Two of their technicians went this summer 2021 through a two-week hotel quarantine after flying in from Austria to be with “their” Hong Kong pipe organ for its biannual touch-up and repair.
The Cultural Center organ was hand-made by renowned Austrian manufacturer Rieger Orgelbau in 1989 and has become one of the Cultural Center’s stars. Although this enormous organ was wired for a separate electric action console on the stage, the budget for this was cut at the last minute, and the important second console was never installed. The organ therefore requires heavy mechanical operations and the cannot be played from stage. Rieger’s earlier installation in Hong Kong is at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
Rieger Orgelbau’s located in the west of Austria has been building instruments since 1845 and is still a family-owned business. Current other projects in Asia include organs for the Zhengzhou Grand Theatre and the Nantong Grand Theatre.
Pic shows Mr. Handstanger from Rieger Orgelbau at the Hong Kong Cultural Center
