WKCDA presents Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera to nurture xiqu successors

Emerging young Cantonese opera artists will enliven the stage of Ko Shan Theatre New Wing at the Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera show from 12 to 17 August 2016, a programme initiated by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) to support the development of a young generation of Cantonese Opera performers.

The seven new Rising Stars - Man Lai-ha, Wang Kit-ching, Wong Hai-wing, Song Hongbo, Chan Kei-ting, Zeng Suxin and Cannon Au - will join the performers who were cast last year in the inaugural Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera including Li Pui-yan, Lin Xin-ling, Lao Yu-fung, Janet Wong, Dianna Tse Hue-ying, Juliana Kwan Wai-sham and Doris Kwan, to stage three masterpieces. Three full-length productions, namely Loyal to Love, The Lady's Sash and The Immortal Zhang Yuqiao, will be performed on six consecutive nights at Ko Shan Theatre New Wing (details are listed in the Annex).

Louis Yu, Executive Director of Performing Arts at WKCDA said, “In 2015 the WKCDA presented its first Cantonese opera performance starring a young cast of budding artists. Not only did it receive wide critical acclaim from industry practitioners and the audience, it was also praised for providing a challenging platform on which young artists can stretch themselves and demonstrate what they can do while interacting and learning from each other.”

“We have high expectations for the seven new rising stars and hope that they will seize the precious opportunity to equip themselves and thus be prepared to take on the baton of the Cantonese opera legacy as the next generation,” said Louis Yu.

All participating artists will be trained by acclaimed Cantonese opera virtuoso Law Ka-ying, who is also the Artistic Curator of Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera, through a series of rehearsals and training in singing, acting, reciting and movement. With a selection of exquisite and sentimental scripts with tight plots, the emerging actors and production team are going to be rehearsing hard in preparation for these challenging performances.

“I am gratified to see these younger artists working so diligently to improve themselves. As the Xiqu Centre will open its doors to the public soon, it is time for Cantonese opera to look to nurture younger performers in order to live up to the expectations of the public,” said Law Ka-ying.

Alongside the opportunities to perform, the rising stars will be given priority in other training and cultural exchange activities organised or cohosted by the WKCDA, such as the Xiqu Seminar Series as well as the Xiqu Cultural Exchange Programme jointly organized with Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong. Last year, delegations of young artists went to Hangzhou and Chongqing respectively in April and October. The initiatives continue to offer the rising stars comprehensive support in training, performance opportunities and cultural exchange.

“It takes time to groom young talent into brilliant xiqu stars. The Cantonese opera maestros who have earned their names today have endured decades of rigorous trainings and hard work before they established their own artistic style. With the Xiqu Centre opening in 2018, we will work more closely with the industry to train new blood, and hopefully the younger generation will breathe new life into the Cantonese opera genre with their creativity,” said Louis Yu. “Consistent with our mission to carry on the artistic legacy and sustainable development of xiqu in the long-run, we are building something much more than just a performance venue.”

Tickets for Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera, priced at $180, $120, $80 (seats with sightline restrictions), are available at URBTIX now. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens, people with disabilities and their accompanying minders, Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients and full-time students.

For programme enquiries, please call (852) 2200 0010, or visit http://www.westkowloon.hk/risingstars2016. For credit card telephone booking, please call (852) 2111 5999. Online booking can be made at www.urbtix.hk.

Remarks

Law Ka-ying

Law Ka-ying is a famous leading actor in Cantonese opera dedicated to the preservation, promotion and development of Cantonese opera. In 2012, he received the Medal of Honour from the Hong Kong SAR Government.

‘Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera’

The WKCDA premiered its first ‘Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera’ in 2015, in which twelve rising stars performed two full-length masterpieces Madame She and Island of Farewell, as well as two evenings of Cantonese opera excerpts during Lunar New Year in February and March 2015, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience. The recruitment and selection process for the 2nd ‘Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera’ was conducted from November 2015 to January 2016.