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HKBU’s innovative immersive Kung Fu-Opera makes world premiere at the Munich Biennale and transforms Chinese cultural heritage through art tech
12 May 2026
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) proudly presents ARCHE, an immersive Kung Fu-Opera experience at the 20th Munich Biennale. Commissioned by the City of Munich for the Munich Biennale, ARCHE draws on diverse Kung Fu traditions from both East and West - including classical martial arts treatises, 1970s Kung Fu films, and the wuxia novels of Jin Yong - reinterpreting and carrying forward cultural heritage through art tech. To celebrate the world premiere of ARCHE, HKBU co-hosted the Hong Kong Reception, “Decoding Heritage in Art Tech: An Overture”, with Munich Biennale and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Munich on 10 May. The Reception was supported by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Invest Hong Kong, and introduced HKBU’s cross-disciplinary creative achievements that transcend physical and geographical boundaries.
The Munich Biennale is an internationally renowned festival for world premieres and a laboratory for new music theatre. As one of the 11 productions with world premieres at the Biennale, ARCHE transforms the way one encounters and experiences the contemporary practice of Kung Fu (Chinese martial arts) by connecting it with songs and placing this intangible cultural heritage in a musically dramatic context as an installation accessible to the audience.
Developed by Professor Eugene Birman, Associate Director (Internationalisation) and Associate Professor, Academy of Music at HKBU, and writer and director Dr Katharina Schmitt, ARCHE focuses on the human body as a living archive and Kung Fu as a form of bodily knowledge acquired through imitation over centuries between diverse bodies. At the core of ARCHE is the exploration and staging of “chi” (a Chinese concept for breath), which connects Kung Fu practitioners and opera singers alike.
Professor Eugene Birman said, “ARCHE is among the first multimedia productions of its kind, blending martial arts in both its pure and pop culture forms with the worlds of opera, music theatre and art tech. We do this to expose this incredible tradition rooted in our local culture to new, global audiences, so that it is not just ‘preserved’ but actually in a constant cycle of innovation and reinvention.”
ARCHE depicts the transfer of knowledge between bodies in a scenic version of a “game of telephone”, which becomes the motor of formal variations of Kung Fu and a scenic telling of the passing of time. Composition, libretto, spatial and directorial concepts are intertwined, and the breath was drawn as a motor for rhythm, sound and movement. References were made to the Kung Fu culture in varied contexts in the East and the West: from classical martial arts treatises to 1970s Kung Fu films, and from breakdance inspired movements to wuxia (martial chivalry) novels like Jin Yong's The Legend of the Condor Heroes. “Fujian White Crane” Kung Fu, a renowned Southern Chinese martial art designated as China’s National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008, was also featured.
Mr Billy Leung, Deputy Director of HKETO Berlin, in his opening remarks at the reception, said: “Hong Kong has been a unique cultural melting pot of East and West, thanks to its extensive international connections and large-scale arts and cultural facilities. We are proud to showcase outstanding creative work from Hong Kong with our global peers, promoting our city’s diverse, artistic vocabularies.”
In her speech, Ms Katrin Beck, Artistic Director of Munich Biennale remarked, “The Munich Biennale positions itself as a laboratory for all forms and formats of contemporary music theatre. The installation ARCHE represents an outstanding example of the interplay between artistic innovation and excellence, as well as of meaningful international collaboration. We are very pleased about the opportunity to collaborate with HKBU and the participating artists, and greatly look forward to our joint work.”
Professor Andreas Kratky, Director of the Academy of Visual Arts at HKBU, moderated a panel discussion “China's Intangible Cultural Heritage Meets Global Audiences: The Role of Art Tech”. Speakers included Professor Eugene Birman, Dr Katharina Schmitt, Ms Marlene Schleicher, Dramaturgy and Editorial of Munich Biennale, and Professor Jeffrey Shaw, Chair Professor, Academy of Visual Arts at HKBU. They shared key insights into the cross-disciplinary work of ARCHE, and discussed their visions for broadening international collaborations and cultural exchanges to create global impact.
ARCHE, commissioned by the City of Munich for the Munich Biennale, was initiated as part of the art tech project “Future Cinema Systems: Next-Generation Art Technologies” led by Professor Jeffrey Shaw and supported by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Government of the HKSAR. It aspires to be a compelling narrative that shares the Chinese cultural heritage with global audiences and inspires a stronger understanding of the Chinese culture.
In her closing remarks, Ms Nelly Lam, Assistant Director (Strategic Alliance and Promotion), Institute for Innovation and Translation at HKBU, highlighted that HKBU is passionate about pushing the frontiers of creative media, humanities and cultures with technology. Through advances in art tech and international, cross disciplinary collaboration, HKBU researchers reimagine Chinese cultural treasures as globally accessible innovations, extending their cultural significance beyond physical and geographical limits.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, Münchener Biennale (Munich Biennale) – Festival for New Music Theatre runs from 8 to 20 May, featuring 11 world premieres and numerous co-productions in diverse performance formats, seeking to make music tangible beyond acoustic experience for both local and international audiences.