(Eng Ver.) JCNAP2020 Three Cantonese Opera Excerpts Appreciation Guide 賽馬會藝壇新勢力2020 「文武老少功架展演」導賞手冊

Jockey Club New Arts Power

JOCKEY CLUB New Arts Power, launched in 2017, is an annual Arts Festival presented by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council with the funding support from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

The Festival brings together established and emerging local artists to produce creative, approachable and engaging arts experiences for all.

Over the past three years, 38 arts groups have participated in the Festival. Together they produced 72 live performances and a remarkable number of major exhibitions. Uniting art groups and various organisations from the social welfare, academic and commercial sectors, the festival held over 450 community and school events, reaching some 380,000 participants.

JOCKEY CLUB New Arts Power 2020 / 2021 will be held from September 2020, featuring a total of 9 selected programmes that include dance, theatre, music, xiqu, multimedia and visual arts exhibition, as well as presenting more than 100 community and school activities.

Table of Content About Spring Glory Cantonese Opera Workshop ............................................................ 2 About Three Cantonese Opera Excerpts .......................................................................... 4 Elements of Cantonese Opera: Stage Design ................................................................... 5 Xiqu Elements: Space and Imagination ............................................................................ 6 Elements of Cantonese Opera: Acrobatic Fighting .......................................................... 8 Elements of Cantonese Opera: Costumes ..................................................................... 10 School Programme: Interactive Drama Workshop – Cantonese Opera meets K-Pop . 12 Cantonese Opera and Nanyin ........................................................................................ 15

(Note: The English version is translated from the Chinese version. In case of discrepancies between the two versions, the Chinese version shall prevail.)

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About Spring Glory Cantonese Opera Workshop

Founded in 1990, Spring Glory Production is directed by maestro Yuen Siu-fai and theatrical producer Barbara Tang to promote the art of Cantonese opera. With a mission to broaden the horizons of Cantonese opera production, it also organises events such as workshops, experience camps and lectures. The Spring Glory Cantonese Opera Workshop was established in 2010.

Spring Glory Cantonese Opera Workshop is always devoted to the education, promotion and research of Cantonese opera arts. For years, guided by Yuen Siu-fai and Barbara Tang, different Cantonese opera initiatives have been undertaken and have been strongly supported by the professionals and aficionados in Hong Kong.

Since 2002, Yuen Siu-fai has been leading the Spring Glory Cantonese Opera Workshop to produce various well-received Cantonese opera performances. The company has been invited to perform overseas to promote Hong Kong Cantonese opera in places such as the United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, South Korea and Singapore.

Yuen Siu-fai Artistic Director

A seasoned xiqu practitioner, Professor Yuen Siu-fai began his performing career at seven as a child film star before turning to the stage of Cantonese opera. A top-notch vocalist of Cantonese nanyin (a narrative singing tradition), Yuen is one of those very few Cantonese opera artists who can fulfil a variety of role types. Apart from wenwusheng and xiaosheng, Yuen stared as chousheng, laosheng and hualian recent years; he is praised for his outstanding versatility.

Moreover, Yuen is an actor-turned-playwright. His repertoire includes the applauded Lu Meng-zheng - Footprints in the Snow, The Return of Lady Wenji and Havoc at Guang Chang Long. Yuen serves as the Vice Chairman of Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong, Museum Expert Advisers of Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Artistic Director of One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation. He also teaches at the Department of Music in Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Through practices, Prof. Yuen has been ceaselessly exploring the mode of performance that accommodates the audience. He maintains that there are rooms for invention, rather than replacement, for xiqu. “I fear not the absence of viewers but our incompetence to deliver successful performances for them,” added Yuen. His consistent practices and explorations deeply reflect the acute persistence and responsibility he carries for traditional culture.

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Barbara Tang Operation Director / Veteran Cantonese Opera Producer

A long-serving theatrical producer, Barbara Tang has the experience of organising fashion shows, beauty pageants, exhibitions, Cantonese operas, concerts and outdoor variety TV programmes. With profound knowledge about Cantonese opera and its industry, Tang, in recent years, focuses on theatrical planning of major Cantonese opera events, and aspires to promulgating Cantonese opera and xiqu. Being proficient in English, Tang has been appointed as the host of Cantonese Opera Day by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department for eight consecutive years, during which she imparted information about costumes and make-ups of Cantonese opera to local and expatriate participants.

Earning critical acclaim, Tang’s productions of sizable Cantonese opera have been repeatedly invited by such organisers as Hong Kong Arts Development Council and Leisure and Cultural Services Department for overseas art fairs and highlighted in local major cultural events, including Hong Kong Art Festival and Chinese Opera Festival.

Some of these projects include Wu Song for The Artistic Quintessence of The Southern School of Cantonese Opera in 2017 and The Return of Lady Wenji in the Chinese Opera Festival in 2018. Tang’s another notable mention, Four Generation on Stage has multiple reruns; tickets were sold out every time.

In Backstage, a bilingual drama in 2014, Tang collaborated with grandmaster Yuen Siu-fai and Musette Tsang, Director of One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation. In Chinese and English, Backstage unveils the wonders of Cantonese opera: make-ups, costumes, role types and acting. Promoting Hong Kong Cantonese opera and xiqu, their team went on touring in United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Hawaii, Beijing, Seoul, Singapore, the United States and Mexico. Receiving overwhelming success, their endeavours have managed to boost the status of xiqu in the global performing arts scene.

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About Three Cantonese Opera Excerpts

Spring Glory Cantonese Opera Workshop will be presenting three excerpts, each with their own attractions.

Fifteen Strings of Cash: Finding the Rat

“Finding the Rat” is the Cantonese Opera excerpt taken from the Kun opera classic Fifteen Strings of Cash. Set in the Ming Dynasty, butcher Yau borrows fifteen strings of cash to start his own business but is robbed and killed by A Shu. District Magistrate Kuang is assigned to supervise the investigation, and disguised himself as a fortune teller to approach A Shu. “Finding the Rat” stars Wyborn Leung and Jim Ho-fung.

The Outburst of a Shrew: Kneeling by the Pond

Chen Ji-chang’s wife is talented and beautiful, but also furious and easy to get jealous. One day Cheng’s friend, poet Su Dongbo, invites Chen for a trip to enjoy the arrival of Spring.

Chen reassures his wife that he will behave and will not be fooling around. But his wife soon finds out Chen is accompanied by some lady. So as punishment she orders Chen to kneel by the pond to think of his misbehaviour.

Originally a legend from the Ming Dynasty, this is a classic henpecked comedy.

Iron Cavalry, Silver Match: Invading the City

Towards the end of the Yuan Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, Chen Youliang and Zhang Shicheng are the three lords whose power overshadows the rest. Chen intends to marry Princess Yingping to Zhang’s son Zhang Ren, hoping to create an ally to defeat Zhu. Zhu kills Zhang Ren and orders his warrior Hua Yunlong to impersonate Zhang Ren to marry the princess.

Yunlong and Yingping falls for each other. Not long after, Yingping’s father Chen is killed by Yunlong. Yingping now stands in front of a dilemma of love and hatred.

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Elements of Cantonese Opera: Stage Design (Information provided by Prof. Yuen Siu-fai, written and edited by Musette Tsang)

Tiger Pass Gates refer to the stage’s side entrances. They were formerly known as Ghost Pass Gate as Cantonese operas usually depict deceased figures and chronicle historic events. Because of its negative connotation, the tittle was later renamed.

From the audience’s viewpoint, the left side of the backstage allows storage of props and hamlets, called Props Side; the right side is the place for stacking costumes and wardrobe, known as Costume Side.

Each side of the stage is also labelled as General Coming and Minister Leaving respectively, which hint at the purpose of life. These descriptions have two levels of implication. First, when actors enter the stage, they immerse themselves in their characters and unfold their stories immediately. Second, these wordings communicate a sense of awareness and a condition of performing: when entering the stage, the actor should have the prestige like military generals, and when leaving the stage one should demonstrate the trustworthiness like a court minister.

The ancient Cantonese opera theatre resembles the thrust stage of modern one, extending into the audience on three sides, who can therefore stand around on each flank. The Elevated Stage holds a position higher than the viewers’, thus having an authority in educating the audience.

The Jade Emperor Factory is modelled after the upper floor of an ancient theatre. In The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court, this is the area where the Jade Emperor and other deities locate.

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Xiqu Elements: Space and Imagination (Information provided by Prof. Yuen Siu-fai, written and edited by Musette Tsang)

In its initial period, the stage for xiqu performance was incomparable to modern productions regarding the size and glamour. All settings were brought to life with only one table and two chairs.

Numerous Settings Created with One Table and Two Chairs

Gate tower

Bridge

In the Yuan Dynasty, Han Chinese were reluctant to be under Mongolian rule. Lacking the power to resist, however, they vented their frustration about the reality through performances. Xiqu was the media that resonated with their life most. Performances normally required proper venues, but performers undertook their acts on streets for the benefit of convenience and popularity. To simplify the process of transportation, installation and dismantling, they utilised table and chairs as their main embellishment, props and even theatrical sceneries. Heading towards disparate directions, the same table and chairs manifested sundry settings: hills, bridges, city gates, etc. This particular theatrical installation has also established the aesthetics features of xiqu: virtual and abstract nature of the expressions.

City Gate

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The Theatrical Space of Xiqu: Virtual and Abstract Expressions

The time and space illustrated in xiqu are laden with virtual and abstract structures.

As characters moves on the stage, the scene’s location alters accordingly. Running around a circle suggests completing a thousand-mile journey; the sound of drums and gongs indicates the passage of time.

In Cantonese opera, movements of each role and their virtual quality are transformation and refinement of real-life actions, for instances, opening and closing of a door, walking up and down the stairs, mounting and dismounting a horse, drinking and stitching. All these are embodied through virtual movements and gestures.

The space and imagination of Cantonese opera are demonstrated in the showcase programme: Interactive Drama Workshop – Cantonese Opera Meets K-Pop. As a school tour, its performance takes place in the assembly hall. With little time allowed for setting up and dismantling, lightness and flexibility are prioritised regarding the choice of theatrical sceneries, props and costumes. The drama revolves around three middle school students who pursue their aspirations; its scenes occur predominately in their school and homes. Following the principle held

by One Table and Two Chairs, the creative team manifests diverse sceneries with simple student desks and chairs, facilitated by the presentation of actors and their delivery of bodily language as well as the imagination of audience.

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Elements of Cantonese Opera: Acrobatic Fighting (Information provided by Waden Tsai, written and edited by Musette Tsang)

Acrobatic fighting as One of the Four Major Skills

The five skills and five methods are a simple codification of training for xiqu. The five skills refer to “singing, acting, reciting, acrobatic fighting and somersault.”

Subsequently, “somersault” was subsumed under the “acrobatic fighting” in the Northern School. Whether in the Northern School of Kun and Peking opera or the Southern School in Guangdong, the “acrobatic fighting” originates from real martial art practices and cultivates an aesthetic beauty peculiar to xiqu, thus upholding the principle that “art is inspired life but goes beyond it.”

As the saying “Southerner punches and Northerner kicks” goes, the bridge hand technique (combat skills with bare hands) is available in the Southern school.

However, this does not mean the same trick is denied by the Northern one. There are only dissimilarities regarding the style of movements in both disciplines

The South emphasises strength and expression of power and momentum; its moves are relatively short. By contrast, Northern stunts are comparatively graceful, highlighting techniques and diversity. Their moves are longer and magnified.

Snake Spear: Zhang Fei’s prop weapon Horsewhip (left) and long spear (right)

When one is practising “acrobatic fighting”, one has to simultaneously assimilate the five methods - hands, eyes, body, step and movement. For instances, each prop weapon calls for a distinctive movement of hands and feet. Moreover, to complete a fighting scene with prop weapons precisely, one has to coordinate one’s feet and eyes.

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Fundamental training of Spear in Northern School: The Light and Quick Spear (Special thanks to Prof. Yuen Siu-fai and Mr. Lai Yiu-wai for video demonstration)

“The light and quick spear” covers a quantity of basic skills: casting, spanning, lifting, colliding, covering, circling, stabbing, all-directional shots, tiger move and collating (repetition). These trainings allow one to pick up of a number of basic moves and develop coherence in manipulating the Chinese spear.

Acrobatic fighting in Iron Cavalry, Silver Match

The Cantonese opera Iron Cavalry, Silver Match is based on real events happened towards the end of the Yuan Dynasty. Its Peking opera’s counterpart - Ambush at the Jiujiang River - is inspired by the same historic incident.

In Iron Cavalry, Silver Match: Invading the City, Princess Yingping discovers that her father is murdered by her husband. She vows to avenge his death and challenges her husband to a duel. Both dressed in Dai Kou, the duo launches a spear combat and show off their fascinating talents.

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Elements of Cantonese Opera: Costumes

Dai Kou is a representation of armour, a defence equipment in battlefield. In Cantonese opera, it gives off an imposing manner and can be seen not only during war scenes but also when a character is about to go to the front or enlisting for the army, or even when bandits are attacking. In modern times, a complete set of Dai Kou has gone through modifications and adornments. Its flags have evolved from the shape of square to triangle.

Full Set of Dai Kou Flags (held with vine sticks ) Stripes Shoulder piece Board’s tie Chivalrous stripes Main armour Front armour Thigh dress (left and right pieces) Vine sticks Board

Flags and Board

A Dai Kou carries four or six flags, which stand for military orders. In theory, a general should hand them out when he issues a command. On the stage, however, the actor keeps the flags intact.

Consequently, the flags take on only a symbolic meaning.

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Dai Kou

Chivalrous stripes

Props From left: Fly-whisk, spear, knife, horsewhip

In our school programme, Interactive Drama Workshop – Cantonese Opera meets K-Pop, the protagonist’s late grandpa would appear wearing a Dai Kao. In his mind, his grandpa is always gallant and charming and deserves the title of the “Spirit of Xiqu”.

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Spring Glory Cantonese Opera Workshop X Musette Tsang (One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation)

School Programme: Interactive Drama Workshop – Cantonese Opera meets K-Pop

Other than the well-known classic repertoires, what about a modern story told with Cantonese opera? K-Pop and Cantonese opera may seem remotely acquainted, yet there is much more beyond the imaginable. Theatre director Musette Tsang along with the Spring Glory Cantonese Opera Workshop, will spice up Chinese Opera with KPop elements in theatre format. Students can immerse themselves in a short drama while getting a taste of opera costumes and martial arts.

A thrilling battle is about to begin between two actors, with music, rhythm, dance and stylised movements all inspired by K-Pop and Cantonese opera. A dialogue and a tryout session will follow the short drama. It is time to step into the spotlight and learn basic moves like flicking and waving your stylish water sleeves!

Ever intriguing, Cantonese opera is indeed composed of four elements of “singing, acting, reciting and acrobatic fighting”.

On the inheritance and innovation of Cantonese opera Musette Tsang (One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation)

“Cantonese opera? It is only for old ladies! Who on earth can understand those songs with such complicated lyrics and such high pitch?”

These ideas are commonly entertained by those who are not familiar with Cantonese opera. Even recognising it as a distinctive aspect of local culture, people find it challenging to possess a perspective for understanding it to a deeper level.

Concerning this, Musette Tsang, Director of One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation (OTTC), proposes to debunk the misunderstanding and myth about Cantonese opera while retaining its time-honoured aesthetic value, thus allowing it to move with the times.

Majoring in Western drama, Musette Tsang has been exposed to Cantonese opera since childhood due to her family’s connections. Recognising the needs for improving its promotion, she came upon the idea of merging it with Western drama and composing introductory xiqu titles readily accepted by the younger ones.

OTTC gathers existing fans of Cantonese opera through a multitude of bilingual social media channels. Furthermore, by producing interesting and down-to-earth programmes, it engages teenagers and non-Chinese speaking youngsters, thus expanding the scope and depth of audience.

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Produced by Musette, Interactive Drama Workshop – Cantonese Opera meets K-Pop attempts to find echo among students with sublunary themes and trigger their curiosity with “acrobatic fighting” of xiqu, offering them the “trendiness” of Cantonese opera.

Sharing on the creative process by Rick Cheung, director and playwright of the school programme

It all began with a conversation about inheritance. The term “promotion” implies expanding and developing; whereas “inheritance” refers to a mentoring system that covers circulation, succession, skills and teachings. From a literal sense, we ought to acquire that particular artistry and its related knowledge. In this era of instant gratification, how should we approach young people to re-introduce a performing art seemingly unrelated to them?

Guiding our young viewers with popular culture, our school programme gradually permeates their heart with tradition. “Promotion” does not mean “coercion”. What we need is a seed that arouses the interest and curiosity of young people. As a result, we came up with the prototype of a tour blending K-pop with Cantonese opera.

A book on xiqu goes: “…an artist who can routinely take up motley characters.

Regardless of the role, he/she can deliver exactly what is demanded and completely engage the audience. These are what account for a “versatile connoisseur.”1.

In our school programme, due to limitations in the quantity of actors and the length of the play, we have composed our script in a fashion that resembles the new writing’s. Apart from portraying manifold roles, a single actor would deliver the narrator who describes the time, location and people. With the elements of

1

Alisa Shum, Seventy Years on and beyond the Stage (I, II), Joint Publishing (Hong Kong) Company Limited, 2017.

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passionate school drama, the show encourages young people to learn about themselves and choose to pursue their dreams. We hope this will be a blessing for xiqu and other traditions to withstand the tides of time.

During our research we encountered a documentary video of BLACKPINK, a Korean girl group. We should be aware that, as a matter of fact, succeeding in any kinds of artistry requires endurance and courage. I hope that, as a traditional art, xiqu could be passed down to the next generation. I also hope local teenagers could master what they enjoy and turn it to a timeless virtuosity.

One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation Limited

Established in 2018, One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation Limited (OTTC) is a Hong Kong registered non-profit charity established to conserve, pass on, promote and develop Chinese opera and its related folk arts.

The name “One Table Two Chairs” come from the most basic stage setting for xiqu, and these items best represent the art of Cantonese opera. They can be props or they can form the set. They may become “a city wall”, “mountain forest” or “a hill”.

They can also be “a bridge”, “a castle”, “a military camp” or even “a cliff”. These abstract and virtual mood and actions can only be expressed and performed through actors’ and actresses’ manifestations, opening up a vast space of imagination on stage.

Website: www.1table2charis.com YouTube: 1table2chairs Instagram: 1table2chairs

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Cantonese Opera and Nanyin

It was not until the beginning of Republic of China when nanyin was absorbed into the Cantonese opera and its songs as part of its singing elements. As a mixed form, the nanyin’s melody displays a higher degree of variations and shorter length, retaining only the singing. Nowadays, composers of Cantonese opera still favour a couple of nanyin tunes in their oeuvres.

History of Nanyin

Nanyin is a narrative song art articulated in the Cantonese vernacular. It is a dominant type of Cantonese folk ballads, alongside with Longhzou, Muyu and Banyan and Yue’ou.

Accompanied by Guzheng and Erhu and rhythmically accentuated with clapper, its lyrics often hinges on the life of majority and reflects the hardships of the grassroots. It was once a prevailing entertainment in Hong Kong during the early 20th century.

Nanyin Performance and Famous Figures

Nanyin was mostly performed by blind artistes, who were called Gushi for male and Shi’niang for female; their tunes were known as dishui nanyin. Back in those days, the prevalent means of livelihood for blind people were fortune-tellers, nanyin performers and masseurs. The term Dishui was originally a jargon in fortune telling. As blind people were frequently associated with such business, their singings were generally labelled as dishui nanyin.

Common performance venues were restaurants, private apartments and brothels.

Among all nanyin musicians, the most influential one was To Wun, who was invited to sing in RTHK’s radio show from 1955 to the 70’s. Some of his lengthy tunes could last for months. This was when nanyin’s local popularity reached its peak.

Excerpts of Nanyin Recordings Do you

know?

Excerpts from Man Burning His Garments sung by Prof. Yuen Siu-fai Nanyin was

enlisted in

Intangible Cultural Song of the Exile sung by Prof. Yuen Siu-fai and Heritage of Hong accompanied by muyu, longzhou and banyan Kong in 2009.

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Participating Art Group: Spring Glory Production

Publisher: Hong Kong Arts Development Council

Editor: Cultural Connections

Design: PAPAPER

Date: December, 2020

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of the copyright owner.

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