Gen Z Cantonese opera performers bridge modernity and tradition

In a small practice room in Mong Kok, 17-year-old Li Man-chit stages a performance, combining martial arts and singing. As an aspiring Cantonese opera actor, he is part of the generation of new blood carrying forward the traditional culture.

Despite his busy schedule as a Form Six student, Li continues to devote time to his passion, crafting his art.

Having begun practising Cantonese opera when he was five, he said: “When my peers were watching cartoons, I was deeply attracted to Cantonese opera on television. I was mesmerised by the performers, their elegant costumes and the style of the art. And I still cherish that to this day.”

Since he was eight years old, Li has travelled around the world to cities, including Vancouver, Los Angeles and Beijing.

A highlight of the aspiring Cantonese opera singer was in 2017 when Li performed before President Xi Jinping and several mainland and local government officials at the West Kowloon Cultural District.

“At that time, he was standing almost right in front of me and I was incredibly nervous, but this nervousness also pushed me to do my best,” he said.

“After the show, Xi Jinping expressed his gratitude that Cantonese opera had ‘young inheritors’, which greatly inspired me,” Li added.

“I am one of the Generation Z bearers of this culture,” he added. “Although it is sometimes a bit hard to go back and forth to perform, I don't feel tired because this is what I truly love.”

Cantonese opera actress Wong Ho-yau believes that the lack of interest among young people in Cantonese opera is because of the gap between tradition and modernity.

Wong, in her 20s, pointed out that the ancient values behind Cantonese opera scripts may conflict with a young audience.

“While the general content of Cantonese opera performances has classic themes, such as love, family and loyalty, the expression and value of some of these themes are not the same as they are now,” she said, adding that social media has also overshadowed traditional art forms.

Wong initially hid her love of Cantonese opera when she was a child for fear that other people, especially her peers, would make fun of her

“Then, I saw that most people saw indulging in Cantonese opera as ‘old-fashioned.’ I was afraid that people would see me as outdated,” she said.

Nonetheless, Wong said that she hopes Cantonese opera and other traditional cultures can evolve to “captivate younger audiences” through early introductions in schools.

“We would perform at schools, but these performances were only limited to students learning Chinese history, art and literature. I wish for this to change so that our city’s traditional cultures can reach a wider younger audience,” Wong said

The Ina Ho Cantonese Opera Research Centre was opened in 2023. Its objectives are “translating Cantonese opera libretti into English and promoting the English versions abroad” and establishing online courses on the appreciation of Cantonese Opera culture.

In collaboration with the Xiqu Centre, a performing arts theatre in West Kowloon, they offer a course on the appreciation of Cantonese opera. It is designed to provide participants with foundational knowledge of this traditional art form and enhance their understanding and appreciation of its cultural significance and artistic nuances.

"Occasionally, we will take students to visit the Xiqu Centre and find some professional performers to show them how they do the complicated makeup and how various Cantonese opera movements are completed," said Dr. Chan Kar-yue, the director of the centre.

Chan noted the concepts of young people are changing with the times and emphasised the importance of teaching traditional cultures in schools. “I certainly hope that this valuable traditional art can continue to be passed on, therefore, we need to make more efforts in promotion,” she said.

“The government has increased publicity on Cantonese opera culture, but it has not succeeded in attracting the attention of young people,” Chan said. “We should focus on the characteristics of young people to do promotion, such as using innovative visuals or social media to create buzz.”

According to the Cantonese Opera Education and Information Centre (COEIC), the true roots of Cantonese opera are debatable. However, it is widely assumed that the art form moved from the north to the southern province of Canton (Guangdong) during the Song Dynasty (1179-1276 AD). The art combines acting, dance, poetry, singing, martial arts and acrobatics to create a totality.

Since the 1990s, numerous amateur Cantonese opera performing groups have emerged, such as the Hong Kong Young Talent Cantonese Opera Troupe in 2008 and the Tea House Rising Star Troupe in 2019.

“In recent years, more and more young people and even children have been attending Cantonese opera classes because of their interest, even if they do not become actors in the future, they will still become audiences,” said Li Man-chit.

“This is the charm of this culture, and I hope it will continue to be passed on through the resonance of the audience and the actors,” said Li.