4:40pm  Registration
5:00pm  Start of tour
6:00pm  Dialogue with Alison Friedman, Artistic Director, Performing Arts Division, West Kowloon Cultural District
6:30pm  End of Program

Did you know that Cantonese opera performers always greet each other with “Good morning” no matter what time of day they meet? Or that in traditional tea houses balcony seats cost more than those closer to the stage? To find out why, join the Xiqu Centre Guided Tour and learn about this new venue and the rich history of the art of xiqu. The 60-minute tours, conducted in English you explore the Xiqu Centre facilities, learn about the architectural and design features, and discover fascinating facts about the culture and stories behind the art of xiqu. Tours are supplemented with multimedia elements and are perfect for newcomers to the art of xiqu. At the end of the tour, Alison Friedman, Artistic Director, Performing Arts Division, West Kowloon Cultural District, will have a dialogue with you to share the artistic vision and strategies for the Xiqu Centre.

Sign up now for this special arranged tour for the members of Asia Society Hong Kong Center. Seats are limited.

Alison M Friedman joined the West Kowloon in October 2017. She is responsible for leading the dance, theatre, xiqu, as well as music and outdoor teams of the Performing Arts Department to ensure the district’s performing arts venues and programmes are conceptualised, curated and implemented to realise its vision to be a regional and global leader in the performing arts.

Alison M Friedman is a board member of the International Society for the Performing Arts, one of the largest international alliances of leaders in the performing arts. Fluent in Mandarin, she founded the cultural exchange organisation Ping Pong Productions (PPP) in 2010 after studying as a Fulbright scholar at the Department of History at Peking University and the Beijing Dance Academy in mainland China from 2002 to 2003. Prior to PPP, Alison M Friedman held producer and general manager roles at several dance and music institutions, including the Beijing Modern Dance Company and composer/conductor Tan Dun’s production and management company.