July 18 and 19
Ready for some A Cappella in Town? Germany’s Vocaldente (winners of the prestigious Harmony Sweepstakes), Ivy Leaguers The Harvard Din & Tonics, the HKSAR’s very own The HK Melody Makers and Taiwan collegiate a cappella champions the Popphone Singers sure hope so as they prepare to feature in a choral get-together on July 18 at the Fringe Club’s Fringe Theatre. On July 19, while the 12 gentlemen from Harvard University stay on at that venue to present A Night of Jazz, the three other groups will present another A Cappella in Town concert at The HK Federation Youth Groups Building’s Auditorium. All three shows will start at 8pm. Tickets for the July 18 performance and July 19 A Night of Jazz concert are $195 while those for the July 19 A Cappella in Town show range from $195 to $135 from HK Ticketing, 31 288 288.

July 19-20 and 26-27
The Hawaiian aloha is a wonderful word – with multiple meanings that include ‘hello’, ‘goodbye’, ‘peace’, ‘love’, ‘affection’, ‘compassion’ and ‘mercy’. And when coupled with the words hoku (Hawaiian for ‘star’) and gala, it heralds performances this month by two leading lights of Hawaii’s contemporary music scene. The July 19 and 20 Aloha Hoku Gala features vocalist Nathan Aweau, while singer-pianist-composer Nohelani Cypriano takes centre-stage on July 26 and 27. Showtime is at 8pm. Tickets for the July 19 show at the North District Town Hall’s Auditorium, the July 20 performance at the Tai Po Civic Centre’s Auditorium and the July 27 presentation at the Tuen Mun Town Hall’s Cultural Activities Hall are $120 and $80 while those for the July 26 show at the Yuen Long Theatre’s Auditorium are $120 to $50, all from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

July 22 and 24
Hui opera is among China’s oldest and most refined forms of theatre. It was a formative influence for the Peking Opera and is still performed today, although only by a single professional group. Opportunities to see it are rare, so it will be a treat for opera aficionados – and anyone else interested in Chinese theatre – that this year’s Chinese Regional Opera Series organized by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will include excerpts from several Hui operas performed by the Anhui Beijing Opera Troupe. The July 22 and 24 shows (that come complete with English and Chinese surtitles) at the HK City Hall’s Theatre begin at 7:30pm. Tickets are $240 to $100 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

July 23-29
Does Hong Kong have much of a reading culture? Views may differ on the question but less open to dispute are the concessions that await bargain-hunting bibliophiles at the annual HK Book Fair organized by the HK Trade Development Council. Last year’s edition of this event attracted a record-breaking 763,545 visitors and the numbers are expected to be higher still for the 19th edition from July 23 to 29 at the HKCEC this year. Opening hours are 9am to 10pm on the fair’s opening day, 10am to 10pm on July 24, 27 and 28, 10am to midnight on July 25 and 26, and 10am to 5pm on the final day. Tickets are $25 from designated 7-Eleven and Circle K stores, the ticketing counter of the HKCEC and HK Ticketing, 31 288 288.

July 24-27
Its publicity pictures make it look like a puppet show but as the title for Les Masques!!! clearly points out, masks are the main thing in this International Arts Carnival theatre show. Worn with a slew of costumes and disguises by a clan of clowns, the masks help create a world of cheeky but cute characters whose antics are designed to make any audience cry with laughter. The Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre’s Theatre is the venue for the July 24 to 26 performances by France’s Group Démons et Merveilles while the Yuen Long Theatre’s Auditorium will host the presentation on July 27. Evening shows commence at 7:30pm and the July 26 matinee begins at 3pm. Tickets are $200 to $100 for the July 24 to 26 performances and $180 to $90 for the July 27 show from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

July 25-27
Back in May 2004, a few weeks before the birth of his first child, Stephen Mottram premiered The Seas of Organillo, a performing arts fusion of music and visuals whose warmth was likened to that found within the womb of a pregnant woman. On July 25 to 27, Hong Kong will host a heavily reworked version of this show about fertility and reproduction that uses puppets, automata and illusion. The programme commences at 8pm and tickets are $180 for the July 25 and 26 shows at the HK City Hall’s Theatre and $160 for the July 27 performance at the Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre’s Theatre from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

A journey through deconstructed images, collaged shadows and meticulously assembled environments awaits you in the Kwai Tsing Theatre’s new Black Box Theatre on July 25 to 27. Space Within Shapes is the contribution of dancer-choreographer Allen Lam, scenographer Gabriel Fung and videographer Franky Lung to the on-going HK Stories Series. It is a dance work that explores how buildings are experienced, affect us emotionally and shape our communities and culture. Showtime on July 25 and 26 is at 8pm while the June 27 matinee begins at 3pm. Tickets cost $180 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

In 1933, when he was just 23 years of age, the man who has been called China’s Shakespeare and the father of Chinese spoken drama wrote the masterful Thunderstorm. On July 25 to 27, the HKAPA will stage Cao Yu’s classic tale of love and betrayal involving eight family members from two generations at the HK Cultural Centre’s Studio Theatre. The June 25 and 26 performances begin at 7:30pm while the June 27 matinee starts at 3pm. Tickets are $180 and $120 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.

July 30 and August 2
Just days before they head off to compete in the Beijing Olympics, the football teams of the Netherlands, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and the USA will play in the four-match ING Cup competition here in Asia’s World City. Roy Makaay, Ryan Babel, Andrew Bikey, Salomon Kalou and Freddy Adu are among the footballers set to represent their nations on the HK Stadium pitch. On July 30, Cote d’Ivoire goes up against the USA at 6:30pm while Cameroon will take on the Netherlands at 8:45pm. On August 2, play begins at 5pm between Cameroon and the USA while the match between Cote d’Ivoire and the Netherlands kicks off at 7:30pm. Single-day tickets are $280 to $140 from the HKFA, 2712 9122, and the HK Stadium Ticket Office.

Wednesday, July 30
Boys they certainly are, and All-American they very much look to be, but The All-American Boys Chorus regularly perform both outside of as well as in the USA. Six years ago they made Hong Kong one of the stops on an overseas tour and this Wednesday, July 30, the boys return with a repertoire of classical and contemporary music, jazz, Broadway hits and even Chinese folk tunes. The Concert by The All-American Boys Chorus begins at 7:30pm at Sha Tin Town Hall’s Auditorium. Tickets are $220 to $100 from URBTIX, 2734 9009.