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Since everyone knows that there is a problem,

it is a good start for Cantonese opera

ists out of the field due to the lack of just to cultivate actors, but also to cul- give honest comments to them so that
support. When the quality of current tivate the audience,” Lau adds. they can improve. Also, we should ad-
performance is affected, it can possi- In order to preserve Cantonese vise the government to follow up and
bly lead to loss of audience. But, Lau opera, Ching May-bo, professor of review its funding allocation and ad-
stills feel optimistic about the future History at the Department of Chinese just it accordingly.
of Cantonese opera, with the grow- and History at the All in all, Ching believes Canton-
ing population of old people in Hong City University of ese opera will embrace a glorious fu-
Kong. “It is absolutely normal for a Hong Kong, be- ture. “Since everyone knows that there
60-year-old to appreciate Cantonese lieves it is a col- is a problem, it is a good start for Can-
opera as an art form with their own lective respon- tonese opera,” she says.
life experience,” she says. sibility. “No one
should be blamed Edited by Erica Li
Future of Xiqu for the problems in
Lau believes there is a need to sow Ching May-bo the development of
the seeds for younger audience to ac- Cantonese opera today,” she says.
cept this traditional art form now. Ching stresses that we should re-
“The main purpose of promoting spect opinions from Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera to children is not performers, while we as audience, can

Xiqu Centre at the West Kowloon Cultural District