Chu Chan Wa, Executive Producer and Actor (as Ho Wa)
Chu is a renowned local Cantonese opera artist, vice president of Guangdong Provincial Musician’s Association, invited advisor of Macao for the Cantonese Opera Classics and president of Zhen Hua Sing Cantonese Opera Association. He has directed and starred in Fate in Tears and Laughter, The Soul of Macao and A Chinese Ghost Story, and has composed several Cantonese opera songs themed around the pandemic such as Macao Fights Together. His original Cantonese opera piece Striving through the Storm has received special recognition from the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China. He has also been invited for the Interview Series Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Macao’s Return to China and the 11th National Congress of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles.
Cheng Wei Guo, Director
Cheng is a member of the China Quyi Artists Association, honorary president of the Bahe Guild of Guangdong, director of the Youth Cantonese Opera Troupe of Foshan Region, chief director of the Cantonese Opera Troupe of Foshan Region, chief director of the Shenzhen Municipal Cantonese Opera Troupe, and artistic director of the Foshan Municipal Cantonese Opera Troupe. In recent years, he has directed large-scale traditional set pieces of Cantonese opera in Guangdong Province, including The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court, Grand Birthday Celebration at Mount Heung Fa and Prime Minister of Six States, and has compiled the Cantonese Opera Performing Art Encyclopaedia. His directed works, such as The Southern Buddha, are widely acclaimed.
Chan Chi Mui, Playwright
Chan is an amateur playwright and writer in Macao. She started writing Cantonese operatic songs in 1997, published the Collection of Chan Chi Mui’s Cantonese Operatic Songs in 2006 and her first album Collection of Chan Chi Mui’s Works in 2014. She has composed the Cantonese opera Xin Qiji, which premiered in Macao in 2017 by the Guangdong Cantonese Opera House.
Qiongxia, Actor (as Lai Sio Ha)
Qiongxia is a National First Class Actor and a winner of the Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre. She is the last student of the renowned Cantonese opera singer Hung Sin Nui, and serves as the vice president of the Guangdong Provincial Musician’s Association and the Zhuhai Federation of Literary and Art Circles (part time), president of the Zhuhai Drama and Opera Artists Association, and vice curator of the Zhuhai Cultural Center. Among her representative works are Home Visitation, Tanka Girl, Lingdingyang, Tuoge’s Flag, Yearning for the Secular World, and Splendour – Cantonese Opera Symphony Concert. She has also led well-received performances in Europe, the United States, Singapore, as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
Tang Chi Kin, Percussion Design, Music Design and Percussion Leader
A local Cantonese opera practitioner, Tang studied under Cantonese opera artist Chen Dawei and percussionist Lei Ka Weng, and at the Cantonese Opera Juvenile’s Troupe of General Union of Neighbors’ Association of Macao and Guangdong Cantonese Opera School. In 2019, he was admitted to The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts to study for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Chinese opera on a full scholarship. He worked as a percussion designer, music designer and percussion leader for productions such as Modern Cantonese Opera Mutual Aid and Solidarity and Fate in Tears and Laughter.
Lei Pui Mio, Lighting Design
Lei is a stage lighting designer for performances and gala evenings. She is fond of music and is dedicated to the coordination and research of music and lighting rhythms. She has been engaged in drama productions in recent years, and among her works are Between Life and Death, In a Grove, The Phantom of Liaozhai, Brighton Beach Memoirs and Wing Chun Gym.
Wong Mui Fan, Costume Design
In 1987, Wong was admitted to the Macao Academy of Cantonese Opera established by Cantonese opera maestro Ieong Hoi Seng. She was one of the first batch of students, and served as an actor and crew member in Ieong’s productions. She has participated in local Cantonese operas dedicated to deities and has been in charge of costumes in several Cantonese opera performances.
Creative Image Arts Association of Macau, Image and Makeup Design
Established by a team of Macao makeup professionals, the association specialises in theatrical and special effect makeup, and has been developing makeup business in the fields of photoshoots, films and television in recent years. It also has a training centre that is dedicated to training professionals in makeup design.
Mok Weng Lam, Assistant Producer, English Surtitles and Actor (as Sou Sio Mui)
Mok is a well-known young actor for female Chinese opera roles in Macao and head of the Macau Greenery Chinese Opera Association. She has studied under the famed Cantonese opera artist Chu Chan Wa and has been engaged in the profession for two decades. She was admitted to the Cantonese Opera Juvenile’s Troupe of General Union of Neighbors’ Association of Macao in 2003, specialising in playing female roles and female warrior roles. She has starred in a range of full-length productions such as The Legend of the White Snake, A Chinese Ghost Story and The Phantom of Liaozhai, and has actively participated in exchange and collaborative Cantonese opera performances with university students from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. She has also been running activities to teach children Cantonese opera in recent years to foster young performers for the circle.
Che Pui San, Actor (as Tam Sio San)
Born to Cantonese opera parents, Che has developed an affection for the art since childhood and joined the Cantonese opera training course run by the Kin Va Sports and Recreation Association in the 1980s. She has served as an emcee of the Macau Industrial Products Show, frequently joined charity galas and exchange activities between Guangdong and Hong Kong, and participated in full-length Cantonese opera performances at the Macao Arts Festival.
Loc Vai Kiong, Actor (as Tsang Sio Meng)
Loc has studied Cantonese Opera at the Liu Liu Chinese Opera Association of Macao, participated in a training course at the Kin Va Sports and Recreation Association, and the Macao Academy of Cantonese Opera. He then founded the Lai Chon Cantonese Opera Association of Macao and has performed in Lisbon, Portugal. He has participated in the Cantonese Opera Festival in Guangzhou and the Macao Arts Festival, and performed in the Prime Minister of Six States – a programme featured in the Cantonese opera gala in celebration of Macao’s return to the motherland, Princess Chang Ping, The Legend of the Purple Hairpin and Butterfly and Red Pear Blossom.
Tang Va Chio, Actor (as Young Filipino Man)
Tang studied under Ieong Hoi Seng at the Macao Academy of Cantonese Opera in 1988. Over the years, he has played more than 100 roles and participated in more than 200 performances, including Contention for Command, Beauty in Disguise, The Woman State Secretary, Farewell My Concubine Revisited, and the Macao Arts Festival programmes The Legend of the Purple Hairpin, The Butterfly Lovers, Dream of the Red Chamber and The Soul of Macao. He has been invited to perform in Singapore and Canada and become a Cultural Ambassador of Macao in 2020.
Chan Im Kuong, Actor (as Uncle Cheung)
Chan was admitted to Xinhui Cantonese Opera Troupe at the age of 16 and often performed solos during the intervals of performances. He moved to Macao in 1997 and occasionally participates in performances and teaching activities. He has performed a range of works including Shajiabang, Liu Sanjie, Searching the Academy, To Meet on the Broken Bridge, Zhu Bo’s Return to Motherland, Hu Er Sells His Son, A Spring River, and Lovers’ Pledge at the Palace of Longevity.
Choi Iok Ha, Actor (as Aunt Cheung)
Choi has developed an interest in Cantonese Opera from watching the performances with her mother since childhood. She is now studying in the basic skill training course of the Macao General Association of Cantonese Opera under Chu Chan Wa, and shows exceptional talent in performing old female characters. She has joined a number of Cantonese opera performances at the Macao Arts Festival.
Lo Chi I, Actor (as Nursing Officer Chan)
Lo’s strong interest in Cantonese opera started with her parents and has studied under Chu Chan Wa. She is currently the president of Chong Wai Cantonese Opera Society and a teaching assistant of fundamental movements at the Macao General Association of Cantonese Opera and Music. She has starred in a number of performances and participated in the activities led by Zhen Hua Sing Cantonese Opera Association to promote Cantonese opera in the Greater Bay Area.