Press Releases

11 October 2013

Shang Changrong and Law Ka-ying to speak at the Third Xiqu Seminar
Tickets Available from 12 October

The third episode of West Kowloon Cultural District Xiqu Centre Seminar Series "The Way of Success for Various Role Categories", which features a dialogue between renowned Jingju (Beijing opera) performer Mr Shang Changrong and leading Cantonese opera artist Mr Law Ka-ying, will be held on 23 November 2013 (Saturday).

"This seminar platform, which gained wide acclaim from the audience, has brought some experienced artists and experts from different Chinese theatrical performance genres to Hong Kong over the past few months," Mr Louis Yu, Executive Director, Performing Arts of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) said. "In the years before the opening of the Xiqu Centre, we will continue to facilitate exchange among different Xiqu genres and promote cultural dialogues."

In the coming seminar, renowned Jingju performer and Plum Blossom Grand Prize winner Mr Shang Changrong, who is also the first Chinese to be honoured by the International Theatre Institution as the World Theatre Ambassador, will join Hong Kong celebrated Cantonese opera artist and advocator, Mr Law Ka-ying, to share their success stories and experience on various role categories, which are expected to inspire the audience and young artists alike.

The system of 'Hang Dang' (Role Categories) is an arrangement of characters in Xiqu, primarily divided according to the characters' gender, characteristic, age and status. Today, the division is combined as five major types: Sheng (male role), Dan (female role), Jing (painted face), Mo (old men) and Chou (clown).

Apart from the seminar which is open to members of the public, workshop/master class hosted by Mr Shang Changrong will also be arranged for young talents. "Working closely with the Xiqu sector, we hope to cultivate a healthy pool of artistic talents through different initiatives which seek to advance the professional development of artists, arts groups and practitioners," Mr Yu added.  

"Xiqu Centre Seminar Series" is organised by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority in collaboration with Hong Kong's two major Xiqu training institutes, namely the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

Xiqu Centre Seminar Series - Third Seminar "The Way of Success for Various Role Categories"

Notes to Editors

Shang Changrong
Shang Changrong is the Chairman of the China Theatre Association, a renowned Beijing opera performer and a winner of numerous accolades including the Plum Blossom Grand Prize. He is the first Chinese to be honoured by the International Theatre Institution as the World Theatre Ambassador.

Law Ka-ying
Law Ka-ying is a famous leading actor in Cantonese opera and dedicated to the preservation, promotion and development of Cantonese opera. In 2012, he received the Medal of Honour from the Hong Kong SAR Government.

About Xiqu
Xiqu is a performing art that integrates literature, music, arts, dance, martial arts and juggling. The roles of the artists are categorised as Sheng (male), Dan (female), Jing (the painted face) and Chou (the clown). Xiqu's unique set of rules differentiates itself from other forms of theatre, it is an art form that reflects the traditions of Chinese aesthetics and embodies the rich heritage of Chinese arts.

Xiqu originated from music, dance, Peiyou (comedy) and Baixi (integrating different kinds of juggling) in the Han and Qin Dynasty. It started to take shape in the Song and Jin Dynasty, matured in the Yuan Dynasty and became a popular art form in the Ming and Qing Dynasty.  Influenced by different cultures, music and dialects, there were over 360 forms of Xiqu, and regional genres like Kunju (Kunqu), Jingju, Cantonese opera (Cantonese Yueju), Yuju, Qinqiang, Yueju (Shaoxing Xi) and Huangmei Xi are still very popular today. Junju, Cantonese opera and Jingju were inscribed onto the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2001, 2009 and 2010 respectively. Cantonese opera is the first item in Hong Kong to be inscribed onto the list.