The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit 2021 was held for the first time in its 13-year history at Hong Kong Cultural Centre’s Grand Theatre on 19th Dec, 2021. After last year’s hybrid (both online and on-site) Benefit, over 360 guests attended this groundbreaking event organised by The Hong Kong Ballet Guild. The Benefit’s highlight was a delightful live excerpt of Septime Webre’s Hong Kong-themed The Nutcracker by 44 of the Organising Committee Members’ children ages 2-13.
Among the gracious hosts were The Nutcracker Christmas Benefit 2021 Organising Committee Co-Chairs: Mrs Lillian Lee Fong, Mrs Colleen Yu Fung and Mrs Emily Lam Ho. Distinguished guests included Ms Daisy Ho, BBS, Chairman of Hong Kong Ballet Board of Governors; Members of Hong Kong Ballet Board of Governors: Ms Lindzay Chan, Mrs Janice Chan-Choy, Ms Linda Fung, Ms Maya Lin and Mrs Liana Yung Yeung; and Organising Committee members Ms Veronica Chou, Ms Elaine Kwok, Professor Ava Kwong, Ms Wendy Law, Mrs Deirdre Fu Tcheng and many more.
The annual festive fundraiser was a memorable and joyful occasion for families and friends, culminating in the much-anticipated children’s performance. This was the first time the children performed on a professional stage in their charming tailor-made costumes alongside the extravagant life-sized sets from the historic production. The young performers gracefully danced to Tchaikovsky’s iconic music, and guests heartily applauded the performance.
The Hong Kong Ballet Guild hopes that children who experience ballet at a young age will eventually nurture a life-long love of the performing arts, and the Benefit gave them an early opportunity for a meaningful ballet experience. The unique performance allowed the younger generation to learn more about early 20th century Hong Kong to give them a deeper understanding of their city.
About The Hong Kong Ballet Guild
The Hong Kong Ballet Guild was established in April 2008 by a group of Hong Kong’s most avid ballet enthusiasts. The objectives of the Guild are to promote Hong Kong Ballet, raise its public profile and preserve its heritage. By increasing awareness of and support for ballet among diverse sectors of society through extensive community engagement programmes, the Guild hopes to achieve its dual objects of developing a wider audience for Hong Kong Ballet, and fostering a society that appreciates this art form, thus enabling Hong Kong to flourish as a global cultural hub.
About Hong Kong Ballet
One of Asia’s premier ballet companies, Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) is internationally recognised as a vibrant arts institution that represents Hong Kong’s unique character. Established in 1979 and led by Artistic Director Septime Webre, HKB has a dynamic repertoire performed by nearly 50 dancers from all over the globe and award-winning education and community programmes.
