Opening of Cantonese Opera Education and Information Centre at Ko Shan Theatre New Wing (with photos)
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Using digitisation and cutting-edge technology, the Centre has assembled a wealth of valuable information and video footage, brought to visitors as a "one-stop shop" via interactive touchscreen display and multimedia projection.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, said, "The Government has long been at the forefront of promoting the development of Cantonese opera. Over $40 million is allocated annually to promote, preserve and develop Cantonese opera, our cultural treasure."
He said that the Centre will better support the work of the LCSD's performing arts venues, libraries and museums in promoting and perpetuating Cantonese opera, and it is hoped the younger generation will gain a deeper understanding of the genre and that Cantonese opera's reach will be broadened.
Other officiating guests included the Chairman of the Cantonese Opera Advisory Committee, Professor Andrew Chan; the Chairperson of the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong, Dr Liza Wang; the Chairman of the Cantonese Opera Development Fund Advisory Committee, Professor Lui Yu-hon; the Chairman of the Kowloon City District Council, Mr Pun Kwok-wah; Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Culture), Dr Louis Ng; and Assistant Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Performing Arts), Ms Elaine Yeung.
The Cantonese Opera Education and Information Centre is divided into six zones: the History Zone traces Cantonese opera's origins and development; the Artists Zone features the valuable photos and footages of 80 opera stars; the Playscript, Vocal and Music Zone showcases original scripts in a digitised format with explanatory notes, including explanations on singing styles and paizi, Chinese and Western musical instruments common in Cantonese opera; the Makeup Zone illustrates the characteristics and techniques of Cantonese opera makeup; the Stage Set Zone presents stylised performances from the "Prime Minister of Six States", explaining the meaning behind its traditional staging; and finally, the Audiovisual Zone provides a search engine for visitors to access a vast archive of materials on Cantonese opera by selecting from the "one-stop" portal.
Members of the public are welcome to visit the Centre, which offers free admission sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays to Sundays and public holidays. Each session lasts for up to two hours and prior reservation is recommended due to visitor quotas. Separate reservation is required to use the search engine in the Audiovisual Zone. For reservation and enquiries, please call 2330 5130 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/kst.
Ends/Saturday, September 9, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:04
Issued at HKT 16:04
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