Cantonese Opera Day Kicks Off this Sunday

Date of publication: 23/11/2005
Type: Chinese Opera

The annual Cantonese Opera Day will be held on November 27 in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. Local Cantonese opera groups will perform at the Allegria Theatre and also at the Friendship Square. It is hoped that through different Cantonese opera promotions of Cantonese opera and Cantonese operatic songs, the tradition of these art treasures from the Southern region of China would be continued and developed prosperously.

In order to promote Cantonese opera culture, the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have come up with a protocol to conserve and develop the art. It has been decided that the last Sunday of each November will be designated as the Cantonese Opera Day. Many different events in promoting the art will be organized, hoping that the unique tradition and culture of Cantonese opera would be carried on and developed further.

During the upcoming Cantonese Opera Day, local Cantonese opera groups will participate and perform in many different shows, hoping that the public will have a great time with them. Starting from 4pm on November 27, The General Association of Cantonese Opera and Musical Art of Macao will begin performing continuously for several hours at the Friendship Square (opposite of Hotel Sintra). Different booths will be available for residents to try on costumes and masquerades, and to take photos, which will be a great activity for families. Four renowned programmes will be performed by Chan Wai Jan, Yue Kam Yuet and Tam Hon Wing. Meanwhile, Cantonese opera artists from the Foshanshi Qunzhong Yishuguan (Public Art Hall of Foshan) will also perform different Cantonese operatic songs, such as The Tiger Hunt on the Hill, Fan Borrowing, Tri-intersection, Picking up the Pulley and Grass Stealing, etc. If you love Cantonese opera, don’t miss your chance!

Two Cantonese operas will be performed at the Allegria Theatre, a popular venue for Cantonese operas. A comedy and a romance, Chun Jiao and Meng Yi, will be performed by artists from Lai Chon Cantonese Opera Association of Macao at 7:45pm, November 27 at the Allegria Theatre. The story is about Chun Jiao, a lady very good at Kung Fu but disguised herself as a servant at the mansion of the general, who tries to stop his love, Meng Yi, the son of a general, from going to a dangerous war against invaders. The funny parts come from the stealthily substituting different scenes during their first night. The show will be performed by Tang Va Chio, Wong Mui Fan and Yuen Shun Kuen, etc. Tickets at MOP 40, MOP 30 and MOP 10 are available at the Man Sang Tong Herbal Herbal Medicine Co., located on No.26, Rua do Barco.

Meanwhile, on 28 November, The General Association of Cantonese Opera Musical Art of Macao will perform different operatic songs for Cantonese opera fans, such as Death in the Shrine, Hujia Shibapai, The World and Xuanzang and Silk Road, Jie Hou Miao Rong, Rreget of the Chu’s Sky and The Idiot Dream.