House Rules
※ 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.
※ 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
Synopsis
Statement of Intent
Feature Article
Creative, Production Team and Performers
About the Hong Kong Arts Festival Creator’s Profile 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.
獻辭 MESSAGE
歡迎閣下蒞臨第52屆香港藝術節。在我們慶祝今屆全 面回歸之際，我由衷地感謝您在疫情期間及過後依舊 堅定不移地支持我們。面對着瞬息萬變的環境，我們 致力促進藝術的未來發展，為推廣及傳承藝術發掘更 多機遇。因此，我特別珍惜今天與大家聚首一堂欣賞 表演藝術的機會，並希望向所有為藝術發展作出貢獻 的人士致以崇高的敬意。
我衷心感謝香港特別行政區政府透過康樂及文化事務 署提供年度恆常撥款，為香港藝術節的長遠發展奠下 基石。此外，我亦非常感激香港賽馬會慈善信託基金 以及一眾企業贊助機構、慈善基金會和個人捐助者的 慷慨貢獻，鼓勵我們繼續為城市增添文化藝術氣息。
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.
我向所有參與藝術節的藝術家深表謝意。香港藝術節 很榮幸能夠呈獻精采紛呈的國際頂尖演出、培育本地 人才和委約新作品。我也格外感激藝術節團隊一直以 來的默默奉獻，令藝術節得以順利進行。
最後，我再次感謝您今天前來欣賞演出。香港藝術節 非常重視每一位觀眾的支持和參與。希望這個節目能 夠為您帶來無限喜悅、共鳴和靈感。
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
香港藝術節主席
查懋成
Supporting Organisation:
I warmly welcome for your staunch support, brought by the pandemic. cherish this opportunity arts with you. As contemplate the development I would like to express role in nurturing and I would like to thank and Cultural Services annual subvention unwavering support as well as other corporate donors, has encouraged community through My sincere thanks to present such a talent and commission staff, whose dedication life.
Above all, I extend performance. The engagement. May inspiration.
Victor Cha Chairman Hong Kong Arts
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
Enq ui r ie s 查 詢: (852) 2828 4911
Synopsis
Adèle celebrates her return to Paris with a grand ball organised by her parents in her honour. Under the dazzling lights, she reunites with her first love, Pierre. The two fall in love again, embarking on a romantic and magical journey.
Each group of spectators will join the ball after choosing their CHANEL outfits and experience a love story unfolding in three acts. They will be guided physically by the principal characters played by the dancers.
The audience will travel through a virtual and fantastic universe, with three main locations to enjoy: a monumental ballroom, a magical garden party and a Parisian club. And get ready for breathtaking transitions staged on a lake and aboard a train!
Statement of Intent
A few years ago, when I began envisioning this project to create the first virtual reality immersive live dance show for 10 spectators and three dancers, performed up to five times simultaneously, I knew I would face numerous challenges—artistic, technical and financial. What I couldn’t foresee was that a global pandemic would dramatically alter the conditions for such a performance and even disrupt the electronics supply chain I relied on for the technical equipment. Today, I am thrilled to reflect on my achievements and to see a result so close to my original goals, all thanks to the support and collaboration of extraordinary partners.
The presence of the dancers, the festive atmosphere created by the music and songs, the thoughtful choice of avatars and language, along with a universally accessible storyline, all combine to make this an experience suitable for everyone—an unparalleled creative entertainment offering. It truly showcases the potential of VR technology, pushing beyond previously reached levels. It’s a genuine feast in virtual reality.
Initially inspired by traditional operettas and fantastical musicals, I ultimately rewrote an original script set in an unreal and timeless space. This narrative weaves together retrofuturistic, Classical, contemporary elements and, above all, a sense of pure hallucination.
The collaboration with remarkable talents such as Vincent Chazal, who directed the visual creation, and Tao Gutierrez, who led the musical direction and composition, was pivotal. Together with the VR team from BackLight Studio and the CHANEL team, we crafted a truly original experience that resonates with my dreams. This journey was only made possible with the incredible support of diverse partners who joined my vision: Fabrique d’images, Actrio, Epic MegaGrant, Hewlett-Packard, HTC VIVE Arts, Creative Europe Media, Film Fund Luxembourg and of course the French CNC. And the project would never have come to life without the daily energy and trust from the team at the Blanca Li Company.
Finally, Los Teatros del Canal embraced the challenge of hosting the avant-premiere test run of a never-before-seen show during the pandemic. This opportunity allowed me to rigorously test the technical model on a full scale with hundreds of participants, many of whom were experiencing VR for the first time in such an innovative setting. And now I'm incredibly excited to share this long-dreamed project with you!
Text: Blanca Li
Dance the Night Away in a Virtual World at Le Bal de Paris
“I wanted to do something that had never been done before—and that couldn’t have been done even five or 10 years ago,” Spanish choreographer Blanca Li says when asked what inspired her create the groundbreaking production Le Bal de Paris de Blanca Li (Blanca Li’s Paris Ball).
One of the most exciting trends in the performing arts industry is the increasingly imaginative and innovative use of virtual reality (VR) technology. Expanding the horizons of artists, VR technicians and audiences alike, it’s producing a torrent of new ideas and dance is at the forefront of the movement.
Much like the creators of No reality now, another outstanding example of how dance can be revolutionised by VR that’s also featured at the 2025 HKAF, Li has come up with a new concept which breaks down the boundaries between live performance and VR, and brings the audience into the heart of the show.
Winner of the Best VR Experience at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, Le Bal de Paris takes audience members on a thrilling journey, transporting them to the fabulous world of a timeless, romantic Paris not just as spectators but as active participants through the magic of VR.
While No reality now breaks new ground by allowing the audience to navigate freely between watching a performance simultaneously live and in VR, Li has created a “collective experience” in which audience members move through actual physical space and become part of the action in the virtual world, instead of experiencing it from their seats. Equipped with a mini computer, VR headset and earphones, participants control what happens to them in the virtual universe simply by using their bodies—if you take a step forward, so does your avatar.
© Bernabe Cordon
Combining dance, music and narration, Le Bal de Paris enables audience members to mingle and interact with the dancers as they enact an epic love story which unfolds over three acts. Each participant can select the character they wish to play, choose which stylish Chanel costume they will wear and see themselves in the mirror in a virtual dressing room. Guided by the dancers who perform the principal roles, they will visit a succession of enchanted spaces—a magnificent ballroom, a garden and a nightclub—as well as crossing a lake on a boat and taking a ride on a tram. Li wanted to make the show a “joyous experience”. And after the VR section ends, you are welcome to stay on and keep dancing in the real world.
Text: Natasha Rogai
This article was originally published on the HKAF’s News & Features website in January 2025
Creative, Production and Performers
Conception, Libretto, Direction and Choreography
Blanca Li
Original Music and Musical Direction
Tao Gutierrez
Visual Design Direction
Vincent Chazal
Costumes
CHANEL
Development of Virtual Reality BackLight Studio
VR Content Partner
VIVE Arts
Production (China)
Tempest Projects
Producer (China)
Weng Shihui
Technical Directors
Nicolas Huertas Ballester
Fan Chaowei
Game Masters
Yang Chinchih
Yang Tszmu
Stage Manager
Fannie Fang
Dancers
Wu Yandan
Cynthia Cao
Zhao Weiyuan
Li Feng
Conception, Direction and Libretto Blanca Li
Blanca Li is a choreographer, film director, dancer and actress. Born in Granada, Spain, she joined the national gymnastics team at the age of 12 and moved to New York at the age of 17, studying for five years with Martha Graham while drawing inspiration from hip-hop and world music. She founded her contemporary dance company in Paris in 1992 and has since toured the world with 20 stage shows.
Li has choreographed and directed ballets, operas and musicals, including Les Indes galantes at the Paris Opera, Shéhérazade for the Paris Opera Ballet, Treemonisha at the Châtelet, El Quijote del Plata for Sodre de Uruguay and Pulcinella for the Spanish National Ballet. She has also directed three feature films and numerous shorts, commercials and music videos.
One of her recent company creations, the immersive virtual reality show Le Bal de Paris de Blanca Li from 2021, was awarded the Lion award for Best VR experience at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and has toured non-stop since. Since then, she has created a hip-hop Nutcracker for Suresnes Cités Danse in 2022 and directed a version of Dido and Aeneas with Les Arts Florissants (William Christie). Li’s many awards include the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur in France and Medalla de Oro al Mérito de las Bellas Artes in Spain.
