Hong Kong Ballet’s Spectacular Gala & Romeo

Kevin Ng October 21, 2025 12:40

Hong Kong Ballet opened its new 2025/26 season with the annual gala of international stars at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. This year’s gala, entitled “Shape of Grace Gala”, is attractively packaged, and is more highly priced than in previous years. The gala had two acts and lasted for 2 ½ hours.

There were six overseas stars, four of whom had performed here in the Hong Kong Arts Festival in the past few years – Natalia Osipova from the Royal Ballet in London, Maria Khoreva from Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet, Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijashenko, the renowned husband-and-wife partnership of La Scala Ballet in Milan. The two new faces this year were the handsome American star Julian MacKay of the Bavarian State Ballet, and the Cuban Patricio Reve. The six stars were grouped into three partnerships.

Nicoletta Manni and Timofej Andrijansheko were stylish in the duet “Grand Pas Classique” in the first half, and in the second half danced the wishy-washy duet “Luminous” by Andras Lukacs. Their chemistry and rapport clearly delighted the audience.

Natalia Osipova and Patricio Reve shone in the balcony duet of “Romeo & Juliet” in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s version. In the second half, Reve partnered instead Kim Eunsil of Hong Kong Ballet in the showpiece duet of “Don Quixote”. It was an impressive performance by both dancers. Actually “Don Quixote” is one of Osipova’s most famous roles, and it is a pity that she did not dance it with Reve. Osipova instead danced the solo “The Dying Swan”.

The best was the partnership of Julian MacKay and Maria Khoreva. They were technically brilliant in the showpiece duet from “Le Corsaire”. His virtuosity looked so easy and effortless. They were also superb in the duet from Balanchine’s masterpiece “Diamonds”, which was the best item in the whole evening in terms of choreography.

The other items in the Gala danced by Hong Kong Ballet’s own dancers were mixed in quality. The best was the balcony duet from Ricky Hu’s “The Butterfly Lovers” performed by Ye Feifei and Ryo Kato. It was also good to see a duet from “Coco Chanel”, one of the most outstanding ballets premiered by the company in recent years. The last number “Thanks, Leslie!”, set to songs by the legendary local star Leslie Cheung, was however tedious and repetitive.

For the record, there was also a modern dance solo “Stop for a Moment” well performed by Chang Hongji of the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre. Overall this year’s gala has certainly succeeded in delivering glamour and razzle-dazzle aplenty. But compared to last year’s gala celebrating the company’s 45th anniversary, it fell slightly short in terms of the extra edge and excitement. Last year the performances of the stars from the Dutch National Ballet were even more outstanding.

Actually prior to this gala, Hong Kong Ballet had been busy touring overseas. The company performed “The Butterfly Lovers” at the Lincoln Center in New York City in late August. In late September the company toured Seoul performing “Romeo+Juliet” in the 2021 production by Septime Webre, its artistic director. I praised this two-act production when it was premiered, and admire it even more after watching it again last weekend.

Set in Hong Kong in the 1960s, Ricky Chan’s attractive décor with lots of colourful neon-light signs recreates Nathan Road in the colonial era. The red panel for the ballroom scene in Act 1 with a golden dragon in the centre is sumptuous, bringing to mind the floating seafood restaurants in Aberdeen in the past.

Septime Webre’s choreography is particularly inventive in the street scenes giving a rich local flavour. In Act 3 the crowds cheer a newly-wed couple when they are taking photos with their photographer. Also memorable is the episode with a director shooting a scene from a movie. The energetic dance enacting a session in a mahjong game parlour is great fun. Webre’s choreography for the two big duets is also effective. Furthermore, the secret relationship between Tybalt (named Tai Po in this production) and Juliet’s mother is made clearer than in other versions of “Romeo”.

This season the company’s performances of “Romeo” have acquired more depth and polish. On the opening night, Ye Feifei was magnificent as Juliet. She was ecstatic in the balcony duet, and radiant in the bedroom duet. Her acting was detailed and heartfelt. Her death scene was most moving As her Romeo, Ryo Kato strongly partnered her in the duets. His dancing was impressive; his acting was slightly muted at times though.

The supporting performances were strong. Wei Wei had dignity and authority ass Juliet’s father. Henry Seldon was handsome as Juliet’s fiancé. Shen Jie dazzled as Mak (Mercutio in other versions), while Garry Corpuz was superb as the evil Tai Po. The duelling scenes were exciting and excellently performed. It was good to have the renowned ballet conductor Faycal Karoui returning to conduct the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

This spectacular production of “Romeo+Juliet” is definitely the best work that Septime Webre has specially created for the Hong Kong Ballet so far.

Photo – by Tony Luk

Dancers – Julian MacKay & Maria Khoreva in Diamonds

Kevin Ng

veteran dance critic