Xiqu Centre, built at a cost to the public purse of HK$2.7 billion (US$346 million), is the first major venue to open in the West Kowloon Cultural District. The stated mission of this facility is to promote and preserve the traditional culture of Chinese opera, or “xiqu”. This should be good news for the future development of xiqu and for lovers of the art form. But it seems many troupes will be barred from performing because the rents for the venue are prohibitively high. The way the opera house is being run defeats its purpose. The government should offer a helping hand to Chinese opera groups, especially young performers seeking to showcase their talent but lacking financial reserves or support.

Even though the Grand Theatre at the Xiqu Centre is slightly smaller than the Grand Theatre at the Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, the rent for the West Kowloon venue is almost HK$20,000 more. Its Tea House Theatre, designed to introduce new audiences to traditional Chinese theatre, charges as much as HK$88,000 a day, more than 10 times the cost of Ko Shan Theatre in To Kwa Wan, which showcases new troupes. Only top opera groups are likely to be able to afford the high rents at Xiqu Centre, leaving newer and less wealthy ones to queue up to perform in cheaper theatres. I believe this will have a detrimental effect on the development of Cantonese opera.