding.
This multicultural polyphony will take on a new and stunning form in The Waste Land, presented by the Amsterdam Sinfonietta and the ISH Dance Collective. Eliot will enter into a dialogue with Iranian poet Shamlou as a multinational cast and crew moves beyond the spoken words for a cross-genre reflection on our times.
Text: Julie Chiu
At the beginning of The Waste Land, the revolutionary voices of two poets resound: the American-British poet T.S. Eliot, who caused a shockwave 100 years ago with his poem The Waste Land (1922) that rocked the certainties of the established order, and the Iranian “poet of freedom” Ahmad Shamlou (1925-2000), who did more or less the same with his creative works.
Two poets from different times and cultures, Eliot and Shamlou both explored universal values and the meaning of existence amid the chaos of transitioning from traditional to modern societies. Iranian composer Farokhzad Layegh saw the connection between The Waste Land and Shamlou’s poems, and brought them together in his 2021 composition Lexolalia Descenticum, which in turn inspired this performance of The Waste Land. Exploring the eternal cycle of decay and rebirth, the performance seeks to transcend modern disconnection and alienation, offering hope and transformation.
PART I
Alienation renders words meaningless as Eliot’s voice merges with the desolate sounds of “Lexis I” from Layegh’s Lexolalia Descenticum, exploring cycles of disruption and revival. Language becomes hollow, traditions collapse and modern humans feel lost. Layegh’s blend of electronics and Persian modes connects the “ghost voices” of Eliot and Shamlou. Hope and despair shape Stravinsky’s Double Canon, written in memory of painter Raoul Dufy. Restless whispers characterise the “Allegro misterioso—Trio estatico” from Alban Berg’s Lyric Suite, expressing his desperate love for Hanna Fuchs in heart-wrenching string music about the impossibility of connection.
PART II
The hostile relationship between men and women is central to this second episode, which opens with the sensual Brothel Tango by Kiril Džajkovski. In an atmosphere of melancholy and unquenchable desires, fragments of the beautiful Andante from Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major, K364, emerge in Michael Nyman’s Trysting Fields. The restless and obsessive Pulsing by Bryce Dessner is part of Impermanence, a work commissioned by the Australian String Quartet and Sydney Dance Company. Pulsing sounds like a frenzied film theme that keeps going with unstoppable energy. The strings move melodramatically on tiptoe, rushing back and forth between rhythmic “attacks”, lofty arpeggios and electronic thuds.
PART III
“Lexis II” by Layegh expresses the despair and loneliness that stems from lovelessness, ending in a kind of existential cry for help. But then, the sun briefly breaks through in the arrangement by English composer Charles Avison of a harpsichord sonata by Domenico Scarlatti. Avison’s triumphant Concerto grosso No 5 is music that transports the listener back to better times. However, in the grim Drowning by Dutch musician Rik Ronner, Scarlatti drowns in electronically amplified chaos and everything is undone again. In this minimalist piece, the click track part for electronics and the live music completely merge as the world drowns.
PART IV
Water heals and purifies, paving the way for renewal and transformation. Greek composer Eleni Karaindrou captures this serenity in her Solitude for solo violin. Legendary cellist Pablo Casals performed his The Song of the Birds at the United Nations General Assembly in 1971, emphasising that birds sing of peace when they are flying in the sky. The soul of Iran flares up again in the mournful and mesmerising “Lexis V” by Layegh, gradually building rhythmic dynamics as all the strings begin to play. It ends in wild drumming and a cymbal crash.
PART V
A calm atmosphere emerges, reminiscent of a monastery or temple, where generosity, patience and peace replace alienation. The waste land lies behind us and fertile love beckons. Heavenly harmony descends in Arvo Pärt’s Passacaglia for violin, vibraphone and string orchestra. The heartbeat of life returns in Fazil Say’s violin concerto, 1001 Nights in the Harem, while Mozart’s sounds of hope reappear in Valentin Silvestrov’s The Messenger. Light shines on the horizon for those seeking peace. Provided by the Amsterdam Sinfonietta
Creative,
Production Team and Performers
Concept
Marco Gerris
Candida Thompson
Stage Direction
Marco Gerris
Musical Direction & Violin
Candida Thompson
Choreography
Marco Gerris in collaboration with dancers
Aerial Acrobatics Choreographer
Rachel Melief
Dramaturge Advisor
Titus Tiel Groenestege
Music Dramaturgy
Stephan Heber
Orchestra
Amsterdam Sinfonietta
Dancers (from ISH Dance Collective)
Herrold Anakotta
Lars de Vos
Aerial Acrobats (from Bencha Theater)
Micka Karlsson
Sarah Kooij
Kenneth Gérard
Lighting Design
Mike den Ottolander
Sound Design
Rob Strolenberg
Costume Design
Mirjam Manusama
The Waste Land by Amsterdam Sinfonietta and ISH Dance Collective is supported by the Performing Arts Fund NL.
With special thanks to Farokhzad Layegh for his inspiring idea and to John Vervaeke, PhD, cognitive scientist affiliated with the University of Toronto
Considered the top string orchestra in the Netherlands, the Amsterdam Sinfonietta comprises 23 gifted chamber musicians.
Led by Artistic Director Candida Thompson, the orchestra tours the world with innovative programmes and crossovers with various music genres and art forms.
Founded in 1988 with Lev Markiz as its first Artistic Director, the Amsterdam Sinfonietta has gone on to enjoy international success under the direction of Thompson since 2003. It has performed in major concert halls throughout the world, including London’s Barbican Hall, Cité de la Musique in Paris, the National Centre of Performing Arts in Beijing, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie.
The Amsterdam Sinfonietta undertakes intensive collaborations with national and international soloists, and leading musicians such as Janine Jansen, Sol Gabetta, Kian Soltani, Thomas Hampson, Beatrice Rana, Fazil Say, Rufus Wainwright and Wende.
The Amsterdam Sinfonietta regularly records CDs and music films in the studio. With its regular recording label Channel Classics, it has issued 14 CDs since 2004. The orchestra has also made recordings for ECM, Sony Classical and Deutsche Grammophon.
The Amsterdam Sinfonietta devises original and captivating combinations of music works, connecting old and new music and familiar and unknown repertoire. It initiates surprising collaborations and creates groundbreaking programmes involving other art forms, such as film, dance and theatre.
Musicians
Director & Violin
Candida Thompson
First Violin
Nicoline van Santen
Karen Segal
Svenja Staats
Second Violin
Catherina Lee Principal
Petra Griffioen
Frances Thé
Diet Tilanus
Viola
Georgy Kovalev Principal
Anne-Bartje Fontein Ernst Grapperhaus
Cello Tim Posner Principal Örs Köszeghy
Madelyn Kowalski
Double Bass
Ying Lai Green Principal
Percussion
Barry Jurjus
Piano & Synthesiser
Jacobus den Herder
About the ISH Dance Collective
The ISH Dance Collective is something special: a collective of quirky individuals who believe that borders don’t exist and that the world is actually a playground. Since 2000, ISH has been connecting people by surprising them, combining street skills with established art forms. ISH’s shows, demonstrations and educational projects build bridges between various art forms, disciplines and cultures in an innovative manner, without borders. ISH likes artists who can perform at the highest level, but also have enough guts to colour outside the lines. By working with a variety of organisations, ISH comes up with new cross-fertilisations at the artistic and production levels. ISH has a way of working that brings people together, makes dreams come true and results in fantastic shows—and, even more importantly, fantastic groups of people.
Bencha Theater has a solid reputation in Europe and abroad, and is home to an international team of professional acrobats, dancers and musicians. Their remarkable skills in balance, vertical wall dance and aerial acrobatics make them unique. Bencha Theater distinguishes itself from other acrobatic acts by its unique partner work with multiple acrobats and dancers. Their vertical wall dance performances amaze every audience member as they perform spectacular aerial acts while telling a beautiful story. They are not afraid of heights and take on every challenge, and above all present each and every performance straight from the heart.
Launched in 1973, the Hong Kong Arts Festival is a major international arts festival committed to enriching the cultural life of the city. In February and March every year, the Festival presents leading local and international artists in all genres of the performing arts, placing equal importance on great traditions and contemporary creations. The Festival also commissions and produces work in Cantonese opera, theatre, music, chamber opera and contemporary dance by Hong Kong’s creative talent and emerging artists; many of these works have had successful subsequent runs in Hong Kong and overseas. The Festival also presents “PLUS” and educational activities that bring a diverse range of arts experiences to the community as well as tertiary, secondary and primary school students. In addition, through the “No Limits” project co-presented with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Festival strives to create an inclusive space for people with different abilities to share the joys of the arts together.
The HKAF is a non-profit organisation. The total estimated income for FY2024/25 (including the 53rd Hong Kong Arts Festival and 2025 “No Limits”) is approximately HK$150 million. Current Government annual baseline funding accounts for around 12% of the Festival's total income. Around 23% of the Festival’s income needs to come from the box office, and around 45% from sponsorship and donations made by corporations, individuals and charitable foundations. The remaining 20% is expected to come from other revenue sources including the Government’s matching grant scheme, which matches income generated through private sector sponsorship and donations.
Technical Coordinators Jess Cheung*, Yan Fan*, Lawrence Lee*, Pang Ka-tat*, Joyi Tsang*
*Contract Staff In alphabetical order # 2023/24 and 2024/25 The Arts Talents Internship Matching Programme is supported by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Updated February 2025
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Sponsors of the Hong Kong Arts Festival 2024 Gala Dinner
Diamond Table Sponsors
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Gold Seat Sponsors Mr Patrick Hui Hung Kwong Dr Elina Leung
Other Supporters Performing Arts Fund NL
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