【Friday Beyond Spotlights III】Naomi Chung：Modernizing Cantonese Opera

Cantonese opera in current days

Cantonese opera has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2009. Introducing the history of this art form, Naomi explained, “The Cantonese opera has a long, storied history. We believe that in the 18th century, some governors from the northern regions traveled down to the southern parts with their entire families. At that time, they performed in a language we call Zhong Zhou Wen, a hybrid between Putonghua and Cantonese.” She believed this language dated back to the Qing dynasty or even earlier. Naomi continued, “So when these northerners came, they found that the local people were all speaking Cantonese. Therefore, from around 1920 to 1930, they gradually adapted their performances to be in the Cantonese dialect. By performing in Cantonese opera, they could reach a wider audience who could understand and appreciate the stories being told.”

The stories of Cantonese opera, Naomi noted, “cover a wide spectrum, ranging from comedy to tragedy.” She added that young scriptwriters nowadays also write a lot of stories that are highly relevant to the present day. This is what they always encourage young scriptwriters to do – to write more new pieces, so that Cantonese opera can drop the ‘oldie’ image and offer more fresh programs that resonate with the audience.

The Hong Kong Xiqu Centre

Speaking of the vision for this center, and the reason behind its creation, Naomi explained, “We want to preserve our local art forms and also develop and promote all the young artists. We aim to engage younger audiences so that this art form can thrive for generations to come.” In order to allow non-Cantonese speakers to also enjoy the performances, the Xiqu Centre had launched the ‘Teahouse Theatre Program.’ Participants in this program were able to experience the shows in a more intimate setting, where they could get up close to observe the performers’ facial expressions, movements, and elaborate costumes. As Naomi highlighted, “We believe that this immersive experience gives the audience a stronger impression and deeper appreciation for the art form.” The program also offered both English and Chinese subtitles to cater to diverse audiences.

Addressing concerns that some original storylines were based on particular historical periods, which could make them unfamiliar and challenging for modern audiences to fully appreciate, Naomi pointed out that efforts had been made to tackle this issue. “For the local people, we start from the educators – the teachers. We collaborate with universities to provide more information and training, so that they feel comfortable teaching students how to appreciate, or even practice, elements of Cantonese opera.” She reckoned that this would enhance students’ knowledge and connection to their local art form. Additionally, the Centre brought in primary and secondary school students to enjoy specialized education programs. “We specially created new excerpts for them, inviting young playwrights to write content that would be closer and more relevant to the younger generation, rather than using old scripts.”

One minute of performance, a decade of preparation

Naomi highlighted there are four important skill sets required to become a performer in Cantonese opera: “Cheung, Zuo, Nim, Da.” “Cheung is singing. I think the voice is the first and most crucial element,” said Naomi. “If you have a good voice, that’s very important.” ‘Zuo’ referred to movement, as she underscored, “There are a lot of movements in Cantonese opera, so one’s body cannot be too stiff.” ‘Nim’ meant that in performance, “you must have a Cantonese opera style of speaking.” Lastly, ‘Da’ referred to martial arts, as the performances often involve a lot of martial arts movements, so the actors will have to spend time practicing those skills as well.

When asked about the secret to success in this performing art form, Naomi emphasized, “The key is to always constantly learn and be well-prepared. I think this is very important.” She went on to discuss the timeline for performers to reach the stage, explaining that students typically take around ten years or even more to become real actors. Lastly, Naomi said directly to young, aspiring performers, “Never give up. Keep your passion. And continuously learn.”