A Night at the Cantonese Opera: Behind the Scenes
We step behind the curtain to see what goes on behind the scenes of Hung Hom's Ko Shan Theatre. Photos by Kirk Kenny.
“If newcomers are interested in watching Cantonese opera, they first need to understand the inspiration and philosophy behind it,” says Patrick Tang, owner of the Bright Sing Cantonese Opera Troupe, which regularly performs at Hung Hom’s Ko Shan Theatre.
There are three basic kinds of opera:
Love Stories aka “talented scholars and lovely ladies”— the guy has talents and the girl has looks. One of the characters falls in love with another, and it generally ends in either a marriage or a death.
Martial Stories in which performers dress as generals and warlords and perform action sequences, which include stylized martial arts and acrobatics.
Comedies which are often performed during Chinese New Year, and are all about creating a happy ambiance. Comically exaggerated costumes that emphasize physical imperfections are commonly used.
“A good place to start would be the love stories, which are relatively easier to understand,” says Tang. “But if they crave more details and insight into the timelessly refined art, then they should opt for the plays with more action and observe every movement of the performers.”