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HONG KONG—Thousands of people have flooded ticket hotlines and kiosks in Hong Kong to secure seats for the Shen Yun Performing Arts that will be performing in the city for the first time this January.The acclaimed show will be at the Lyric Theatre at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts from Jan. 27 to Jan. 31, 2010.
The tickets went on sale Dec. 2, and within five days, over 4,000 tickets were sold. Only a small number of tickets are still available. The most expensive tickets, priced at HK$900 (US$116), have been sold out.
The presenters expressed surprise about being well on their way to a complete sellout before they had even fully launched their planned advertising campaign.
Ms. Chen, a ticketing representative for the presenting organizations, said that people have been calling to request additional shows. She also said that many phone calls have come from outside of Hong Kong, with most of these coming from people in mainland China looking to buy tickets.
Mr. Szeto Wah, president of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, believes that Shen Yun attracts a strong following based on its artistic merit and international reputation.
“It takes traditional Chinese culture as its basis, but incorporates the outstanding artistry of the West to produce a performance of consummate beauty. It is more enjoyable than some traditional Chinese arts, and its content really shows the true, the good, and the beautiful.
“Its performance is very well received all around the world and is praised for its high artistic quality. I hope everyone will take the opportunity to see it, since it doesn’t come to Hong Kong often,” said Szeto.
Andrew Cheng, a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, said that the response to date reflects the reputation of Shen Yun. He wished the Hong Kong shows much success.
“I hope this performing group’s show is really successful. At the same time, I also want to tell fellow Chinese in the [Hong Kong] Special Administrative Region that we should appreciate our traditional Chinese cultural arts,” Cheng said.
During its 2009 world tour, Shen Yun performed over 300 shows throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Its three performing groups and two orchestras performed for over 800,000 theatergoers this year.
Shen Yun showcases completely original programs every year. Its performances have been praised by the arts communities and notable figures worldwide.
The organizers suggest that those unable to purchase tickets for the Hong Kong performances should consider the Taiwan shows, or look elsewhere in the Pacific region. They should also consider the future Shen Yun tours in Hong Kong.
Shen Yun Website: www.ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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