McDull, an iconic cultural symbol of Hong Kong, embodies kindness, resilience and optimism. This lovable cartoon pig will lead audiences on a magical tour of classical music this Saturday night at Shenzhen Concert Hall, conducted by Yip Wing?sie and featuring the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

A poster for Saturday's concert. Images courtesy of Shenzhen Concert Hall

On a big screen on stage, McDull will do tai chi to the rhythm of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 7,” dart through the rapid notes of Rimsky?Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee,” and become the Roast Pork Prince in Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” as he bravely rescues the Big?Mouthed Princess.

Founded in 1999, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta regularly appears at major arts festivals and has collaborated with renowned musicians and orchestras. Versed in the classical repertoire, the ensemble has also commissioned more than 90 original works.

Yip Wing?sie.

Yip Wing?sie first made history in 1986 at age 26 as the Hong Kong Philharmonic’s first female resident conductor, after winning major competitions, including the Besan?on International Competition for Young Conductors and the Tokyo International Conducting Competition. 

She led the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra from 1996, raising its profile across Asia, and has been with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta since 2002, becoming its Laureate Music Director in 2020. 

Her conducting is described as clear, expressive and romantically inclined, and she is known for creatively blending classical music with popular and visual art forms to broaden its audience.

Since a successful tie?in concert with the animated film “McDull, the Alumni” in 2006, Yip has collaborated frequently with McDull creators Brian Tse and Alice Mak, presenting themed concerts almost annually.

The Hong Kong Sinfonietta during a McDull-themed concert.

Saturday’s program is designed as a “musical picture book”: opening with Rimsky?Korsakov’s frenetic “Flight of the Bumblebee,” moving through Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from Peer Gynt, to Elgar’s tender “Salut d’Amour,” and the allegretto from Beethoven’s Seventh, with Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” serving as an animated finale.

The Hong Kong Sinfonietta will perform beloved classics accompanied by McDull animation, using heartwarming visuals to help young listeners connect with and appreciate the music. 

When Yip’s baton meets McDull’s animated world, a fairy?tale universe awakens: classical music becomes friendly and playful, entwined with the humor of everyday life. 

The concert will last 75 minutes without intermission.

Tickets: 80-480 yuan

Time: 8 p.m., Sept. 6

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音樂廳)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宮站), Exit D