The story follows the Spanish nobleman Belmonte who, with the help of his servant Pedrillo, journeys to the seraglio (palace) of Bassa Selim, a high-ranking official, in Turkey to rescue his beloved Konstanze and her maid Blonde, who were kidnapped by pirates.
Conducted by the German maestro Michael Koehler and directed by Tang Xinxin, the production features a cast led by some of Hong Kong’s top operatic soloists.
“Opera Hong Kong – The Abduction from the Seraglio”, Hong Kong City Hall, Concert Hall, 5 Edinburgh Place, Central, Aug 17-18, 7.30pm. Tickets available through Urbtix.
2. Café I Do – The Leslie Cheung Musical
Presented by MQ Musical Theatre, Café I Do is set in a failed Hong Kong bing sutt (a traditional Hong Kong-style cafe) owned by brothers Louie and Paul.
On the cafe’s last day, the brothers fulfil the final wish of their father, an ardent Leslie Cheung fan, by holding a tribute concert in honour of the late pop star.
More than 20 of Cheung’s greatest hits feature, in Cantonese with English surtitles.
“Café I Do – The Leslie Cheung Musical”, Grand Theatre, Xiqu Centre, 88 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, Aug 16–18, 22 and 24, 7.45pm. Limited tickets available from the West Kowloon website.
3. Cloud Chamber
“Cloud Chamber” is the first institutional exhibition dedicated to the activities of Art Labor, a Vietnamese art collective based in Ho Chi Minh City that was founded by Thao Nguyen Phan, Truong Cong Tung and Arlette Quynh-Anh Tran.
The exhibition at Para Site features archival materials and artwork that invite visitors to see Vietnam beyond its turbulent past and to better understand the impact of the region’s complex history.
“Cloud Chamber”, Para Site, 22/F, Wing Wah Industrial Building, 677 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Aug 17-Nov 24, Wed-Sun, 12pm-7pm. Free admission.
4. Love Psychedelico – Live in Hong Kong 2024
With a huge following in Hong Kong, Japanese rock duo Love Psychedelico are returning to the city for a one-night-only concert ahead of their upcoming Japanese tour.
Kumi and Naoki met at university and founded the band in 1997, and now have eight albums under their belts.
Fans can look forward to a live performance of their terrific new single, “Forgive Me Not”, which was released in May.
“Love Psychedelico – Live in Hong Kong 2024”, MacPherson Stadium, 38 Nelson Street, Mong Kok, Aug 17, 8pm. Tickets available from KKTIX.
5. Teach Me How to Fish
Food-themed art exhibition “Teach Me How to Fish” at the Art Intelligence Global gallery in Wong Chuk Hang features 17 young artists from the Asian diaspora, curated by New York-based collector-turned-gallerist Will Leung.
These up-and-coming artists, including US-based Dominique Fung and France-based Gongmo Zhou, are not just highly skilled, but have a lot to say about identity, cultural authenticity and collective memory.
“Teach Me How to Fish”, Art Intelligence Global, Suite A, 1st Floor, TS Tower, 43 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Mon-Fri, 11am-6pm. Until Aug 30.