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Mississauga Chinese Arts Festival to feature spectacular stage shows and cultural displays at the Living Arts Centre
July 5, 2004
Mississauga, Ontario
What do Shaolin monks, Chinese musical instruments, traditional and modern Chinese dance, Chinese cuisine, and Chinese arts have in common? The answer is the Mississauga Chinese Arts Festival to be held this July 24-25 at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. The Festival is organized by the Mississauga Board of Chinese Professionals & Businesses (CPB) and co-organized by the Living Arts Centre with special sponsorship from the Trillium Foundation.
"We are very pleased to be supporting the first Mississauga Chinese Arts Festival at the Living Arts Centre," said Gerry Townsend, C.E.O. of the Living Arts Centre. "I encourage everyone to attend and experience the great culture and various Chinese art forms the Festival will offer."
"Mississauga is such a culturally diverse city and there is a thriving Chinese community here," said Andre Mak, Chair of CPB. "We welcome everyone in Mississauga and the rest of the G.T.A. to come and share the wonders of Chinese arts. Everyone will be thrilled by the variety and brilliance showcased during this two-day event."
The featured stage performances have been carefully selected to represent the spectrum of Chinese arts and to appeal to a wide audience. The opening show will present the popular Shaolin Warrior Monks kicking, gyrating and showing real kung-fu skills side by side with local masters. The second show will feature more than 130 of the best musicians from the community, many performing with traditional Chinese musical instruments, playing a whole repertoire of enchanting folk songs and music from different regions of China. To close the Festival, there will be a world premiere of the 2000 year-old story of "Farewell My Concubine", performed and produced by the renowned Xing Dance Theatre. It will be an innovative combination of traditional and modern Chinese dance with elements of the Beijing Opera.
Tickets for each of the featured stage shows in the Hammerson Theatre are: $20, $30, and $40 with 15% off for seniors, children, and groups of over 20. Special "Buy 2 Get 1 FREE" show packages are also available, but only one type of discount may be available at any one time.
The performance times at the Hammerson Theatre are:
The Essence of Chinese Martial Arts July 24, Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
An Enchanting Musical Journey to China July 24, Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
Farewell My Concubine July 25, Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
A great deal of cultural activities will take place at the Living Arts Centre during this two-day event. The Festival offers a wide range of cultural shows, cooking demonstrations, craft exhibits, and art displays that are FREE to the public. Our co-chairs of the Festival, Matthew Lam and Philip Ho, have much to offer. "We intend to have every visitor go home with a memorable experience of Chinese culture," said Matthew Lam. "To celebrate this event, we will be giving away pin-wheels to children. We have a limited quantity, so come early. We also hope this event will encourage them to learn more about Chinese culture," stated Philip Ho.
The exhibit hours:
Saturday, July 24 - 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, July 25 - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Special exhibit attractions:
"Beautiful China" - a collection of unique photos generously provided by the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Toronto and showing the best scenery of China seldom seen by tourists. (RBC Theatre)
Screening of classic Hong Kong-produced movie - organized by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto. (Rogers Theatre)
For more details about the Festival, please contact the Mississauga Board of Chinese Professionals & Businesses at 905-828-6800, the Living Arts Centre at 905-306-6000.
