Gulbenkian Choir

Name: Gulbenkian Choir
Start: 2026-03-04T20:00:00+08:00
End: 2026-03-04T21:05:00+08:00
Location: Kwai Tsing Theater Auditorium

Schedule

Wed Mar 04 2026 at 08:00 pm to 09:05 pm

UTC+08:00

Location

Kwai Tsing Theater Auditorium | Hong Kong, HK

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝘂𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳
The Gulbenkian Choir is in the room with you—but also not. That’s the premise of 𝘖𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘰𝘴 𝘦 𝘰𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘴
(𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴), one of two programmes brought to the HKAF by the Portuguese troupe, which has performed with orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Orchestra de Paris and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and combines its 60-plus years of history with a restless commitment to innovation.
The musically intricate performance marries a 40-strong live choir with a virtual version of itself projected onto a screen, singing both together and separately. They are flanked by soprano Camila Mandillo, countertenor David Hackston and Hong Kong pianist Rachel Cheung, under the baton of conductor Jorge Matta in the flesh—or perhaps in digital form?
This “tech cantata” uses the alienation of the pandemic, the solitude and anxiety experienced as a starting point to reflect on the passing of time. It reverses the Covid-era paradigm of watching live performances online, by bringing a virtual performance to a live audience. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴
challenges our perceptions, blurring the line between the real and the digital. Written by the Guggenheim-award-winning Hong Kong-based American composer Eugene Birman and staged by Giorgio Biancorosso, the work takes its title from a poem commissioned for the occasion by Portuguese writer Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida.
The Gulbenkian Choir’s other Hong Kong concert, Choral Treasures from Portugal, presents acapella works by Portuguese composers from the 1600s to today, as well as Bach and Brahms. Conducted by Martina Batič, the choir’s principal conductor, it promises to be a spine-tingling introduction to a collection of lesser-known choral works, both sacred and secular.
Meet-the-Artist sessions will be held after the performances on 4/3 (Wed) and 5/3 (Thu).
Tickets are available for purchase from 9 December 2025 at URBTIX
節目介紹
葡萄牙頂尖合唱團獻唱　「科技清唱劇」與無伴奏合唱瑰寶
古本江合唱團成立於1964年，是葡萄牙首屈一指的合唱團，常演曲目囊括古典、浪漫時期以至當代的合唱曲目，亦擅於演繹葡萄牙複音合唱作品。合唱團表演風格多元，無伴奏合唱水準出色之餘，亦經常獲邀與多個國際頂尖樂團合作演出，包括柏林愛樂樂團、荷蘭皇家音樂廳管弦樂團、巴黎管弦樂團及倫敦愛樂樂團等。
合唱團在今屆藝術節的首場音樂會，帶來充滿時代意義的「科技清唱劇」——《那些最長亦最短的日子》。作品由駐港美籍作曲家貝臻雅譜曲，歌詞來自葡萄牙小說家迪祖米莉亞．普雷拉．德．艾爾美達的詩作，創作靈感源自2019冠狀病毒病世紀疫症下的生活經歷。舞台上的合唱團與虛擬合唱團把現實與未來幻化成憧憬。女高音卡米拉．曼迪魯、假聲男高音大衛．克斯頓與屢獲殊榮的香港鋼琴家張緯晴將與合唱團一起演出，琴聲配搭虛實交織的歌聲，傾訴孤寂、無常與希望。科技結合現場音樂，定必帶給觀眾嶄新的體驗。
合唱團的第二場音樂會——「葡萄牙合唱瑰寶」為全場無伴奏合唱，同樣觸動人心。選曲橫跨古今，以葡萄牙十七世紀及當代作曲家的作品，配搭巴赫及布拉姆斯的兩首曲目。合唱團的聲線極具穿透力及張力，將作品的寓意表現得淋漓盡致，讓人經歷沉重時刻後，尚能看見使人振奮的亮光。
3月4日（三）及3月5日（四）將設有演後藝人談。
門票由2025年12月9日起於城市售票網公開發售