How two Cantonese opera veterans stopped ‘Emperor of Heaven’ from vanishing
- Yuen Siu-fai and Sun Kim-long spent two years preserving details to safeguard future of rarely performed show, The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court
The Imperial Emperor of Heaven is one of the most well-known deities in Chinese mythology. He rules the heavenly court, leading an army of gods, goddesses and the heavenly troops to safeguard humanity and justice on Earth.
Stories about him have been widely read and inspired creative and artistic works through generations.
The elaborate rendition of this folklore performed as Cantonese opera – one of Chinese opera’s vibrant art forms featuring opera, drama, music and even acrobatics – only narrowly avoided becoming lost forever nearly a decade ago.
A lot of experienced Cantonese opera performers and musicians have already died. So this needs to be done [to help preserve the art form] before it’s too late
Named The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court, the show is one of the most spectacular performances in the world of Cantonese opera, which is known for its kaleidoscopic costumes, distinctive falsetto singing and intricate gestures rich with symbolism.
Popular with audiences in southern China and parts of Southeast Asia, Cantonese opera was included as part of Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.
Veteran Cantonese opera artists Yuen Siu-fai and Sun Kim-long spent about two years painstakingly researching and preserving details about The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court – including recording the recollections of many other great artists – to ensure fans of this performing art form can continue to enjoy this title in future.
