Tag: Hong kong

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Performances Productions

“Dr Miracle” to be performed at 2026 French May

The Hong Kong Professional Vocalists Association is performing the OperaLab’s “fairy-tale” version of George Bizet’s first opera Le Docteur Miracle as part of the French May Arts Festival and with the support of the French Consulate, featuring the new selections for children’s soloists and choir written by Marco Iannelli. It will performed on 21-22 May at Tungpo.

More operetta than opera, and only about an hour in length, Dr Miracle is a comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet still shows early evidence of the talent of the future composer of Carmen. It tells the timeless story of a young woman in love with a boy her overbearing father thinks unsuitable — only a doctor or lawyer will do — but, despite the attractions of a vain and flirty stepmother, love finds a way through various disguises, a poisoned possibly omelette, and a fake doctor with a miracle cure.

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Performances Productions

“Carmen Wong” staged in Hong Kong

Carmen at Polytechnic University

Carmen Wong is a new adaption of George Bizet’s iconic opera set in a Hong Kong of the 1970s. Developed for the French May and as part of the “Carmen 2025” programme celebrating the opera’s 150th anniversary, and premiering at the Hong Kong Peninsula, Carmen Wong had two staged performances at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in October 2025.

These staged performances featured Ashley Chui and Etta Fung as the two bar hostesses Carmen and Micaëla, Chen Yong as José and Isaac Droscha as the colonial policeman Escamillo, with Jaclyn Chiu on piano and including narration taken from Prosper Mérimée’s original novel.

Carmen at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Ashley Chui & Isaac Droscha
Etta Fung and Chen Yong
Ashley Chui and Chen Yong
Ashley Chui and Chen Yong
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Performances

“Les amours de Carmen Wong” returns to the Peninsula

This second performance of Carmen Wong, the new localised version reduced to the four principles which debuted at the 2025 French May at Felix in the Peninsula Hong Kong on 31 May, features Ashley Chui and Etta Fung as the two bar hostesses Carmen and Micaëla, Chen Yong as José and Albert Lim as the colonial policeman Escamillo.

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Performances Productions

“The Story of Carmen”

2025 is the 150th anniversary of Georges Bizet’s iconic “Carmen”. In celebration, this multimedia presentation offers a new rendition of the timeless story. Centred on selections from the opera sung by some of Hong Kong’s most acclaimed vocalists, infused with narrative from the original novel by Prosper Mérimée (itself celebrating its 180th anniversary!) – it brings to life one of Europe’s most fascinating literary characters.

Sung in French with English surtitles and English narration, this “Europe Day” event is the first major performance of “Carmen 2025”, a year-long programme of opera, literature, music and dance, commemorating the dual anniversaries of the novel and opera.

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Artist activities

Marco Iannelli’s new arrangement for “Il tabarro”

Burak Bilgili as Michele

Marco Iannelli’s new rearrangement for Il tabarro, the first of the three operas in Giacomo Puccini’s Il trittico, commissioned by Hong Kong’s Musica Viva, was played for three performances at the Hong Kong City Hall from 13-15 December 2024. The performances featured Turkish bass Burak Bilgili as Michele, the cuckolded barge-owner. He was joined by soprano Rianne Lau and tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan as the star-crossed lovers Giorgetta and Luigi.

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Performances Productions

“La bohème” at Hong Kong Polytechnic University

This new adaptation aims to capture the origins of the novel in the semi-autobiographical novel Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger in an intimate dramatic adaptation of Giacomo Puccini’s classic opera. Reduced to the four principal roles, this new version is designed to focus on the emotional ties between the two couples.

The production, adapted by Peter Gordon and with a new musical arrangement by Marco Iannelli, keeps all the major music, arias and ensembles as well as the original, beloved story line, by moving Musetta’s Act II music to Scene 1 and reassigning some lines. The Star Ferry performances were reset in contemporary Hong Kong. It runs approximately 60 minutes.

Etta Fung and Chen Yong
Chen Yong, Isaac Droscha and Etta Fung
Chen Yong, Etta Fung, Ashley Chui and Isaac Droscha
Etta Fung and Chen Yong

Scene 1 opens with the writer Murger witnessing a death in hospital (as Mimì does in the original book), and then sitting down to write, stepping into the scene as Rodolfo. Scene 2 also open with Murger writing and again stepping into the scene for Rodolfo’s entrance.

The performances featured Etta Fung as Mimì, Ashley Chui as Musetta, Chen Yong as Rodolfo and Isaac Droscha as Marcello, with Jaclyn Chiu on piano.

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Productions

“The Triad” (“Le toréador”) wins Grand Prix France Hong Kong

The OperaLab production of Adolphe Adam’s Le toréador received the “Prix art et culture” of the 2024 Grand Prix France Hong Kong from the “Petit Journal“ and the French Consulate General.

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Performances Productions

“Le toréador” by Aldophe Adam to premiere at the French May 2023

Le toréador (1849) is a opéra-comique by Adolphe Adam, a French composer best known for the ballet Giselle. The story is of a ménage–a–trois between an erstwhile soprano, her oft–absent and unfaithful husband, and a previous lover. The work features famous variations on the folk–song Ah! vous dirai–je, maman (better known as Twinkle, twinkle, little star in the English–speaking world). This semi–staged performance resets the story in contemporary Hong Kong as The Triad, or Three in Accord (retaining the musical pun in the original French title Le toréador, ou L’accord parfait).

The premiere takes place on 6 June 2024 at the Asia Society as part of the French May and will feature Etta Fung as Coraline, Chen Yong as Tracolin and Isaac Droscha as Don Belflor, with Hsu Wei-en on piano. This will be Hong Kong (and likely Greater China) premiere.

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Performances

“Le docteur Miracle” debuts with Opera Hong Kong and HKUST

Etta Fung (Laurette), Isaac Drocha (Professor), Chen Yong (Silvio) and Ashley Chui (Véronique)

OperaLab’s new production of George Bizet’s “Dr. Miracle” for Opera Hong Kong in cooperation with HKUST and in association with the French May premiered at HKUST’s Shaw Auditorium on 15 May 2023.

It featured Etta Fung as Laurette, Isaac Drocha as her professorial father, Chen Yong as Silvio, Romeo and the eponymous Dr. Miracle and Ashley Chui as the stepmother Véronique.

Marco Iannelli’s new score was performed by the OperaLab Chamber Orchestra conducted by Hsu Wei-en.

Dr Miracle appeared in a double bill with a new production or Gaetano Donizetti’s “Rita“.