Sounds of Hong Kong to enliven London

Chinese musicians and artists will take center stage in London this summer at a series of events showcasing Hong Kong's diverse arts landscape.

Performers from Hong Kong entertain an audience to the accompaniment of an orchestra. Several productions from Hong Kong are on their way to London.

The Hong Kong Arts Development Council is presenting the Hong Kong Music Series during July.

The arts council aims to "offer the world an opportunity to appreciate the latest Hong Kong music scene, and to facilitate cultural exchanges of the two great cities, Hong Kong and London".

It picked the five productions featured in the series because they demonstrate the unique and vibrant musical culture of Hong Kong, where East meets West.

More than 70 musical talents, including Hong Kong composers, musicians, and performers, will be featured in the five productions, which comprise classical and modern music, Chinese musical theater, and chamber opera.

The series will open with Musical Interflow - A Dialogue of Two Cultures, which celebrates the musical interchange between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Episodes, will feature a jazz and classical fusion concert with performances from internationally acclaimed jazz guitarist Teriver Cheung and Lam Fung, the first Hong Kong composer to be commissioned by the BBC.

The third event, Music Lab: Fingerman x Beloved Clara x SMASH, is a three-in-one performance from a young group led by charismatic pianist Wong Ka-Jeng.

Law Wing-Fai's Beyond the Senses - Atmospheric Music Theater takes the audience on a trip through Chinese music theater with instruments, poetry, songs and Kunqu Opera.

The series will close with the European premiere of the three-act chamber opera Datong: The Chinese Utopia, which tells the story of the visionary 20th century Chinese scholar Kang Youwei.

The local government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is funding the festival, as part of celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China in 1997.