About This Site
What is Cantonese Opera?
Cantonese Opera is a major branch of Chinese traditional theatre popular in southern China. The story is told through actors singing, acting, speaking and performing martial arts. Elaborate costumes, stage props, colorful shoes, libretto and heavy headgear that are used in the performance are all rich in artistic value. Cantonese Opera is more than an art form for public entertainment. As recognition for its rich social, religious and cultural values, Cantonese Opera was officially included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009 and represents a core part of Hong Kong culture and identity.
Cantonese Opera was originally performed in bamboo sheds or makeshift stages. As Hong Kong developed and following rapid population growth, more theaters dedicated to Cantonese Opera sprang up all over the city especially after world war two. The golden era of Cantonese Opera came to an end in the 1970s and 80s as Hong Kong's economy took off and shifted to an international financial center. Skyrocking land prices meant the closure of numerous Cantonese Opera theaters. The Sunbeam Theater in North Point is the sole reminder of this golden age. Nowadays, despite its global recognition and centuries old art form, many Hong Kong young people nowadays are unfamiliar with or unappreciative of Cantonese Opera. It is seen as old-fashioned, boring or a thing of the past. Of the 1000 Cantonese Opera performances in Hong Kong every year, the majority of the audience are over 65.
Our Mission:
Our digital gallery on Cantonese Opera hopes to increase the awareness and knowledge of the general public through showcasing different items commonly found in the performance. The Heritage Museum currently only features a physical exhibition and not a digital one. A digital exhibition eliminates time and geographical constraints and facilitates cultural exchange. The more people know about their cultural heritage, the more they will care for it. Our mission is to present the information in a clear manner to facilitate knowledge transmission to those who have not come into contact with Cantonese Opera before and provoke them to find out more.
Read more:
- Intangible Cultural Heritage Office - The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong: Cantonese opera
- South China Morning Post: Unesco gives Cantonese opera something to sing about
- South China Morning Post: Cantonese opera inspires next generation: art form flourishes in Hong Kong’s schools
- BBC News: The youths out to save Hong Kong's unique opera
- Press Releases: Heritage Museum shows the majestic stage of Cantonese opera theatres