To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, rehearsals for a Cantonese opera drama in which he serves as the main creator and co-star are in full swing.
In Hong Kong today, Cantonese opera performances are held almost every day, with troupes of all sizes performing in various theaters. Luo Jiaying lamented that 25 years after returning to the motherland, Cantonese opera has flourished in Hong Kong. "Things that belong to us are back!"
Actor Luo Jiaying (left) was interviewed by reporters (file photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Gang
"Going to the theater to watch a play was once a memory of the older generation in Hong Kong"
From the 1920s to the 1960s, Cantonese opera was a popular opera in Hong Kong and was deeply loved by the public. Luo Jiaying has had a keen interest in Cantonese opera since he was a child, and began to perform on the Cantonese opera stage at the age of 10. He has an unforgettable memory of the development of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong.
"Going to the theater to watch a play was once a memory of the older generation in Hong Kong." Luo Jiaying recalled that the elders in the family were all fans of Cantonese opera. Sometimes they go to the theater to watch a play, sometimes they listen to Cantonese opera broadcasted on the radio. Cantonese opera is closely connected with their daily life.
"The older generation in Hong Kong have very deep feelings for Lingnan culture and love traditional Cantonese opera very much. Almost everyone can hum a few lines." Luo Jiaying said.
Cantonese Opera is a local opera that has lasted for hundreds of years. Together with Lingnan Painting School and Guangdong Music , it is known as the Three Shows of Lingnan, and also enjoys the reputation of "Red Beans of the South".
Chung Zhenzhen, director of performing arts of the Hong Kong West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, said that Hong Kong used to be a fishing port. There were many Dan family and fishermen who believed in Guanyin and Tin Hau. They built many temples, especially Tin Hau Temple , so they often invited people to A play is performed to reward the gods and repay their protection. This is the "magic play".
"Before the handover, traditional culture including Cantonese opera was not promoted, and it was difficult for Cantonese opera actors to find jobs. However, performing 'magic drama' has always maintained our livelihood and allowed us to get through the most difficult days." Luo Jiaying said .
Cantonese opera has a bigger stage in Hong Kong
According to Luo Jiaying, in Hong Kong before the handover, during major festivals and celebrations, the most important cultural activities were usually symphonies , operas, etc., like "other people's", "even if Being in a lively atmosphere, I always feel that there is a lack of emotional recognition. "
After Hong Kong returned to , the governments, cultural circles, and Cantonese opera circles of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao gradually started active exchanges and cooperation. In 2003, the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao began planning for Cantonese opera to be listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and designated the last Sunday in November each year as "Cantonese Opera Day" to broaden the audience's horizons and promote the art of Cantonese opera.
In 2006, Cantonese opera was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists. In 2009, Cantonese opera was included in the "Representative List of Human Intangible Cultural Heritage" by UNESCO.
Luo Jiaying lamented: "The success of Cantonese Opera's application for World Heritage has made more people realize that Cantonese Opera is a precious, excellent and our own cultural product, and it has also given Cantonese Opera a broader living space."
In recent years, The construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area brings together the power of Cantonese opera artists, making Cantonese opera, a traditional cultural treasure, an important cultural business card that tells the story of Greater Bay Area having the same root and origin.
"The Hong Kong Cantonese opera community has more opportunities to communicate and discuss with its counterparts in the mainland. We can learn from each other's strengths and work together to promote the better development of Cantonese opera." Zhong Zhenzhen said.
The picture shows Hong Kong Opera Center . Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Lu Xiaowei
Two years ago, at the busy Austin Crossing in Kowloon, Hong Kong, a landmark building that resembled a traditional Chinese lantern, the Hong Kong Opera Center, rose from the ground. This is the first performance venue to be completed in the West Kowloon Cultural District, and it is also the first performance venue specifically designed for opera in Hong Kong.
"Cantonese opera has an extra 'home' in Hong Kong!" Chung Zhenzhen said that the completion of the Hong Kong Opera Center has inspired the Hong Kong Cantonese opera industry.
Today, the art of Cantonese opera not only has a broader stage in Hong Kong, but has also become more popular among the people. Zhong Zhenzhen said that she had met a few close friends and walked into the teahouse theater of the Chinese Opera Center to experience the old teahouse culture that was combined with opera performances, taste "one cup (tea) and two pieces (snacks)", and enjoy the classic Cantonese opera folk art and excerpts. It has become a new way of life for more and more Hong Kong citizens.
Let Chinese traditional culture be passed down from generation to generation
After returning to the motherland, the Hong Kong SAR government actively promoted the development of Cantonese opera, and successively established the Cantonese Opera Development Advisory Committee and the Cantonese Opera Development Fund to fund research, promotion and other activities related to the development of Cantonese opera. In 2003, the SAR government began to include Cantonese opera in the music curriculum of primary and secondary schools, and successively opened Cantonese opera music workshops. In 2012, Cantonese opera was included in the music examination curriculum of the new high school academic system.
"To continue the vitality of Cantonese opera and to pass on this precious culture and art from generation to generation, cultivating successors of Cantonese opera is a particularly important task." Zhong Zhenzhen said.
In the rehearsal room of the Sheng Fai Cantonese Opera Promotion Association located in Kowloon , more than 20 children are practicing leg press. The youngest among them is only 3 years old, and most of them are teenagers.
At the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom, young actors from the Hong Kong Yang Ming Children's Cantonese Opera Troupe perform Cantonese opera. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Shen
"In the past, we learned Cantonese opera to make a living. Today's children are different, Cantonese opera has become their interest." Yang Jianhua, artistic director of the Shenghui Cantonese Opera Promotion Association, who is in his 80s, said that learning Cantonese opera is a very important thing. It's hard work, but the children are willing to endure hardships because they love traditional Chinese culture from the bottom of their hearts.
Zhong Tianrui, 13 years old this year, has been studying Cantonese opera for 10 years. He said that in the process of learning Cantonese opera, he gained a better understanding of the motherland. He not only learned the history and culture of the motherland, but also learned the excellent traditional virtues of the Chinese nation such as respecting the elderly and caring for the young. This gave him a lot of fun.
htmlOver the past 0 years, Zhong Tianrui and other young actors from the Cantonese Opera Troupe have traveled out of Hong Kong and have performed in Beijing, Guangzhou, Zhongshan, Macau, Singapore and other places, and have stepped onto a larger stage."I feel happy from the bottom of my heart when I see audiences in different places being deeply attracted by our performances, curious about our costumes and props, and cheering and applauding us." Zhong Tianrui said that he hopes to redouble his efforts, Practice the basic skills more solidly and use wonderful performances to let more and more people know the excellent traditional Chinese culture.
