Great Performers: Mullova plays Brahms - The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra plays Brahms’ “Three Hungarian Dances,” “Violin Concerto” and Bartok’s “Concerto for Orchestra” with famed Russian violinist Viktoria Mullova. $75-380 from Urbtix. Fri-Sat, Jul 3-4, 8pm. Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui.

Music that Moves: The Brass Experience
The Hong Kong Sinfonietta Brass Ensemble, with trumpet master James Thompson, plays pieces ranging from Mozart’s “Ave Verum Corpus” to more contemporary compositions. Free admission. Sun, Jul 5, 3pm. ArtisTree, 1/F, Cornwall House, Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay, 3607-2331, www.hksinfonietta.org.

HK PICKS
Howard Shelley and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta
A night of Haydn and Mendelssohn featuring acclaimed British conductor-pianist Howard Shelly, with James Thompson playing trumpet on one of Haydn’s most famous concertos. Fri, Jul 10, 8pm. $120-$280 from Urbtix. City Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central.

Street Music Series
Help celebrate Hong Kong’s street music culture as local musicians take to the street (where else?) to showcase a selection of different musical styles. Free admission. Jul 17, 6pm-8:30pm, main entrance of the Hong Kong Arts Centre.

Stage

Genghis Khan
The Inner Mongolia Acrobatic Troupe of China presents an epic acrobatic show about the history of the Mongolian Empire. $60-$300 from Urbtix. Fri-Sun, Jul 3-4, 7:30pm; Jul 4, 3pm; Jul 5, 11am. Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui.

Feminine Colors
Contemporary dance performance by three choreographers each employing their own original style. $100 from Urbtix. Fri-Sat, Jul 3-4, 8pm; Sun, Jul 5, 3pm, Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre, Ngau Chi Wan Municipal Services Building, 11 Clearwater Bay Rd.

Design for Living
Edward Lam Theatre presents a drama based on the conflicts of the modern office space. In Putonghua with Chinese surtitles. $200-$480 from HK Ticketing. Mon, Jul 6, 7:30pm. Academy for Performing Arts, 1 Gloucester Rd., Wan Chai.

Chibi Maruko Musical
Stage production of the beloved cartoon character Chibi Maruko, who gets to play Cinderella in her school play, only to find herself struggling with the lines. In Cantonese with Chinese and Japanese subtitles. $160-$480 from HK Ticketing. Fri, Jul 3, 4:30pm, 8pm; Sat-Sun, Jul 4-5, 11am, 3:30pm, 8pm. HITEC, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay.

Very Dance!
City Contemporary Dance Company presents a new production by resident Choreographer Helen Lai, telling the “not-so-glorious” story of a dancer’s demanding offstage life. $80-$200 from Urbtix. Fri-Sun, Jul 3-4, 8pm and Jul 4-5, 3pm. Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui.

Richard III
Shakespeare’s dark masterpiece, starring Chung King Fai as the determined duke who annihilates all those who stand in the way of his ascent to the throne. In Cantonese, with Chinese and English surtitles. $120-$340 from URBTIX, 2111-5999, www.urbtix.hk. Sat, Jul 11, 7:30pm; Tue-Tue Jul 14-21, 2:45pm; Sun, Jul 12 and 19, 2:45pm, 7:45pm. Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui.

Sports

MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Golf Championship 2009
The Hong Kong Golf Association hosts its annual boys and girls Junior Open Championship with two days of play. Thu-Fri, Aug 6-7. Details:
www.hkga.com.

Hong Kong Annual Badminton Championships 2009
The Bank of China and the Hong Kong Badminton Association present the senior division championship finals followed by a prize presentation. Queen Elizabeth Stadium. Sun, Jul 19. Details: www.hkbadmintonassn.org.hk.

HK Judo Team Championships 2009
The Judo Association of Hong Kong and the LCSD host the annual team championships. Shek Kip Mei Sports Centre. Sun, Jul 19. Details: 2504-8360, www.hkjudo.youdomain.com.

2009 TWAC Evening Race 10K
This race will take place at the Shing Mun Reservoir catchwater. Sun, Jul 12, 5pm. Details: www.hkrunners.com.

HK PICKS
Open Water Swimming
Two upcoming events include the Shek O challenge (2.2 km) on Jul 4, and much further down the line, the “Clean Half” extreme swimming relay event in Stanley on Oct 10. Details: www.d2adrenaline.com.

Chung Hing Cup Tsuen Wan 10K
The (breath) “Ninth Annual Chung Hing Cup Tsuen Wan 10K Super Summer Challenge Race” will be held at the Shing Mun Reservoir Cathwater in Tsuen Wan. Five age groups for men and four for women, plus a team race of three. Sun, Aug 16, 8:15am. Details: www.hkrunners.com.

Sprint Triathlon and Ultrakids Triathlon Championships
The triathlon championships will take place on Chong San Road, divided by age and course. Sun, Aug 2, 6:30am (age brackets) and 8am (Ultrakids Triathlon). Details: www.triathlon.com.hk.

Southern District X-Country Race
The cross-country race will be held at Aberdeen Country Park. Sun, Aug 16, 8:30am. Distance is 8km, also 3.5km or 1.5km for kids. Details: www.sdhhk.org.


Stage Preview Richard III

Director Sam Lam has removed the witchcraft and the gimmicks in order to make his version of Richard III a “total theatre experience.”

“My approach is to tell Shakespeare’s story truly and faithfully, as it’s written for the audience,” Lam says. This epic historical play delves deep into the dark side of humanity, as manifested by Richard’s selfish and brutal desire to become King of England. The director emphasizes
there are “no gimmicks” in his production and says he has removed all reference to witchcraft.

Lam explains: “Shakespeare put witchcraft in his plays at that time to please the King’s taste and curiosity. I wanted to concentrate on Richard’s physical and psychological actions instead.” But don’t let the intensity put you off. Lam points out that the cruelest scenes, such as those dealing with familial betrayal and cold-blooded murder, are punctuated by dance pieces and the appearance of ghosts and spirits. “Shakespeare cleverly put the situation in such a sarcastic and cynical way, that it actually creates a comedic effect.”

What makes this performance even more alluring to the local audience is the dream cast. Richard III is played by veteran stage actor Chung King-fai, who has over 50 years’ theatrical experience, while TV heartthrob Bowie Lam makes his debut stage appearance playing the Duke of Buckingham. The TV actor has been working hard on adapting his acting techniques for the stage. He says, “Stage acting is like a drug, it’s easy to get addicted to it.”

Winnie Chau

Richard III runs from from Jul 11-21, see Stage Listings, above.


Bulletin Board

Art Sunday
Galleries and restaurants across Central, SoHo and Sheung Wan open their doors for a day of special viewings and discounts. Sun, Jul 5, 11am-5pm. Details: www.artsunday.com.hk.

Musical Auditions
Auditions for a fun and unique new musical for young people aged 11-16 who can sing and dance, or play a musical instrument. Auditions: Tue, Jul 28. Register by Fri, Jul 10. Details: 2520-1716.

Breastfeeding Help
La Leche League Hong Kong provides information, encouragement and support to mothers who wish to breastfeed. Meetings are held at various locations in English and Cantonese. Breastfeeding preparation classes for pregnant mothers also available. Details: www.lllhk.org.

Cha: An Asian Literary Journal
A Hong Kong–based online English literary quarterly journal dedicated to publishing creative works from around Asia. It features quality poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, reviews, drama, photography and art. Details: www.asiancha.com.

Cloth Haven Get Together Flea Market
Collectibles, textiles, vintage clothing and handmade accessories, all looking for a good home. Sun, Jul 5, noon–6pm. G/F, 43-45 Square St., Sheung Wan (near Man Mo Temple). Details: www.clothhaven.com.

Football for Life
Make a donation to FFL, which is currently running a funding campaign for bettering the lives of underprivileged children through football. Details: www.footballforlife.org, aafc88@gmail.com or 2895-6867.

Help Children Fleeing Torture
Sponsor a needy child for $500 a month. Details: www.christian-action.org.hk or 2723-6626.

Open Air Markets
A new location at the Peak: every first Sunday, L/3, The Peak Galleria. Pok Fu Lam Market: every third Sunday, The Podium, Cyberport. 10am–5pm. Details: www.openairhk.com.

Walk Hong Kong
Local urban walks, bush walks, day hikes and nature rambles catering to all tastes and suitable for all fitness levels. Details: www.walkhongkong.com or walks@walkhongkong.com.