Invests over HK$10 Million in New Opera “Turandot”
Seeks HK$15 Million Mega Events Fund but Receives Only HK$700,000;
Warren Mok Questions “Is Opera Not a Mega Cultural Event?”
In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the death of Giacomo Puccini, one of the most significant opera composers of the early 20th century, renowned opera houses around the globe are staging revivals of “Turandot” this year. The Hong Kong Opera, founded by prominent tenor Warren Mok, has invested over HK$10 million in a new version of “Turandot” that integrates elements of Chinese culture, which premiered in mid-October.
Mok’s team applied for HK$15 million from the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund, aiming to position “Turandot” as a major cultural event and attract tourists from the Greater Bay Area and beyond to promote Hong Kong’s cultural scene. However, the fund allocated only HK$700,000, a decision Mok criticized as insufficient, stating, “It’s not even enough for a gap tooth.”
Mok challenged the Hong Kong government’s claims of being Asia’s world city, questioning why cultural efforts do not match these ambitions. “You can’t just talk about it on paper or host an unmanned drone show and claim to have culture. Is setting up a night market in Wanchai for a month considered cultural?”
