The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will launch a new lecture series on appreciating ballet entitled "All is Well" in August and September. Local ballet educator Margaret Lau will host the lectures and share with audiences various comedy ballets adapted from fairy tales, literary classics and myths, with excerpts of performances by renowned ballet companies.

     In this series of eight lectures, each will feature one or two classics, from which audiences will be guided to appreciate how different ballet companies present various aspects of the stories with their performing styles, as well as the creativity of choreographers and the superb skills of dancers.

     The dates of each lecture and the works covered are as follows:

Lecture 1
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Date: August 3 (Thursday)
Repertoires: "The Sleeping Beauty" and "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"
Video clips: The Royal Ballet (United Kingdom), Paris Opera Ballet (France), Dutch National Ballet (the Netherlands), Stuttgart Ballet (Germany), Staatsballett Berlin (Germany) and Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo (Monaco)

Lecture 2
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Date: August 10 (Thursday)
Repertoire: "Cinderella"
Video clips: The Royal Ballet (United Kingdom), Birmingham Royal Ballet (United Kingdom), Dutch National Ballet (the Netherlands) and Lyon Opera Ballet (France)

Lecture 3
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Date: August 17 (Thursday)
Repertoires: "The Pharaoh's Daughter" and "Hobson's Choice"
Video clips: Bolshoi Ballet (Russia) and Birmingham Royal Ballet (United Kingdom)

Lecture 4
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Date: August 24 (Thursday)
Repertoire: "A Mid-summer Night's Dream"
Video clips: Pacific Northwest Ballet (United States), Paris Opera Ballet (France), Teatro alla Scala Ballet (Italy), The Hamburg Ballet (Germany), Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) and more

Lecture 5
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Date: August 31 (Thursday)
Repertoires: "Sylvia" and "La Chauve-souris"
Video clips: The Royal Ballet (United Kingdom), National Ballet of Japan (Japan), Teatro alla Scala Ballet (Italy) and more

Lecture 6
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Date: September 7 (Thursday)
Repertoires: "Coppélia" and "The Prince of Pagodas"
Video clips: The Royal Ballet (United Kingdom), Bolshoi Ballet (Russia), National Ballet of Japan (Japan) and more

Lecture 7
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Date: September 14 (Thursday)
Repertoires: "La Fille Mal Gardée" and "The Bright Stream"
Video clips: The Royal Ballet (United Kingdom), Bolshoi Ballet (Russia) and more

Lecture 8
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Date: September 21 (Thursday)
Repertoire: "The Taming of the Shrew"
Video clips: Stuttgart Ballet (Germany), Bolshoi Ballet (Russia), Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) and more

     Margaret Lau is a seasoned dance critic in Hong Kong. She has travelled to attend and cover dance performances worldwide. She has hosted this lecture series on ballet appreciation since 2009 to share her experience and knowledge with audiences, and enhance their interest in appreciating ballet performances. Her published works include "Twinkle Twinkle Dance Stars" and "Chinese Ballet Sketches".

     All lectures will be conducted in Cantonese and will take place at 7.30pm at AC2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Each lecture will run for about two hours and 30 minutes. Tickets priced at $60 (for each lecture, with free seating) are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/dance/programs_1566.html.

Ends/Monday, July 3, 2023
Issued at HKT 11:00

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