Operation Santa Claus: Hong Kong deaf parents, their children, experience world of Cantonese opera at workshop
- Law firm Deacons, Operation Santa Claus work together to create two-session workshop on the traditional art form for eight families, made up of children with parents who have hearing disabilities
- Participants and volunteers get crash course in Cantonese opera, put together small, silent sketches with help from teachers
Music may seem like the last thing deaf parents thought they could enjoy with their children, but a Cantonese opera workshop organised by law firm Deacons has proved that music really is a language that speaks to everyone.
Working with Operation Santa Claus (OSC), the law firm this year donated HK$300,000 (US$38,500) to create a two-session Cantonese opera workshop for eight families, made up of children with parents who have hearing disabilities.
“We often think that being deaf and enjoying opera are not compatible,” said Deacons senior partner Lilian Chiang Sui-fook. “But we wanted to create the opportunity for the parents to actually experience music with their children.”
There are an estimated 155,000 hearing-impaired people in Hong Kong. Of all the different disabilities, hearing loss may seem less serious, because the issue is not immediately visible, according to Chiang, but those who are hearing-impaired still face serious difficulties in their daily life.
Children with deaf parents are often relegated to being translators for them in the hearing world.
“Many children may not have had the opportunity to listen to music, or attend a show,” Chiang said. “We hope this workshop will encourage children and their parents to take part in and enjoy the performing arts.”
CODA Hong Kong offering deaf parents support with help of Operation Santa Claus
Deacons is no stranger to OSC. The law firm has been supporting its initiatives for more than a decade now, working with marginalised communities and often providing its own volunteers.
The firm has also funded children’s hospital programmes and raised money to help improve the home environments of the visually impaired.
In preparation for this year’s initiative, the firm’s 17 volunteers took an online Hong Kong sign language class so they could better communicate with participants.
In the first session, participants and volunteers were given a crash course in Cantonese opera. In the second, everyone took part after teachers demonstrated stage craft, movement, rhythm and performance.
“There is a lot of physical movement in Cantonese opera storytelling. We have a tradition with a lot of mime elements in it,” said Christie To Wing-sum, a professional Cantonese opera artist and workshop teacher from the Hong Kong Young Talent Cantonese Opera Troupe.
To said she focused on those elements when preparing for the course, knowing they would help connect parents with the world of Cantonese opera.
“We want to show that being disabled does not need to limit you from taking part in and enjoying the performing arts,” she said.
By the end of the second session, participants were able to put together small, silent sketches.
Hong Kong NGO aims to boost education for children with hearing disabilities
“This has been an interesting experience for me,” said volunteer Tracey Li Che-yan, a senior associate at Deacons and third-year volunteer at OSC projects.
“Cantonese opera is such a traditional art and something I seldom get to see myself, so I’ve also learned something new.”
Waving blue flowing flags to imitate the movement of water, a participant fell into a stream, floundering with an exaggerated expression. Then a knight in shining armour dove in with an operatic flourish, and saved the damsel in distress.
While all was performed in silence, the laughter it drew was audible, and visible on everyone’s faces.
