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What's Happening Events

07
Jun 2025
(Sat)

Exploring the Vocal, Tonal and Pedagogical Aspects of Cantonese Opera Singing

Event of
Open SPACE 2025
Subject
Chinese Art

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Date & time
07Jun 2025 (Sat)15:45 - 17:15
Type of Event
Hybrid (In-person & Online Attendance)
Venue
Professor and Mrs Enoch Young Lecture Theatre (Room 204), 2/F, Admiralty Centre, 18 Harcourt Road, Admiralty, HK
Online Platform
HKU SPACE YouTube Channel
Fee
Free
Speaker
  • Dr Yuen Siu Fai, BBS, BH (Artistic Director at One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation Professor at Music Department of The Chinese University of Hong Kong) ;
  • Professor Chan Sau Yan (Vice President of the Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Scholars Association)

Dr Yuen Siu Fai, BBS, BH

Professor Yuen Siu-fai is a senior Cantonese opera performer who began his career at age seven as a child actor. He later transitioned to the opera stage and studied Cantonese prosimetric storytelling, Nanyin. Yuen has received numerous awards, including the Hong Kong Artist Award (1991), BH Honorary Medal (1992), and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Artistic Achievement Award (2003). Dedicated to education, he frequently lectures and holds seminars. He is an honorary scholar at the Education University of Hong Kong and has received the HKSAR Bronze Bauhinia Star (2014) and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council Award (2016). Prof Yuen currently serves as Museum Expert Advisor, Artistic Director of the One Table Two Chairs Foundation, and Associate Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Professor Chan Sau Yan

Professor Chan Sau-yan was Lecturer, Associate Professor and Professor in the Department of Music at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) from 1987 to 2007. During this period, he taught courses in Chinese opera, Cantonese opera, fieldwork methodology and Hong Kong music. Currently, Prof Chan is Adjunct Professor teaching cultural management programmes at CUHK. His works include The Legend of Tong Tik-sang’s Creative Career (2016), The Legend of Tong Tik-sang’s Creative Career (co-authored with Prof Estella Cham Lai Suk-ching, 2018), The Legend of Tong Tik-sang’s Creative Career (co-authored with Dr Cheung Kwan-hin and Dr Ho Koon-wan, 2021) and The Legend of Tong Tik-sang’s Creative Career (co-authored with Dr Cheung Kwan-hin, 2nd edition 2022).

Enquiry
3762 0054 (antonia.yeung@hkuspace.hku.hk)
Relevant Programmes
粵劇化妝初探 粵曲演唱教學深造文憑

Cantonese opera, a vital component of Lingnan culture, encapsulates unique aesthetic values through its elaborate and intricate vocal and tonal systems. We are honored to have the presence of Professor Yuen Siu-fai, a distinguished maestro in the field of Cantonese opera, and Professor Chan Sau-yan, a renowned expert in the study of Cantonese opera and Vice- President of the Hong Kong Cantonese Opera Scholars Association, at this event which explores the vocal, tonal, and pedagogical aspects of Cantonese opera singing – a unique and rare occasion not to be missed by educators, researchers, as well as practitioners and enthusiasts of Cantoneseopera.

Professor Yuen Siu-fai, renowned for his profound expertise, will provide insights into the practical aspects of Cantonese opera performance. His extensive experience will illuminate the nuanced techniques and expressive qualities that define the genre's vocal artistry.

Complementing this, Professor Chan Sau-yan will offer a scholarly examination of the theoretical foundations and historical evolution of Cantonese opera's vocal traditions. His academic rigor will highlight the pedagogical methods and cultural significance of teaching and preserving this traditional art form.

Together, the two distinguished speakers will offer a multifaceted exploration of Cantonese opera, bridging the gap between practical performance and academic inquiry. Attendees will gain a deeper appreciation of the rich vocal aesthetics and the enduring legacy of Cantonese opera within the contemporary educational landscape.

Language: Cantonese

 

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The School reserves the right to alter or modify the schedule of the event if necessary or expedient.