It is only a matter of time before the curtain falls on the city's only permanent Chinese Opera venue, the historic Sunbeam Theatre, the chairman of the Cantonese Opera Advisory Committee Charles Chow Chan-lum said.
A plan to redevelop the North Point building into a residential-commercial complex stirred much debate last year. However, the landlord agreed to hold off and granted the theatre a lifeline with a new three-year lease, but it came at a price - the monthly rent jumping from HK$208,000 to HK$698,000.
But now, only about halfway through the lease, the theatre's operations may have to be halted because too few opera troupes use it. Chow said the agreement was not legally binding and the theatre owner's decision would be respected.
An executive with knowledge of the theatre's plight said it might close as early as next year.
'The theatre has been in trouble for a long time and it is only a matter of time before it closes for ever. It would have been closed several years ago if the government hadn't subsidised it. But no matter when it's going to be, it will have accomplished its historic mission by then.'
Fewer opera troupes have used the theatre as newer and cheaper governmental performance venues have come into existence, he said.