Cantonese Opera listed as world heritage

Cantonese Opera or Yueju Opera which originated in Guangdong Province, was recently included on the World Intangible Cultural Heritage List after a joint application from Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. This is the second style of Chinese folk opera listed as a world heritage after Kunqu Opera in 2001.

As one of the major categories in Chinese opera, Cantonese Opera is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore and Malaysia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional art form, involving music, singing, martial arts, acrobatics, and acting. 

Other than simply being a form of entertainment, Cantonese Opera carries messages or lessons, which was particularly important before widespread formal education. The government often used theater to promote the idea of being loyal to the emperor and loving the kingdom.

In 1852, a Cantonese Opera troupe made its debut in Los Angeles, becoming the first Chinese opera to be performed abroad.

Cantonese Opera flourished in the 1920s with an increase in the number of operas and various arias. These were best performed by masters like Xue Juexian, Ma Shizeng, and Liao Xiahuai.

In 1999, the Association and the Academy conducted a two-year daytime diploma program in performing arts in Cantonese Opera in order to train professional actors and actresses.

In recent years, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council has given grants to Love and Faith Cantonese Opera Laboratory to conduct Cantonese Opera classes for children and youth.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has also funded the International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong Branch) to implement the "Cultural Envoy Scheme for Cantonese Opera" for promoting traditional Chinese productions in the community.

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