Cantonese Opera is a centuries-old art in Hong Kong and some provinces in southern China. The performers have to go a long and arduous way to perfecting the art. They often say “one minute of performance on stage, ten years of hard work off stage”.

It’s a hard way for young performers to earn a living in a practical, almost utilitarian society such as Hong Kong’s. Unlike the performers in the past, who learned it to save themselves from poverty, Hong Kong’s young performers are devoted to Cantonese Opera with a deep passion. Nowadays the performers are independent from the troupes and are paid per performance. They also have to pay for their costumes and training.

A Main Character is performing on the stage. There are no more than 30 actors and actresses able to perform as main characters in Cantonese opera in Hong Kong.

Wang Kit Ching fell in love with the magical world of make-up, martial arts and vocal acrobatics when she was a child. She has been learning Cantonese Opera for 21 years and has been practicing it as a full-time job for 8 years, which is still short in this field. Cantonese Opera is considered out of date and boring by people her age while Wang Kit Ching’s devoting her heart and soul to the ancient art.

Since Cantonese Opera was recognized as intangible cultural heritage of Hong Kong by UNESCO, the government has been enhancing the supports for it. In Hong Kong, most Cantonese Opera troupes are non-profit organizations and are supported by the government. The government is also cooperating with the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong to nurture talented new performers.

Many people think the endangered tradition is a unique part of Hong Kong’s identity and shouldn’t die. The young performers like Wang Kit Ching are trying to bring in new ideas such as western drama theories to adapt Cantonese Opera for younger generations.