Chamber Opera – Por Por

EVENT DESCRIPTION

A heart-warming theatrical experience about the ordeals of dementia sufferers.
Yet another great No Limits presentation that combines original music and stunning visuals.
Por Por is a stirring tribute to grandmothers and carers everywhere.

This original Cantonese chamber opera is a moving account of how dementia and depression affect elderly sufferers and those who care for them. Written by award-winning composer and lyricist Austin Yip, and directed by arts educator Emily Chan, Por Por is in 17 sections, mostly written for ensemble and chorus in Cantonese. The children’s chorus comprises students from Ebenezer School.

As the title indicates, the opera focuses on a grandmother. She is stricken with dementia. The role is played by a male singer/actor, Caleb Woo. Por Por will also feature a new method of sign interpretation, with Theatrical Interpreters shadowing performers across the stage rather than standing to the side, thus integrating the signing and the stage action.

Austin Yip wrote the music and the libretto while on a MacDowell Fellowship in New Hampshire in the United States. Por Por is an emotional rollercoaster that pays tribute to grandparents and carers everywhere. It provides an unforgettable theatrical experience that will live long in the memory. A heartwarming opera about forgetting, illusion and those that accompany the afflicted in their hours of need.

Approx. 1 hour
Hong Kong Sign Language, Audio Description in Cantonese & English, Surtitles and Accessible Captions in Chinese & English
Beyond Limits: Meet-the-Artist (Hong Kong Sign Language, Chinese and English Surtitles will be available)

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

This programme is part of “No Limits”, first launched in 2019 and co-presented by the Hong Kong Arts Festival and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, aiming to create a barrier-free environment and explore and promote inclusiveness and understanding through the arts.