Cantonese Opera
Many distinctive festivities have evolved in Hong Kong throughout di erent periods of time, but Cantonese Opera has always been a key element of the various traditional folk celebrations.
Also called Guangdong grand theatre play, Cantonese Opera is performed in period costume to the accompaniment of a Cantonese music troupe. A Cantonese Opera repertoire typically includes historic epic tales and love stories, with each play lasting anything from three to four hours. The plays performed during folk festivities were originally staged for the bene t of the deities, and they have therefore come to be known as “plays for the gods”. Because these “plays for the gods” can be presented over a period of three to ve days, a makeshift stage is erected as the venue for the performances. As well as serving as a place where the art of Cantonese Opera can be appreciated, this large community theatre provides a good opportunity for locals to meet. The “plays for the gods” provide an important training ground for new generations of Cantonese Opera artists.
The cultural heritage that Cantonese Opera represents enjoys signi cant popular support in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and several Cantonese Opera associations, such as The Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong, o er training courses in Cantonese Opera. Many primary and secondary schools and community centres hold regular classes for people with a personal interest in the art, while local residents have also formed a large number of amateur performing groups. In recent years, thanks to the community e orts, a new chapter has been written in the continued popularization, promotion and preservation of Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong.
