Gen Z Cantonese opera artists talk about getting into roles, colourful costumes and hours of make-up
- Young Hong Kong performers will take to the stage at weekend event showcasing 1,000-year-old form of Chinese performance art
- Sunday’s event will feature established stars as well as Hong Kong Young Talent Cantonese Opera Troupe and The Young Academy Cantonese Opera Troupe
When speaking of Cantonese opera, most people think of the elaborate costumes, dramatic movements and vocal styling that, to the uninitiated, appear jarring and intense.
Yet the tradition was born out of a practical reason: back in the days when performing venues lacked advanced acoustics, stage performers needed to project their voices loud enough for the whole audience – even those right at the back – to hear.
“Cantonese opera performers started training from a young age and it would usually start with vocal training,” Stephen Sun Kim-long, a veteran Cantonese opera performer, conductor and playwright, says.
Sun is vice-chairman of the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong, also known as Barwo, which is a prominent professional organisation of Cantonese opera performers.
He is coordinating the opening ceremony of Sunday’s 17th Cantonese Opera Day, presented by Hong Kong’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department, although he will not be performing.
The day-long event will showcase the renowned 1,000-year-old form of Chinese performance art, which is recognised on Unesco's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
