HK Phil: China Life (Overseas) Proudly Sponsors: New Year Celebration: Amour & Adieu

About the show

HK Phil: China Life (Overseas) Proudly Sponsors: New Year Celebration: Amour & Adieu (香港管弦樂團：中國人壽（海外）榮譽呈獻：新年音樂會：愛與再會) opens with a theme of love and farewell, weaving a musical journey that looks back with nostalgia and strides forward with hope—from festive waltzes to fiery Spanish folk tunes, to a symphony bidding adieu to the old year. The concert begins with Johann Strauss II’s "Wine, Women and Song," a waltz brimming with life’s pleasures and celebratory joy, setting the tone; Falla’s "Seven Spanish Folk Songs" and Bizet’s "Carmen" pick up the pace with brisk rhythms and passionate melodies, heightening the mood; Haydn’s "Farewell" Symphony, with its unexpected and witty finale, pays tribute to the quietly departing year; and Ravel’s "Boléro," starting from a simple melody, builds through ever-revolving orchestral textures to a magnificent climax, welcoming the new year with renewed vigour—from parting to rebirth, this is the concert’s most moving tension. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (香港管弦樂團), funded by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and a venue partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, presents this New Year concert with a programme spanning classical and romantic eras, guiding audiences through a ritualistic farewell to the old year in music. From the opulent waltzes of Johann Strauss II that open the evening, through the Southern European warmth of Falla and Bizet, to the spiralling, ever-grander orchestral fabric of Ravel’s "Boléro," the concert closes in a blaze of glory as the new year dawns—whether you’re a classical devotee or simply seeking music to cleanse the spirit, this emotional journey offers something to resonate with every listener.

Synopsis translated by KinoHK — the performance itself is not in English unless stated above.