The mysterious history of Cantonese Opera in Chinatown — from 1880s to today
Enjoy a free Cantonese Opera performance this Sunday, Jun 16
Leading up to the free Cantonese Opera performance we’re hosting this Sunday, June 16th, we want to share with you the mysterious history of Cantonese Opera in Chinatown, from the 1880s to today.
Cantonese Opera was a key form of entertainment in Chinatown during the 1880s to the early 1900s, with many competing opera houses located within blocks of each other.
Overseas troupes would arrive by boat, bringing their costumes and regalia to put on elaborate shows in Chinatown.
Some of these theatres included the Sing Ping Theatre, Sing Kew Theatre, and Ko Sing Theatre. Unfortunately, many of these theatres were either burned down or closed over the years. The project Underwater Chinatown documents this history.
Luckily, we can catch a glimpse of what it was like back in the day. There is surviving performance footage from 1944 from an opera house located at 536 Columbia St, right across from 105 Keefer, where the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum and Archives approximately stands today.
Because it was a hassle for the opera troupes to bring back their costumes overseas, many of these items were left in Chinatown. But where did they end up?
At our Big Fight in Little Chinatown screening event at VPL, an attendee told us their family member from the Jin Wah Sing Musical Association in Chinatown discovered an entire repository of costumes left from the opera performances. These items were eventually donated to the Museum of Anthropology (MOA), creating a collection of over 500 objects.
The MOA has informed us that community members who wish to visit the collection can do so with fees waived by emailing collections@moa.ubc.ca to make an appointment.
This upcoming Sunday on Father’s Day, we’re bringing Cantonese Opera into the public space in Chinatown for all to enjoy.
What you can expect:
A Chinese opera makeup demonstration
English and Chinese translation of the synopsis of famous theatre pieces
Performances of 5-short-form plays performed in full costume by the 梨園之星 Lee Yuen Cheer Sing Opera troupe.
We will also be bringing back the popular Chinatown Seniors Mini Market, William’s Library, and complimentary refreshments.
🗓️WHEN: Sunday, June 16 2024, 2:00PM to 5:00PM
📍WHERE: Chinatown Plaza Mall - 106 Keefer Street
Help us continue Chinatown Together events until the end of the year!
We short on funding to be able to run events until the end of the year. If you love the free and inclusive public cultural events that we host in Chinatown to push back against gentrification, please consider donating.