Xiqu Centre

The Sunbeam Theatre, one of Hong Kong’s last bastions of Cantonese opera, has recently closed down, but at least there’s still the Xiqu Centre to carry the torch of Chinese operatic shows. Curated and directed by the legendary Cantonese opera artist Law Ka-ying, the Tea House Theatre Experience programme is designed for newcomers to Cantonese opera, featuring show excerpts and songs ranging from romance to martial arts. Highlights of the season include ‘Rain-soaked Clothes’ from A Mirror Seal, ‘Love and Struggle’ from The Warrior’s Marriage, and operatic performances in archaic Mandarin. Audiences will also be served traditional tea and dim sum during the performances, a hark back to Hong Kong’s early 20th-–century tea houses. Tickets run from $300 to $342, inclusive of food and drink.

This month marks the Hong Kong debut of ‘Corps extrêmes’, a show of extreme sports and dance by Rachid Ouramdane that has been named one of the best dance performances of 2023 by The New York Times. 10 talented artists, including acclaimed Italian highliner Luca Chiarva and American climber Ann Raber Cocheril, will explore the human desire for weightlessness by leaping, twirling, flying, and scaling walls. The production is also enhanced with projections, spoken word, and a musical score that will probably put the fear of vertigo in you. Tickets are available from $320 to $580.

Make like the ancient Chinese literati and sit down to enjoy an hour of tea and music – you have permission to feel cultured and superior while doing it. Aptly held at the Tea House Theatre in the Xiqu Centre, a string quintet from the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra will play several pieces from classic Chinese music, from delicate harmonies to thunderous melodies. The auditory experience will be enhanced by tea master Lu Yuanyuan, who will offer different types of Chinese tea to be paired with different musical pieces. Head to West Kowloon on May 31 – tickets are available for $260.