Description

The West Kowloon Cultural District (West Kowloon) and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra are joining hands to present a brand-new programme, 'Music and Tea'. Audiences will be immersed in the Tea House Theatre of the Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon Cultural District, to experience the cultural elegance of the literati of the past who appreciated music while sipping tea. The programme will be held on two Saturdays, 26 April and 31 May 2025. Participants will be intoxicated by the elegant atmosphere of Chinese culture and appreciate the beauty of Chinese art through the interweaving of multiple senses – visual, auditory, gustatory and olfactory – against the backdrop of melodious Chinese music and fragrant tea. Tickets are now on sale on the West Kowloon website. This is a unique cultural experience not to be missed by art enthusiasts and visitors to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra musicians perform classic Chinese music pieces including 'Han Tian Lei

Held in the Tea House Theatre of the Xiqu Centre, which draws inspiration from Chinese tea houses in its design, 'Music and Tea' blends Chinese music with traditional Chinese tea art, offering a refreshing and multi-sensory cultural experience. Musicians from the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra will present a string quintet and perform a number of classic Chinese music pieces, including 'A Joyful Night', 'May We Always Be Together', 'Leaping Dragon', the ancient tune 'Yangguan Sandie' and 'Han Tian Lei'. Through the interplay of delicate and vigorous melodies, the performance will lead the audience to appreciate the nuances and dynamics of Chinese music.

Experts offer insights into Chinese tea culture and the integration of tea art and Chinese music from different perspectives

In addition, the programme has specially invited experts to offer insights into Chinese tea culture and the integration of tea art and Chinese music from different perspectives: programme supporting partner Linong Tea House tea artist Yuan Yuan Lu will demonstrate traditional brewing techniques on the spot, selecting Chinese teas that match the mood of the music and showcasing the layers of tea soup through precise brewing methods, allowing the audience to experience the beauty of tea aroma and melody complementing each other; Dr Raymond Young, who serves as Chairman of the Xiqu Centre Advisory Group of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, among other cultural promotion positions, will share his research on tea art, analyse the historical origins of tea art and Hong Kong culture, and demonstrate tea brewing; Xu Ran, PhD, from the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, will serve as a music guide, unpacking the cultural connotations of the music pieces and leading the audience to explore how music and tea art converge to showcase the wisdom of Chinese traditional culture.

Images provided by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra