Faith, Family, Fealty – Three Cantonese Operas

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Following the re-opening of venues, the Festival is excited to present its very first in-venue programme of 2022 — Faith, Family, Fealty—Three Cantonese Operas in July. This 90-minute performance explores aspects of filial duty fulfilled in exemplary fashion and offers an insight into traditional Chinese family values through moral tales.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Festival and also the return to auditoriums, all tickets are priced at $50, with each ticket giving you admission to an opera double bill.

There is a traditional Chinese saying: “filial piety moves the heavens”.

The HKAF presents three 45-minute Cantonese operas thematically linked by traditional Chinese values. All are drawn from Chinese folklore and extol the virtues of self-sacrifice and the acceptance of duty, whether familial or patriotic.

The three operas were originally written for young performers to study the form, each of which explores an aspect of filial duty fulfilled in exemplary fashion. A son goes out to catch fish for his stepmother in the depths of freezing winter; a daughter takes her father’s place in the army; and a young woman bravely intercedes with the Emperor to save her father’s life.

This programme, featuring the best of emerging young talent in Cantonese opera, is overseen by Artistic Advisor Yuen Siu-fai, a tireless advocate for the art form, and a veteran of many great productions. He can also claim credit for instilling a love and understanding of Cantonese opera and its rich heritage in generations of young people.

Simply staged in the “one table, two chairs” format—a basic bare-stage set design iconic to Chinese opera—these three works are relatively unfamiliar even to Cantonese opera audiences, but provide substantial roles for younger performers; and the folk tales—intended to give moral instruction—offer an insight into traditional Chinese family values.

The productions showcase a number of the traditional roles of Cantonese opera, including the sheng (male role), dan (female role), jing (painted face role), and chou (clown role). The talented young performers will also demonstrate their acting, singing, recitation and martial arts skills in these productions.

This programme presents three moral tales, each adapted as a 45-minute Cantonese opera. All are drawn from Chinese folklore and display the virtues of self-sacrifice and the acceptance of duty, whether familial or patriotic.

All three stories extol one of the core Chinese values—the duty children owe their parents—and stresses the importance of wider family ties, patriotism, courage and military valour. While offering an insight into filial piety, it also allows the audience to appreciate the exquisiteness of Cantonese opera as a traditional art form.

Performed in Cantonese with Chinese and English surtitles
Each performance lasts approx. 1hr 30 mins with no interval

13 July (Wed) 4:30 pm
A Dutiful Son & The Warrior Daughter

13 July (Wed) 8:00 pm
A Daughter’s Appeal & The Warrior Daughter

14 July (Thu) 4:30 pm
A Daughter’s Appeal & The Warrior Daughter

14 July (Thu) 8:00 pm
A Dutiful Son & The Warrior Daughter

15 July (Fri) 4:30 pm
A Dutiful Son & The Warrior Daughter

15 July (Fri) 8:00 pm
A Daughter’s Appeal & The Warrior Daughter

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF), launched in 1973, is a major international arts festival committed to enriching the cultural life of the city by presenting leading local and international artists in all genres of the performing arts as well as a diverse range of “PLUS” and educational events in February and March each year.