Insatiable Demand for Yo-Yo Ma

Ma returns to Hong Kong next month after a 7-year absence

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma will be performing in Hong Kong on November 8 with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, but demand for tickets to the concert is so intense on the secondary market that they cost as much as HK$17,000 (US$2,170).

The last time he was in Hong Kong was in 2016, which may partly explain why fans are willing to pay premium prices to see him -- though now local audiences are also competing with wealthy mainlanders in the Greater Bay Area who are more than able to shell out.

Ma (left) performed in Hong Kong in 2016

"Bay area billionaires want tickets," a source said, referring to Beijing's initiative to combine Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in Guangdong into an economic hub.

Tickets were originally sold out on August, and now some people are trying to profit on the demand to see the virtuoso live. 

"If a fan pays HK$17,000 for a concert ticket, he or she may be better off by buying an air ticket to fly to the United States, book a nice hotel and join his concert," remarked Hong Kong cellist Eric Yip Chun-hei. 

Originally the tickets ranged from HK$480 to HK$1,980 and the concert is to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of Chinese University. Ma has a personal connection to the university, as his late uncle, Li Choh-ming was its founding vice-chancellor, and the cellist also received an honorary doctorate of literature by the university.

Ma with pianist Stott

However, Ma's fans will have another opportunity to hear him as he will be performing two days earlier on November 6 in a duet recital with pianist Kathryn Stott at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets for this concert go on sale October 18.

There will probably be yet another mad rush for these tickets...