West Kowloon’s artistic director Fang Meiang will leave to teach in the United States and invite Ryuichi Sakamoto to visit Hong Kong

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Written by: Chen Shuxia

2021-04-13 17:05

Last update date: 2021-04-13 17:09

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority has another personnel change.

Art director Alison Friedman (Alison Friedman) announced on his personal FB yesterday (12th) that he will go to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to serve as the "Performing Arts Executive and Artistic Director". As parting is imminent, she expresses that she is hard to leave, but believes she can still keep in touch with her colleagues, and she is excited about "coming home soon"; the school announced the relevant personnel appointment on the same day, revealing that Fang Meiang will take office in October this year. new.

A spokesperson for the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority stated that Fang Meiang will officially leave his post in July this year, thanking him for his contributions to the Authority over the past three years, and will review the operational needs of the performing arts department, and then consider the post of artistic director. Recruitment matters.

West Kowloon appointed Fang Meiang as the "Performing Art Director" in 2017.

(Screenshot of the official website of the West Kowloon Cultural District Administration)

Fang Meiang from the United States joined West Kowloon in 2017 as the "Performing Art Director", leading the dance, drama, opera, and music and outdoor teams of the Performing Arts Department. However, she caused dissatisfaction in the Cantonese opera industry at the beginning of her tenure. The chairman of the club, Wang Mingquan, has publicly questioned that he does not have any background and experience in opera.

In 2019, Ru Guolie, the executive director of the performing arts, resigned, and Fang Meiang briefly acted for 9 months until Tan Zhaomin arrived early last year.

During her stay in West Kowloon, she successfully invited Japanese music master Ryuichi Sakamoto to Hong Kong to hold a concert, but unfortunately the relationship between the epidemic has been postponed to the end of the year.

Japanese music master Ryuichi Sakamoto was originally scheduled to hold a concert at Freespace in West Kowloon Cultural District in April last year. Unfortunately, the relationship between the epidemic has been postponed to the end of the year and Fang Meiang and his team have joined forces.

(Profile picture)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced that Fang Meiang will be appointed as the "Performing Arts Executive and Artistic Director" in October this year.

(Screenshot from the official website of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Fang Meiang speaks fluent Mandarin

Fang Meiang has lived in the Mainland for many years and is fluent in Mandarin. She is a member of the board of directors of the International Society for the Performing Arts, one of the largest performing arts alliances in the world. She was funded by a Fulbright Scholarship. The Department of History of Peking University and Beijing Dance Academy served as visiting scholars, and in 2010 founded the cultural exchange organization "Ping Pong Planning".

Before founding Ping Pong Planning, Fang Meiang served as production and general manager in a number of dance and music organizations, including the production and management companies of the "Beijing Modern Dance Company" and the famous composer and conductor Tan Dun.

Although Wang Mingquan (second from left), chairman of Bahe Club, once publicly questioned Fang Meiang's (third from left) opera-related experience, the two men had settled their suspicions during the 2018 Chinese New Year reunion.

(Profile picture)

Fang Meiang posted a press release from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on her personal FB yesterday (12th), announcing her new developments. She also thanked the West Kowloon Cultural District team for their love and support. As farewell is imminent, she can hardly leave. Difficult to give up, but I believe that I will still keep in touch with my colleagues in different ways in the future.

She also pointed out that after working in China and Hong Kong for the past 20 years and leaving home for a long time, "I'm comin' home" (I'm comin' home).

West Kowloon: Review the operational needs before deciding whether to recruit for replacement

A spokesperson for the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority stated that Ms. Fang Meiang, the director of performing arts, will officially leave her post on July 1, 2021.

The Authority respects Ms. Fang's decision and thanks her for her contributions to the Authority over the past three years.

The Administration wishes Ms. Fang all the best in the future.

The spokesperson continued that under the leadership of the administrative director of performing arts of the Administration, the Administration has a solid and professional performing arts team to ensure smooth handover.

The Authority regularly reviews manpower requirements based on operational needs and the development progress of facilities.

The Authority will first review the operational needs of the performing arts department, and then consider the recruitment of the post of artistic director.

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