Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts

The Academy for Performing Arts – almost always known as APA – is a typical Hong Kong success story. Squeezed onto a triangular site near the harbor in Wan Chai, it sits above the MTR railway – so the architect had to cushion it on a bed of rubber to prevent rumbling trains from disturbing performances. Thus are the arts slotted into a mercantile metropolis. This is where Hong Kong's best and brightest young artists nurture their talent, and there are a number of performance venues, including the Lyric Theatre which can seat nearly 1,200, a Drama Theatre, a Concert Hall, a Recital Hall, and a regular Theatre.