The rejuvenated Yau Ma Tei Theatre will stage short Cantonese operas to entertain tourists new to the art form and full-length ones performed by budding stars as it becomes a training hub for talented young performers.
The building, formerly a cinema, on Waterloo Road was built in 1930. It has been converted at a cost of HK$180 million by the Architectural Services Department into a 300-seat theatre devoted to producing new blood for the opera stage.
The Chinese Artists Association, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's partner in the venue, has drawn up plans to use the theatre to train new talent. It will use the building rent-free.
Alisa Shum Kam-sin, chief executive of the association, says it is recruiting two dozen young and mid-career artists to receive training from six masters of Cantonese opera, including actor, director and playwright Yuen Siu-fai and opera artist -turned-film star Law Ka-ying.
The budding artists will perform 130 shows in the theatre's first year, starting in July, and 72 short shows.
'To attract tourists and people who are not familiar with Cantonese opera, we will be running the short shows, lasting for 45 minutes, to let them have a taste of what it is,' Shum said.