Xiqu

Cuba’s legendary “Havana Divas” (Caridad Amaran and Georgina Wong Guitierrez) will share the stage with Cantonese opera veterans from Malaysia, Choy Yim-heong and Danny Li from Hong Kong to showcase their lives’ work. Popular repertoires of Yam Bak and Pak Yuk-tong will also be re-staged at the Festival, under the artistic direction of Cantonese opera veterans Danny Li and Law Kar-ying.

A nostalgic journey
Timeless and boundless

Huge audiences flocked to view Cantonese operas across Southeast Asia in the 1950s and 1960s. The artform’s popularity spread even to Cuba, where the legendary “Havana Divas” Caridad Amaran and Georgina Wong Guitierrez staged their home-grown shows. 

In A Long Passion, these extraordinary Cuban stars of yesteryear, will share the stage with documentary photographer Lau Pok-chi to recount their journey spreading the operatic arts in the Carribbean. Malaysian “diva” Choy Yim-heong joins the programme to share her life’s work in the martial arts-informed southern school of Cantonese opera, while Hong Kong veteran Cantonese opera specialist Danny Li will introduce the art form’s development in New York and San Francisco during the 1970s and 1980s. Through their stories, performance excerpts and film clips, audience will catch a glimpse of the enduring treasures of Cantonese opera from its 20th century golden age. 

Li and renowned Cantonese Opera performer Law Kar-ying will serve as artistic directors on full-length works and highlight excerpts from popular repertoires of Yam Bak and Pak Yuk-tong that toured overseas during the mid-20th century.