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Cantonese Opera Day 2009 will be held on November 29 (Sunday) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. With the mission of promoting and developing the art of Cantonese opera, the seventh Cantonese Opera Day will offer exciting and educational free activities.
Cantonese opera has been officially inscribed onto UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This has encouraged the governments of Guangdong, Macau and Hong Kong to continue their collaboration in preserving, promoting and developing this representative genre of intangible cultural heritage.
To promote this cultural heritage, Cantonese Opera Day 2009 continues last year's theme of "The Rising Stars of Cantonese Opera". The programme has invited renowned stars, young talent, young people and children who are being trained in the genre to perform operatic excerpts and give vocal performances. Audiences will also have a chance to meet the stars of Cantonese opera at autograph sessions.
This year's activities include not only stall games but also interactive workshops. There will be demonstration performances and talks on a variety of topics related to the genre, such as stage make-up, costumes, stylised movements and postures, vocalisation and musical instruments to foster a better understanding of the art form among children and youth.
In addition, a free Cantonese Operatic Songs Concert will be held at 6pm at the Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, featuring Man Kim-fei, Lee Fung, Hung Hoi, Chan Wing-yee, Chan Ming-ying, Chan Ka-ming, Sun Kim-long, Lau Wai-ming, Tang Mei-ling, Cheng Wing-mui, Wai Chun-ying and Lung Koon-tin. Interested parties can get the tickets from 9am on Friday (November 13) onwards at the enquiry counter of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong City Hall and Sha Tin Town Hall. Tickets are limited to two per person on a first-come-first-served basis.
The cultural departments of Guangdong, Macau and Hong Kong decided in 2003 that the last Sunday of November each year would be designated "Cantonese Opera Day". By holding this event annually, the organisers hope to build a broader audience base to promote and preserve the genre for future generations. "Cantonese Opera Day 2009" is one of the attractions of "Cultural EAG" programmes.
For programme enquiries, call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp.
Ends/Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Issued at HKT 12:17
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