Countryside Conservation Office Successfully Hosts "Countryside Harvest Festival 2026: 'Hong Kong Soundscape - Opera & Dance' One Day Music Festival"

HONG KONG, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Countryside Conservation Office (CCO) under the Environment and Ecology Bureau successfully held the "Countryside Harvest Festival 2026: 'Hong Kong Soundscape – Opera & Dance' One-Day Music Festival" on 1st March at Lai Chi Wo, Sha Tau Kok. Following last year's success in Kuk Po, this year's event moved to this historic Hakka walled village, using the natural mountain-and-sea stage of Yan Chau Tong in Mirs Bay to blend countryside ecology, Hakka culture and international performing arts, delivering a unique cultural tourism experience for attendees.

Maestro Tan Dun—UNESCO Global Goodwill Ambassador, Hong Kong's Ambassador for Cultural Promotion, and internationally renowned composer and conductor, served as Artistic Director and Conductor. The festival gathered top musicians and dancers from Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas, including the New York Percussion Ensemble and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen-Macao Trio, to create new musical works fusing Eastern and Western, traditional and modern elements that showcased the diverse interplay of Hong Kong's landscapes and human culture.

Themed "Hong Kong Soundscape – Opera & Dance", the programme opened with the site-specific music-dance piece The Rite of Spring – Samsara, featuring live performances of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, Tan Dun's Nine-Colored Deer and Heart Sutra, presented by dancers Zhu Fengwei, Dong Jilan and others. The "Hakka Whispers & Hong Kong Tea" segment featured Bili/Suona performer Liu Wenwen and Sheng performer Zhang Meng in dialogue and improvisation with centenarian villager Wong Keung Ying. The grand finale, "Martial Arts Romance – Hollow Tree", was composed and narrated by Maestro Tan Dun himself, featuring theme music from films including Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

The "Countryside Harvest Festival 2026: 'Hong Kong Soundscape – Opera & Dance' One Day Music Festival" was one of the "Festival PLUS" programs of the 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival and a key initiative to promote countryside conservation through cross-disciplinary artistic collaboration. The CCO aims to showcase Hong Kong's rich natural and cultural countryside resources to the public and international community through such events, while encouraging diverse ways for people to engage with the countryside to support ecological conservation and cultural heritage.

The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said the Government has formulated simplified licence application guidelines to assist organisations in operating in remote villages, having helped Lai Chi Wo, Yin Tin Chai and Kuk Po secure guesthouse, takeaway and restaurant licences, and implemented small-scale works including trail repairs, the Lai Chi Wo smart eco-toilet and enhanced hiking trail facilities to continuously improve countryside environments and amenities.

Maestro Tan Dun, Artistic Director and Conductor, said children and young people should visit rural areas more to experience mountain-and-water scenery and air landscapes firsthand, which aids their growth and development. He believes bringing nature into the lives of children and families is profoundly impactful work that must be promoted, and forms a key significance of this music festival.

This "Countryside Harvest Festival 2026: 'Hong Kong Soundscape – Opera & Dance' One-Day Music Festival" promoted Hong Kong's countryside ecology and cultural features through innovative performance formats and experiences, helping more people appreciate and cherish these precious local landscapes and village heritage. The public may visit the CCO webpage (cco.gov.hk/tc) to view event highlights. The CCO hopes to showcase Hong Kong's rich countryside resources to the public and international community through such innovative activities, promoting ecological conservation and cultural heritage.

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Countryside Conservation Office Successfully Hosts "Countryside Harvest Festival 2026: 'Hong Kong Soundscape - Opera & Dance' One Day Music Festival"

SINGAPORE, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Visa, a global leader in digital payments, is teaming up with two-time Grammy-winning artist, composer, and producer Laufey to delight fans and ardent travellers in Asia Pacific. The Icelandic-Chinese singer, who recently clinched Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 68th Grammy Awards, will star in Visa's upcoming "Be the Traveler You Want to Be" campaign that celebrates the magic of travel, especially among Gen Zs.

As part of the partnership, Visa will be the Official Payment Partner for Laufey: A Matter of Time Tour happening across Asia Pacific, starting 12 May in Hong Kong and finishing in Auckland on 12 August. Visa cardholders will enjoy exclusive early access to tickets for the tour through the Visa Presale on selected ticketing platforms, with Visa Infinite cardholders of participating Visa card issuers in selected markets enjoying earliest possible access (Refer to Appendix for all Visa Infinite and Visa Presale timings, platforms, and details).

In the coming months, Laufey will star in bespoke films on Visa's brand channels that spotlight her love for travel through her favourite memories and places in Asia Pacific and around the world. Fans of Laufey – known as Lauvers – can also look forward to exclusive content with her on Visa's official platforms.

Laufey said, "I'm thrilled to be teaming up with Visa for the A Matter of Time Tour, and to showcase the joy of travel across Asia. My songs come straight from my heart and reflect who I am, what I feel, and how I make music. I feel deeply connected to Asia, and this partnership brings me closer to a region that has given me so much and inspired me in so many ways. I can't wait to be back with my fans across the continent."

Danielle Jin, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Asia Pacific at Visa said, "Laufey is a genuine one-of-a-kind artist who is reinventing jazz for a new generation of fans and music lovers around the world. Her determination to light her own path echoes Visa's belief that success comes from the power of small steps – it is the daily dedication in chasing our passions that define success. Laufey's unique brand of music is a cultural force, and Visa is putting fans at the heart of this by enabling seamless and secure payments on our network – allowing them to be the Lauver they want to be."

Visa champions the moments that bring fans closer to the passions they love, from sports and music to fashion and entertainment. Guided by a fan-first approach to partnerships, Visa designs experiences that deepen connection and make participation seamless, secure and accessible for audiences around the world. Through high impact partnerships, Visa helps shape cultural moments while enabling effortless, cross-border commerce. Visa's partnership with Laufey builds on Visa-supported musician residencies — an ongoing commitment to creating intimate, meaningful experiences that bring fans closer to the artists they love.

About Visa

Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com. 

APPENDIX

Details for Visa and Visa Infinite Presales for Laufey: A Matter of Time tour in Asia Pacific