Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: veteran who keeps flame of Cantonese opera alive
Veteran Cantonese opera teacher Leung Sum-yee does not expect every child who enters her classroom to become a performer. If they leave knowing what good Cantonese opera sounds and looks like, she considers that worthwhile too. “My purpose was not to train stars or idols. I wanted more people to understand Cantonese opera and to have more audiences,” she said. That approach has guided Leung…
Veteran Cantonese opera teacher Leung Sum-yee is a finalist in the culture category of the Spirit of Hong Kong Awards. Having learned the art form through family members starting at approximately age four, Leung trained under veteran playwrights and gained experience both onstage and behind the scenes.
Leung founded an opera organisation in 1994, which was renamed the Kim Sum Cantonese Opera Troupe two years later. The troupe conducts classes for adults, teenagers, and children, while also bringing Cantonese opera into the community and schools. According to the South China Morning Post, Leung was among the first practitioners to introduce Cantonese opera teaching into schools, a field she has worked in for decades.
The South China Morning Post reports that Leung's goal is not to train idols or stars, but rather to increase the number of audiences and foster an understanding of the art form. While she does not expect every student to become a performer, some of her former students have pursued professional careers in Cantonese opera.
Brief written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong, South China Morning Post — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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