West Side Story Presented by Hong Kong Youth Arts Festival Shouson Theatre Hong Kong Arts Centre, November 25 The Youth Arts Festival's production brilliantly ignited the creative energy and passions of more than 100 young performers.
The show belonged to the outstanding new singing talent Dawen Wang, a Sha Tin College 17-year-old, and singing teacher Rebecca Tu Yam-lui. As doomed lovers Tony and Maria, these two artists displayed exceptional power, in voice and emotion.
Tu held the show together. A week before the first performance Melody Sze Siu-wan, who was to play the role, left the production due to illness. Within 24 hours Tu, professionally trained as an opera singer in South Africa, was found and ready to take centre stage.
Tu and Wang were supported by a superb cast, including many students from Li Po Chun United World College and Sha Tin College. Song and dance sequences were wonderfully choreographed by Emma Seward, with dancers and acrobats exalting in their freedom to unleash their talents.
A single horizontal plane could not contain their energy. The vertical provided the added visually-stunning dimension.
Blaring sirens and a huge spotlight searching the scene set the tension. Emma Featherstone's musical direction, with an orchestra on stage backing the song, ensured a musical hit.