New Cantonese opera troupe and research centre in Hong Kong, backed by Ina Chan, third wife of late Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho, aim to widen art form’s appeal

Despite efforts to promote Cantonese opera, it is not popular with younger generations in Hong Kong. Fan and philanthropist Ina Chan hopes to change that

She is behind a newly launched troupe that will support young performers and put on operas, and a research centre to increase understanding of the art form

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Ina Chan Un-chan announcing the launch of the Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Troupe, one of two initiatives she is backing to support the development of the art form in Hong Kong. Photo: Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Troupe

Published: 5:15pm, 8 Jun 2023Updated: 6:38pm, 8 Jun 2023

Ina Chan Un-chan, the Macau-born businesswoman and philanthropist, is behind two initiatives in Hong Kong to help Cantonese opera thrive in the future.

The third wife of the late “king of casinos”, billionaire Stanley Ho Hung-sun, Chan is a devoted fan of the indigenous art form.

“Cantonese opera is an important part of traditional Chinese culture and has profound historical and cultural value,” she said in a statement.

She hopes the launch of a new Cantonese opera troupe and a centre to research the art form will help develop and preserve it by promoting it to a wider audience, the statement adds.

Cantonese opera is a lot like jazz music in the sense that it’s all improvisation

Leonard Wong Shing-chuen, chief executive officer, Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Troupe

Cantonese opera traces its roots to China’s Song dynasty (1179-1276 AD) and belongs to a subgenre of Chinese opera, or xiqu, sung in the dialect prevalent in Hong Kong, Macau and much of Guangdong province in southern China. In 2009, it was inscribed onto the Unesco representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.