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Hong Kong once again enchanted the crowds at yesterday's (November 10, London time) City of London Lord Mayor's Show with its vibrant and colourful cultural heritage, by presenting a traditional Cantonese opera in a mobile replica of an authentic Cantonese Opera House. Cantonese opera is a traditional art form in the city, and is now recognised by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The choice of presentation was fitting as the new Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Roger Gifford, has decided that this year's show should be in support of the City Music Foundation, a charity that aims to support aspiring professional musicians in the early stages of their careers.
Two of the Cantonese Opera performers on the Hong Kong float had benefited from similar support in Hong Kong, having graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Vitty Ng and Noelle Wong Mei-ha have been performing Cantonese opera in Hong Kong and internationally for many years. The other performers on the colourfully decorated stage came from the Lotus Stars, the opera group of the Croydon Chinese Community. Their flowing, colourful costumes and make-up, which took over two hours to put on, brought an exotic charm to the Lord Mayor's Show, and got massive appreciation from the huge crowd that lined the route - an estimated half-million people attended.
The crowd was treated to extracts from some of the most popular classical operas in the Cantonese repertoire, with songs from The Princess Wedding and The Princess Warrior, plus some from White Dragon Pass.
Mrs Agnes Allcock, the Director-General of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London, which devised and organised the display said: "We welcome the new Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Roger Gifford and look forward to working with him. Our float in this year's Lord Mayor's Show demonstrates that as well as being one of the world's most forward-looking, business-focused cities, Hong Kong also possesses impressive, long-standing cultural heritage.
The Lord Mayor's Show developed since 1215 around the newly appointed Lord Mayor's journey to swear an oath of allegiance to the reigning monarch. More than half a million people take to the streets to see the parade each year, while the BBC broadcasts it live to millions people in Britain and globally. Hong Kong has a long tradition of working with the City of London and the Lord Mayor, who always makes a point of visiting Hong Kong during his tenure.
For more information on the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London, visit www.hketolondon.gov.hk.
For more information on the Lord Mayor's Show visit www.lordmayorsshow.org.
Ends/Sunday, November 11, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:07
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