Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional Chinese art form, involving music, singing, martial arts, acrobatics, and acting.
History There is debate about the origins of Cantonese opera, but it is generally accepted that opera was brought from the northern part of China and slowly migrated to the southern province of Guangdong in the late 13th century, during the late Southern Song dynasty. In the 12th century, there was a theatrical form called the Nanxi or "Southern drama", which was performed in public theatres of Hangzhou, then capital of the Southern Song. With the invasion of the Mongol army, Emperor Gong of the Song dynasty fled with hundreds of thousands of Song people into Guangdong in 1276. Among them were Nanxi performers from Zhejiang, who brought Nanxi into Guangdong and helped develop the opera traditions in the south. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795), Foshan had become home to most Cantonese opera troupes, who formed an association called "Qionghua Guild" (瓊花會館). Later, the Barwo Guild (八和會館) was founded in Huangsha District, Guangzhou during the Guangxu period.
Many well-known operas performed today, such as Tai Nui Fa originated in the Ming Dynasty and The Purple Hairpin, The Orphan of Zhao, Romance of the Western Chamber and The Departed Soul of a Beautiful Maiden originated in the Yuan Dynasty, with lyrics and scripts in Cantonese. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, strict imperial laws prohibited men and women from performing together on stage to preserve public morality. Because of this, public opera troupes were strictly all-male, forcing men to train extensively to sing in falsetto and mimic feminine movements. The 1920s and 1930s marked a major transition in Cantonese opera where cross-dressing actresses became massive box-office draws. Audiences fell in love with the refined, gentle, and highly romanticised aesthetic of female performers playing the man mou sang (文武生, lit. civil-and-martial male lead) role. Legendary actress Yam Kim-fai solidified this tradition in Cantonese opera. Her natural ability to sing flawlessly in pinghou (平喉, a lower, masculine register) made her an absolute superstar as a romantic male lead, creating a standard that female opera students still emulate today.
Early development in Shanghai In the 1840s, a large number of businessmen from Guangdong migrated to Shanghai in search of new opportunities. They owned abundant resources, therefore, their influence in Shanghai has gradually increased (Song, 1994). Later, various clansmen associations have been established to sponsor different cultural activities, Cantonese opera was one of them. From the 1920s to the 1930s, the development of Cantonese opera in Shanghai was very impressive (Chong, 2014). At that time, the department stores opened by the Cantonese businessmen in Shanghai had their Cantonese opera theater companies. Moreover, the Guangdong literati in Shanghai always put great effort into promotions of Guangdong opera. A newspaper recorded that "The Cantonese operas were frequently played at that time. And the actors who came to perform in Shanghai were very famous. Every time many Cantonese merchants made reservations for inviting their guests to enjoy the opera".(Cheng, 2007)
Development in Hong Kong Beginning in the 1950s immigrants fled Shanghai to areas such as North Point. Their arrival significantly boosted the Cantonese opera fan-base. Also, the Chinese Government wanted to deliver the message of socialist revolution to Chinese people under colonial governance in Hong Kong. Agents of the Chinese government founded newspaper platforms, such as Ta Kung Pao () and Chang Cheung Hua Pao () to promote Cantonese opera to the Hong Kong audience. These new platforms were used to promote new Cantonese opera releases. This helped to boost the popularity of Cantonese opera among the Hong Kong audience. Gradually, Cantonese opera became a part of daily entertainment in the colony.
The popularity of Cantonese opera continued to grow during the 1960s. More theatres were established in Sheung Wan and Sai Wan, which became important entertainment districts. Later, performances began to be held in playgrounds, which provided more opportunities to develop Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong. As the variety of venues grew, so the variety of audiences became wider. However, Cantonese opera began to decline as TV and cinema started to develop in the late 1960s. Compared to Cantonese opera, cinema was cheaper and TV was more convenient. Subsequently, some theatres started to be repurposed as commercial or residential buildings. The resulting decline in available theatres further contributed to the decline of Cantonese opera in the territory.
Since the demolition of Lee Theatre and the closing down of many stages (Tai Ping Theatre, Ko Shing Theatre, Paladium Theatre, Astor Theatre or former Po Hing Theatre, Kai Tak Amusement Park and Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park) that were dedicated to the Cantonese genre throughout the decades, Hong Kong's Sunbeam Theatre is one of the last facilities that is still standing to exhibit Cantonese opera.
By the early 1980s, Leung Hon-wai was one of the first in his generation of the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong (hkbarwo) who gave classes and actively engaged in talent-hunting. The Cantonese Opera Academy of Hong Kong classes started in 1980.
To intensify education in Cantonese opera, they started to run an evening part-time certificate course in Cantonese opera training with assistance from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 1998. In 1999, the Association and the academy further conducted a two-year daytime diploma programme in performing arts in Cantonese opera in order to train professional actors and actresses. Aimed at further raising the students' level, the Association and the academy launched an advanced course in Cantonese opera in the next academic year.
In recent years, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council has given grants to the Love and Faith Cantonese Opera Laboratory to conduct Cantonese opera classes for children and young people. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has also funded the International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong Branch) to implement the "Cultural Envoy Scheme for Cantonese Opera" for promoting traditional Chinese productions in the community.
Also, the Hong Kong Government planned to promote Cantonese opera through different communication channels. They wanted to build more theatres for the Hong Kong public to have more opportunities to enjoy Cantonese opera. The scheme also aimed to develop professional talents in Cantonese opera. Cantonese opera became a part of the compulsory music programme in primary school. For teachers, the Education Bureau provided some training and teaching materials related to Cantonese opera.
Art festivals In the first decade of the Hong Kong Arts Festivals and the Festivals of Asian Arts, Cantonese opera performances contributed by those representing the lion share of the market, (well-established troupes, well-known performers Lang Chi Bak as well as Leung Sing Poh in their golden years or prominent performers in their prime) are:
Fung Wong-nui (1925–1992) 1974, 2nd Hong Kong Arts Festival (self-financing 3 titles) Xue Pinggui () Time To Go Home () Substituting a Raccoon for the Prince () 1979, 7th Hong Kong Arts Festival* 1980, 8th Hong Kong Arts Festival
Lam Kar Sing (1933–2015), bearer of the tradition handed down by Sit Gok Sin and owner of name brand/tradition (personal art over lucrative "for hire" careers in films or on stage) as well as volunteer tutor to two (Farewell of Zhu Bian Returns to Court《朱弁回朝》之「送別」 1987, 2008Song 6 of Lam Ka Sing Best Selection 3.《情醉王大儒》之「供狀」) studentsLam talked about spy or espionage among those around him, on radio in mid1980s.「紅伶訴心聲」 handpicked right out of training schools 1976, 1st Festival of Asian Arts 1977, 2nd Festival of Asian Arts Lu Wen-long ()Lam Ka Sing Classics Collection (DVD) (Hong Kong Version), episode 14. Bao and Dai of Red Chamber ()Lam Ka Sing Classics Collection (DVD) (Hong Kong Version), episode 11 and 12. 1978, 6th Hong Kong Arts Festival* Butterfly Lovers () Yam-Fong title For two decades a regular if opposite Lee Bo-ying Loong Kim Sang lost the only compatible co-star for this title in 1976 One of many traceable artistic interpretations of same legend Lam forged his own (still opposite Lee Bo-ying) in November 1987 and made that the contemporary prevailing version 1978, 3rd Festival of Asian Arts 1980, 5th Festival of Asian Arts 1982, 7th Festival of Asian Arts 1984, Chinese Opera Fortnight () Time To Go Home () – the contemporary prevailing versionLam was eager to hand his traditions down to a young performer who was pushing Lam's wheelchair in the 2015 event. The Sounds of Battle () Romance and Hatred () Merciless Sword Under Merciful Heaven ()
Last time both Lang Chi Bak (1904－1992)and Leung Sing Poh performed was in 1979.
Loong Kim Sang 1983, 8th Festival of Asian Arts 1984, 9th Festival of Asian Arts Di Nü Hua () The Purple Hairpin () Dream of Red Chamber () 40 years since Yam's best known role and title (opposite Chan Yim Nung) in 1944 New script debuted in November 1983 Contemporary prevailing version Mistake at the Flower Festival () The Reincarnation of a Beauty () The Peony Pavilion () 1985, 10th Festival of Asian Arts
Obscure groups of experimental nature, let alone those late boomers without market value, were not on the map or in the mind of those organizing these events. That changed since the 40 something Leung Hon-wai found his way to the stepping stone or launching pad he desired for pet projects of various nature.
Public funding
To continue the tradition by passing on what elders and veterans inherited from former generations and to improve sustainability with new and original music, lyrics and scripts. Cantonese Opera Development Fund Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Grants
Heritage is as abstract a concept as traditions is while monetary support is real. However, elders are not ombudspersons in any sense and they take public funds for their own reasons. That is, they are knee deep in commercial performances even as a member of the above organizations.
A juren a century ago can be an adjunct associate professor now in Hong Kong. How business was conducted in a community by a juren was illustrated by Ma Sze Tsang in a film called the Big Thunderstorm (1954).
Leung Hon-wai has publicly discussed his reliance on financial support from various Hong Kong authorities. He noted that art festivals provided critical funding, institutional identity, and promotional resources for his new theatrical titles. These newly written titles generally ran for limited engagements for two to three performances. Additionally, Leung retained possession of the production costumes for future use across different titles by paying half of their production costs.
A Sit Kok Sin classic fetched HK$105,200 plus in 2015. The parents who had over 100 years of experience combined found sharing the stage with their son as not feasible without subsidies for Golden Will Chinese Opera Association and Wan Fai-yin, Christina.
Time To Go Home is different from those Leung debuted at arts festivals since:- This 1939 Sit classic has been a rite of passage for new performers to become prominent male leads. It only involves minimum costumes, props and crew size. It is popular as afternoon fillers by third tier performers in bamboo theaters.