Sun Ma Sze Tsang - 50th Hong Kong Arts Festival

年下半年舉行，作為第 50 屆藝

亦充分反映香港藝術界的人士

行政長官的話

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

congratulate the Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) on celebrating its Golden Anniversary this year.

Striving to enhance the cultural vibrancy of Hong Kong, the HKAF is an annual highlight for arts enthusiasts from home and abroad. Due to the closure of cultural and arts venues during the fifth wave of the pandemic earlier this year, certain in-venue programmes had to be cancelled. This notwithstanding, the HKAF was quick in moving some programmes online while presenting some others (including those open for the public free of charge) as originally planned. Six of these programmes were rescheduled in the latter half of 2022 as a “line-up” to continue the HKAF under the theme “Connected”. It demonstrates the flexibility and creativity of the Hong Kong arts sector in infusing culture in the daily lives of people.

HKAF’s Golden Jubilee and the 60th Anniversary of City Hall.

Every year, more than 1,700 local and international artists take part in the HKAF. With its wide array of traditional performances and innovative contemporary works, the HKAF plays a crucial role in raising Hong Kong’s international reputation in the arts world while highlighting the rich local culture. At the same time, it underpins the strategy to support Hong Kong’s development into an East-meetsWest centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th FiveYear Plan.

2022 年 7 月至

月期間上演連串多姿多彩的現場

This year’s HKAF features a wide array of in-venue programmes, including A Tribute to Cantonese Opera Legend Sun Ma Sze Tsang and the stunning dance performance Colossus, which will be presented from July to November. In addition, the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and artists from City Contemporary Dance Company will jointly present an evening event featuring a spectacular music and dance performance entitled Reflections of Refractions, to mark the

I am encouraged to see that despite the tremendous difficulties during the pandemic, the HKAF remains committed to promoting arts education in schools and other outreach activities. In particular, the PLUS programmes of the Festival bring together artists and members of the public through a range of activities such as behind-the-scenes videos, masterclasses, artist dialogues and preand post-performance talks. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the hard work and dedication of the HKAF team who always strives to ensure the Festival’s ongoing success over the past 50 years. My gratitude also goes to all sponsors and donors for their generous support to the HKAF and the local arts and cultural development.

I wish the 50th HKAF a resounding success, bringing to us many more fabulous programmes in the next 50 years. I also look forward to your continued support of the HKAF.

John KC Lee

Chief Executive

Kong Special Administrative Region

香港藝術節遂作出相應調整，以

線上形式呈獻一系列世界級精采表

演，並安排部分現場節目延期至下

半年上演。今年的主題「繫」，更

是突出香港藝術節如何透過戲劇、

舞蹈、歌劇和音樂等節目，跟世

界保持聯繫，同時也跟觀眾保持聯

繫。我們深信優秀的藝術，不論以

何種形式，都能療癒人心。衷心希

望我們能為你在這重要的一年，帶

來許多難忘時光。

我由衷感謝香港特別行政區政府透

款，以及香港賽馬會慈善信託基金

主席的話 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

The Hong Kong Arts Festival marks a significant milestone this year. Thank you for joining us in celebrating its 50th edition. Though the pandemic continues to present challenges and has prompted us to be extranimble in our response this year, the Festival’s determination to bring you some of the best in performing arts from across the world remains unabated.

The prevailing conditions made travel difficult and the HKAF once again adapted. Though the fifth wave of the pandemic forced venues to close, the Festival still managed to present an excellent world-class lineup online and will present some of the programmes it couldn’t show, on a deferred schedule later this year. The Hong Kong Arts Festival remains “Connected”—to the world and to its audiences—bringing a range of programmes, including theatre, dance, opera and music. We are convinced that great art, in whatever form, is a tonic and we

hope to provide many memorable moments in this landmark year.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who make the Festival possible. These include the HKSAR Government’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which provides an annual subvention; the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, a long-time supporter of the HKAF; and corporate sponsors, charitable foundations and individual donors, for their generous support. Sincere thanks also to all the participating artists, who have brought such joy to Hong Kong audiences, during these times, the difficulties of the pandemic notwithstanding.

I hope you will enjoy today’s performance and many others at this year’s Festival as we enter our next 50 years.

Victor Cha Chairman Hong Kong Arts Festival

連繫，以及我們與一眾藝術家的連

繫。再者，我們也繼續深信藝術作

品能夠帶來想像力，並啟發我們對

人生有更深入了解。

希望這齣節目以至今屆的其他藝術

節節目都能讓你樂在其中。今屆令

我特別鼓舞的是一系列與藝術科技

相關的節目，期待你與我們一同探

索當中的可能性。此外，也敬請留

意我們的「加料節目」活動，豐富

大家對節目的體驗，亦令觀眾與藝

術家的連繫更緊密。

由於疫情關係，今屆部分現場演出

須改期至下半年舉行，成為藝術

節 50 周年的延續篇，與迎來 30 周

年的「青少年之友」同賀重要里程

行政總監的話

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Together with the entire Festival team, I would like to warmly welcome you to this performance at the 50th Hong Kong Arts Festival.

We have had to surmount significant challenges, not least the recent fifth wave of the pandemic, to bring you this programme. But we are motivated by the idea of staying connected: to each other, to the artists who enrich our lives, and to the great works that open up the imagination to exhilarating possibilities while reminding us of our shared humanity.

I hope that you will enjoy this and many other programmes in this Festival. I am particularly excited about the possibilities that Arts x Tech offer, and hope that you will share this journey of exploration with us. Look out also for ancillary PLUS programmes and events, which are curated to connect us with major events in the city and to enrich the Festival experience.

Circumstances have forced us to adapt this year, and some invenue performances have had to be rescheduled, giving us an extended period in the year which marks our 50th Anniversary, 30 years of Young Friends, and of course the 25th Anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong SAR. We are honoured that a number of signature Festival programmes have been selected for inclusion in the 25th Anniversary events.

In this and in many other ways, the Festival has been a part of the Hong Kong story over the past 50 years. We will continue in this role in the years to come, and we sincerely hope that you will continue to stay connected with us long into the future. We will endeavour to work hard to be deserving of your company.

何嘉坤

Tisa Ho

Director

Kong Arts Festival

KONG ARTS FESTIVAL

Arts

in Hong Kong Connecting China and the World

HKAF, a non-profit organisation launched in 1973, is a major international arts festival committed to enriching the cultural life of the city by presenting leading local and international artists in all genres of the performing arts as well as a diverse range of “PLUS” and educational events in February and March each year.

HKAF has presented top international artists and ensembles, such as*:

• Western opera: Bavarian State Opera, Oper Leipzig, The Bolshoi Theatre, The Mariinsky Theatre

• Chinese opera: China National Peking Opera Company, Hebei Clapper Opera Troupe, Shanghai Zhang Jun Kunqu Art Center, Suzhou Kunqu Opera Company of Jiangsu, Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe

• Classical music: Cecilia Bartoli, Riccardo Chailly, Seong-Jin Cho, Gustavo Dudamel, Philip Glass, Yo-Yo Ma, Denis Matsuev, Anna Netrebko, Gianandrea Noseda, Seiji Ozawa, Thomas Quasthoff, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Tan Dun, Muhai Tang, Christian Thielemann, London Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Thomanerchor Leipzig, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

• Jazz and world music: Bobby McFerrin, Youssou N'Dour, Esperanza Spalding, Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club, Pink Martini

• Dance: Mikhail Baryshnikov, Sylvie Guillem, Akram Khan, American Ballet Theatre, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, The Hamburg Ballet – John Neumeier, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch

• Theatre: Peter Brook, Robert Lepage, Yukio Ninagawa, Robert Wilson, Berliner Ensemble, National Theatre of China, Royal Shakespeare Company

• Large-scale special events: World of Wearable Art, Zingaro

• Outdoor events: Power Plant, Super Pool, Chorus

HKAF actively collaborates with Hong Kong’s own creative talent and showcases emerging local artists. Over the years, HKAF has commissioned and produced over 250 local productions across genres including Cantonese opera, theatre, chamber opera, music and contemporary dance, many with successful subsequent runs in Hong Kong and overseas. Recent HKAF productions include Gangsters of Hong Kong, Always by Your Side, Pavilion of a Hundred Flowers, A Floating Family – A Trilogy, Hong Kong Odyssey, Danz Up, Datong – The Chinese Utopia, The Amahs and Murder in San Jose, to name a few.

HKAF frequently partners with renowned international artists and institutions to produce exceptional works, such as Der Fensterputzer (The Window Washer) co-produced by HKAF, Goethe-Institut Hong Kong and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Richard III and The Tempest produced by The Old Vic, BAM and Neal Street under “The Bridge Project” with HKAF as a co-commissioning institution, Green Snake cocommissioned with Shanghai International Arts Festival, and Dream of the Red Chamber co-produced with San Francisco Opera.

HKAF invests heavily in arts education for young people. Over the past 30 years, our “Young Friends” scheme has reached around 800,000 local secondary and tertiary school students. A variety of arts education projects serving primary, secondary, and tertiary school students have been launched in recent years, featuring activities such as student showcases, pre-performance talks, open rehearsals, opportunities to attend Festival performances, as well as in-school workshops and lecture demonstrations led by international and local artists. Donations to the “Student Ticket Scheme” also make available approximately 10,000 half-price student tickets each year.

HKAF organises a diverse range of “Festival PLUS” activities in community locations each year to enhance engagement between artists and audiences. These include films, lecture demonstrations, masterclasses, workshops, symposia, backstage visits, exhibitions, meet-the-artist sessions, and guided cultural tours.

HKAF actively promotes inclusiveness and understanding via the arts to every corner of the community. The “No Limits” project, co-presented with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, was launched in 2019. Through a series of performances and diverse arts experiences for students and the community, “No Limits” strives to create an inclusive space for people with different abilities to share the joy of the arts together.

(852) 2828 4910/11/12

Sun Ma Sze Tsang had a long relationship with the Hong Kong Arts Festival and City Hall. In the 1970s, he performed in many HKAF Cantonese opera programmes, including in the title role in Xue Pinggui, the roles of Xu Xian and Xu Shilin in Shilin Wailing at the Pagoda. His signature plays The Golden Bracelet and The Sword of Loyalty were also presented at the 1975 and 1977 HKAFs respectively. He also performed Cantonese opera multiple times at the City Hall Concert Hall.

“Ah bitter!” When Sun Ma Sze Tsang wails these words in Death in the Sutra Hall, the audience is immediately overwhelmed and thunderous applause follows. This scene from Death in the Sutra Hall made a big impression on a young Sun Kim-long (aka. Tin Gor). Sun Ma Sze Tsang was originally known as Tang Wingcheung, but everyone fondly addressed him as “Cheung Gor”. Hailed as a child prodigy for his debut performance on stage singing “Bestowing the Sword” from Prince of Thieves, a signature play of Ma Sze-tsang, he later took “Sun (new) Ma Sze Tsang” as his stage name and used it for the rest of his life.

無懈可擊的全能老倌

的功架更加爐火純青，能夠活

Lu Bu in Diaochan and Gou Jian in Xishi are the roles that made Sun Ma Sze Tsang a rising star, and “A King’s Revenge”, sung by Gou Jian in the opera of Xishi, became his first signature song. “Cheung Gor was at his most brilliant when he was on stage. Whether he was playing the role of Zhou Yu or dressed in women’s garb for the role of Mu Guiying, his renditions were always impressive, his singing and acting flawless. The most impressive thing is he brought drama to his performance, as if he was possessed,” Tin Gor said. Tin Gor admits he only saw Sun Ma Sze Tsang perform live a few times, but each time he was mesmerised. “Cheung Gor excelled at merging the essences of different mainstream regional operas like Peking opera and Kunqu, and apply them to

his performance. His beautiful voice rendered his performance all the more fascinating.” Tin Gor says Sun Ma Sze Tsang’s influence on the development of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong lies in the style and mode of his singing and acting. “Cheung Gor’s acting is free-spirited, whether it be when expressing emotion or moving on stage. Each is a wilful expression and different every time.” Such innate qualities, married to his acquired training, made Sun Ma Sze Tsang’s performances complete, allowing him to vividly embody the essence of characters and sweep audiences off their feet.

The Sword of Loyalty is one of Sun Ma Sze Tsang's signature plays. He played the title role Ng Hon.

延續「新馬」精髓

Continuing the Sun Ma Sze Tsang Spirit

The immensely popular 1950s opera Lust Is the Worst Vice, with Ng Kwan-lai as co-star, established Sun Ma Sze Tsang as a major figure in Cantonese opera. But Tin Gor’s favourite of Cheung Gor’s works is Death in the Sutra Hall. “‘Death in the Sutra Hall’ is one of the highlights of The Sword of Loyalty, which was also the first full-length opera I learned when I started out in Cantonese opera.” It came as no surprise that when the Hong Kong Arts Festival invited Tin Gor to conceive this performance series, The Sword of Loyalty was the first work he chose to include. Other operas in the series include Emperor Guangxu Mourns Concubine Zhen at Night, The Amorous Emperor and The Golden Bracelet. Tin Gor says each of these four plays has particular aspects of Sun Ma Sze Tsang's inimitable feature and style. “Emperor Guangxu is one of the few Qing-period Cantonese opera works; The Amorous Emperor is a well-known play frequently performed by Cheung Gor; while The Golden Bracelet was not frequently performed by Cheung Gor but contains many brilliant scenes.” As artistic

director, Tin Gor continues to cast young talent in this series, as he has done in the past. “I would tailor the show to the actors’ strengths, but not give specific directions as to their style of singing or acting.” Tin Gor admits the artistry of Sun Ma Sze Tsang is not something young performers can easily master, but if they take this opportunity to learn and to assimilate the essence of his artistry and incorporate it into their personal style, it would be his greatest achievement as artistic director of this series.

Ma Sze Tsang used to perform regularly at Hong Kong City Hall and the Hong Kong Arts Festival. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong Arts Festival as well as the 60th anniversary of City Hall, so this is timely tribute to commemorate this Cantonese opera superstar.

SUN MA SZE TSANG

Ma Sze Tsang was born Tang Wing-cheung in Shunde, Guangdong. Tang’s parents divorced when he was eight. Maltreated by his stepmother, he ran away from home. Tang was taken in by street artists and he started his career as a performer since then. He made great progress after one year as apprentice to the Cantonese opera actor Ho Sau-nin. His stunning debut stage in Shantou earned him the name of “Child Prodigy”. At the age of 17, he became a pupil of the famous Cantonese opera actor Sit KokSin, and the Peking opera performer Lin Shusen, during

which time he formed his unique singing style, “Sun Ma” style.

Sun Ma Sze Tsang founded troupes such as Yuk Ma, Sun Ma and Ng Wong, and acted in more than 300 films and plays as well, including his signature pieces Lust Is the Worst Vice and Emperor Guangxu Mourns Concubine Zhen at Night. In 1936, Sun Ma made his bigscreen debut. He was mostly cast in comic roles, with great success. In 1960, he established Wing-cheung Records Company. His unhappy childhood experience made him a great devotee of charity work. He attended charity shows for many years, earning the nickname “King of Charitable Opera”.

Sun Ma Sze Tsang died on 21 April 1997 after more than three months in hospital suffering from bronchitis and heart disease.

ACTOR ABOVE CHARACTER–THE SOUNDSCAPE OF SUN MA SZE TSANG

Hong Kong newspaper The Voice of Entertainment used to ask its readers to vote on “The Three Kings of the Opera World”. For two consecutive years, 1952 and 1953, Cantonese opera icon Sun Ma Sze Tsang (1916-1997) was voted “the king of the civil and martial male leading roles”. His singing style (referred to as the “Sun Ma style”) is generally recognised as being in a league of its own. Actors who entered the profession later, and have no direct connection to Sun Ma Sze Tsang, continue to perform and interpret his representative works, raising important questions about the preservation and innovation of singing styles within the art form.

In late 1938, Sun Ma Sze Tsang joined the Kok Sin Sing Opera Troupe led by Sit Kok-sin (19041956). In his memoir published in 1970, Sun Ma wrote of how he followed Sit to Shanghai in 1945, where the troupe leader allowed him to perform his representative work Why Don’t You Return. But due to some improvisation in the performance, a rift developed between Sun Ma and Sit’s wife. After leaving Sit’s troupe, Sun Ma continued to perform Why Don’t You Return, and with his own unique style, he transformed the opera into a masterpiece of his own. Notably, Sit and Sun Ma have completely different interpretations of the line “I resent the saying that the will of heaven is profound” from the scene, “Comforting the Wife”, and critics have taken note.

Poon Bong-chuen believes that when Sit comes to this line,

he lowers the tone in order to express the character’s grief and resentment in a deep and subtle manner; while Shum Bing-wo believes that Sun Ma Sze Tsang goes from sub-high to very high to express rage and sadness.

In real life, when facing the same situation, different people will of course react in different ways.

And when performing the same opera, different actors will also have their own interpretations of their characters’ situations and moods. In her work on the performance culture of Peking opera, scholar Wang Anqi points out that when watching the opera

The Trial, audiences should not only be watching the character of Su San, but also comparing the ways the character is portrayed by Mei Lanfang (1894-1961) and Cheng Yanqiu (1904-1958).

This type of appreciative viewing helps observers develop a unique “actor above character” perspective. In different performances of the same opera, the personality of a character is determined by the different actors’ singing styles and personalities. And the different interpretations of the same line by Sit and Sun Ma Sze Tsang are another example of the “actor above character” approach.

I believe that the actor reflects the personality of an opera character through their singing style, while at the same time revealing their own talents, experience and temperament. It is through this process that the actor reflects on himself (internally) and expresses himself (externally) through art. Having their singing

style evaluated by an audience is also a form of reflection and expression. The singing style is not only an artistic characteristic, but also a human characteristic. The preservation and passing down of the operatic singing tradition does not lie in the blind imitation of melody and singing style, but in the display of individuality.

When performing the representative works of Sun Ma Sze Tsang, later actors with similar temperaments to his can come close to equalling his performances. If they tailor their vocals based on the motivations of the characters, even if they do not follow the recorded rhythm and singing methods left by Sun Ma, their singing styles will be somewhat similar. However, people’s temperaments are never exactly the same. When an actor’s interpretation of the opera character and their own personality are on full display, a new style based on the Sun Ma style will emerge.

Lastly, but just as important, is skill, which is necessary for the preservation and innovation of singing styles. For singing skills to reach a reasonable level, certain conditions need to be met and then taken to the next level, where the actor should be dedicated to character development and creating a personal style of their own.

Lum Man-yee Chinese Opera Scholar / Educator / Critic based in Hong Kong

Sun Kim-long

新劍郎

SUN KIM-LONG 藝術總監

Artistic Director

Sun Kim-long is a veteran performer, producer and playwright dedicated to the acting, promotion and production of Cantonese opera. He has contributed to works including Seven Filial Kin, The Emperor of Yuen - Kublai Khan, Madame Butterfly, The Wife and the Concubine and Eighteen Arhats Taming the Golden Condor. He wrote his first play, Reflection of Beauties in Lotus Pond, in 2001, with many more following in subsequent years, including Jade Hairpin in 2004. His recent works include Investigation to Redress a Wrong, Romantic Dreams of Sudi and A Love Poem Stained with Blood

Sun currently serves as vicechairman of the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong and artistic director of the Association’s Cantonese Opera Young Talent Showcase held in Yau Ma Tei Theatre. In 2018, he was awarded Artist of the Year Award (Xiqu) by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, and in 2019, he received the Medal of Honour from the HKSAR Government.

Cast and Characters

Ruan Demin as The Emperor

Attracted by Mang Lai-kwan’s beauty, the Emperor plans to marry her but fails Yue Ling-loong as Mang Lai-kwan Daughter of the Mang family and fiancée of Wongpou Siu-wah

Ryder Chan as Wongpou King-tsung Father of Wongpou Siu wah and Wongpou Cheung wah

Leung Wai-hong as Madam So and Wing Luk

Madam So is the Nanny of Mang Lai kwan Wing Luk is the servant of the Empress

Leung Sum-yee as Wongpou Cheung-wah Empress; Daughter of Wongpou King Tsung; Older sister of Wongpou Siu wah

Vong Seng-pan as Wongpou Siu-wah Youngest son of Wongpou King tsung ; Younger brother of Wongpou Cheung wah; Fiancé of Mang Lai Kwan

本事

In order to escape from a forced marriage, Mang Lai-kwan disguises herself as a man, heads to the capital and takes the imperial examination under a male pseudonym,

Ming-tong, and manages to secure a place at the imperial court.

At the court, Siu-wah suspects Lai Ming-tong is actually his fiancé, and seeks advice from the Emperor. However, Lai-kwan’s beauty also draws the Emperor’s attention, and he invites her for a walk in the royal garden. To sound Lai-kwan out, Siu-wah pretends to be ill and tells her he is lovesick. She, however, afraid of divulging her identity, declines to take the bait.

The Emperor tries to get Lai-kwan drunk in the hope of spending the night with her. The ruse fails when some of the court maids surprise him. This causes the Empress Dowager to suspect Laikwan’s identity as well. She orders Wing Luk to steal Lai-kwan’s shoes to determine if she is a woman, but the Emperor gets there first. He then threatens Lai-kwan. She knows the game is up, and she comes clean. The Empress Dowager forgives her. Lai-kwan then becomes the Empress Dowager's foster daughter and is granted permission to marry Siu-wah, thwarting the Emperor’s hopes of bedding her.

Cast and Characters

Lam Tin-yau as Emperor of Han and Ng Hon Ng Hon is the son of Ng Ying and husband of Wong Lan-ying Tang Mi-ling as Empress of Han and Wong Lan-ying Wong Lan-ying is the wife of Ng Hon and daughter of Wong Mong

Leung Wai-hong as Wong Ming and Madam Ng Wong Ming is one of the government officials Madam Ng is the wife of Ng Ying, mother of Ng Hon and mother in law of Wong Lan ying

Ryder Chan as Wong Mong

Relative of the royal family and major government official

Leung Sum-yee as Madam Wong Wife of Wong Ming

Vong Seng-pan as Lau Sau Emperor Guangwu of Han, first emperor of Eastern Han dynasty

Wong Mong seizes the throne, forces the Emperor of Han to drink poison and kills his loyal minister Ng Ying.

Since the very beginning, the Emperor of Han has foreseen Wong’s evil intentions and passes the heirloom seal of the realm to the Crown Prince Lau Sau. The Emperor also commands Lei Bing, Ma Sing and Wong Ming to help the prince evade Wong Mong.

Years later, Wong Mong selects Ng Ying’s son Ng Hon to be his son-in-law. After their marriage, Ng Hon then captures Lau Sau by chance. He joyfully tells his mother about this news. This reminds Ng’s mother of the pain of losing her husband. She tells her son that in the past, his father was killed by Wong Mong. Her humiliation and hatred for Wong has never waned. She demands that her son stab his wife to death. Out of loyalty and filial piety, Ng Hon pledges to kill Lan-ying but cannot bring himself to do so. In the end, to complete Ng Hon’s mission of taking revenge and reviving the Han dynasty, Lan-ying sacrifices herself, falling on the loyal sword.

Cast and Characters

Lam Tin-yau as Cho Zi-yuk Top scholar in liberal and martial arts in the Jin state

Tang Mi-ling as Princess Gam Fung

One of the daughters of King Huai of Jin. Sister of Princess Ngan Fung. She is falling in love with Cho Zi-yuk

Leung Wai-hong as Fuk Luk Eunuch of the Jin royal family

Ryder Chan as King Huai of Jin King of the Jin state

Leung Sum-yee as Princess Ngan Fung

One of the daughters of King Huai of Jin. Sister of Princess Gam Fung

Vong Seng-pan as King of Zhao King of the Zhao state

本事

The fair Princess Gam Fung is engaged to Cho Zi-yuk. On their engagement day, King of Zhao sends 100,000 troops to abduct the princess. Gam Fung presents Cho Zi-yuk with her gold bracelets and then Zi-yuk brings his troops to battle. But Ziyuk is defeated and goes into exile. To protect her nation and people, Gam Fung reluctantly assents to the King of Zhao’s proposal of marriage. On her way to the state of Zhao, she secretly goes to a mass grave to look for Zi-yuk’s remains, where she discovers that he is still alive, and they are finally reunited.

Cast and Characters

Ruan Demin as Emperor Guangxu Second last Emperor of the Qing dynasty Yue Ling-loong as Concubine Zhen Beloved concubine of Emperor Guangxu. She is killed by Empress Cixi later

Tang Mi-ling (Guest performer) as Empress Dowager Cixi Last empress dowager of Qing dynasty. After Emperor Xianfeng died, she starts ruling behind the curtain

Ryder Chan as Li Lianying Chief eunuch. Trusted by Empress Cixi

Leung Sum-yee as Jin Feng Niece of Empress Cixi

Vong Seng-pan as Weng Tonghe Government official of Qing dynasty

Emperor Guangxu detests having no authority because his regent, the Empress Dowager Cixi, rules behind the curtain. But Concubine Zhen, a virtuous and upright woman, is of a similar mind to Guangxu. They boldly carry out the Hundred Days' Reform to improve the lives of their subjects. One day, Guangxu calls his close courtiers to a meeting about the reforms. Yuan Shikai, one of the government officials, finds out and informs Empress Dowager Cixi of the incident, which infuriates her. Concubine Zhen is then drowned in a well on the orders of Cixi, while Guangxu is rendered powerless and imprisoned on Yingtai island.

阮德民 Ruan Demin

Demin, a graduate of the Zhanjiang Arts School and Guangdong Cantonese Opera School, began his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in Chinese Opera studies at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) on a full scholarship in 2008. After graduating in 2012, he joined the Young Academy Cantonese Opera Troupe. In 2013, he appeared in the Cantonese Opera Young Talent Showcase. Ruan received an Outstanding Performance Award (sheng, leading male role) the following year from the Rising Stars in Cantonese Opera event organised by West Kowloon Cultural District.

Lam Tin-yau graduated from the Guangdong Yueju School and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. He began his Cantonese opera studies at the age of nine and has since established a solid foundation. He has been under the tutelage of famous Cantonese opera artist Lam Kar-sing to learn and pick up the celebrity’s eponymous “Lam School” of Cantonese opera. In 2011, he established the Nan Art Workshop with partner Cheng Nga-ki and later formed the Chung Sin Sing Cantonese Opera Troupe along with several

Cantonese opera troupes, subsequently getting involved in a multitude of major popular new Cantonese opera productions, including The Women’s Kingdom and the Delusive Love, A Hidden Arrow and Surfing the Sea of Blood. In 2014, he also performed in the 42nd Hong Kong Arts Festival’s Wu Song the Tiger Killer and The Gilded Fan as well as the 49th Festival’s Noah’s Ark in 2021.

Born into a family steeped in Cantonese opera, Tang Mi-ling grew up under the influence of her family’s seniors, such as Leung Hon-wai, Leung Siusum, and Man Chin-sui. She underwent training in both the Cantonese Opera Academy of Hong Kong and the Hon Fung Cantonese Opera Institute, being tutored and coached by many Cantonese operatic celebrities, including Wong Yuet-sang. Since entering the realm of Cantonese opera, she has been apprenticed to Chen Yongling, Hu Zhifeng, Liang Guyin, Wang Zhiquan,

Liu Xiurong, Ying Kam-sha, and other famous Peking opera and Kunqu veterans.In terms of vocal prowess, she has absorbed the techniques of her teacher— eminent zihou (woman's vocal) singer Chan Wai-ling.

In 2016, senior Cantonese opera artist Chan Siu-fung took her under his wing as a live-in apprentice. Tang Mi-ling has committed to producing new Cantonese operas, including Rebirth, The Strong Hero with a Romantic Heart, Li Qingzhao, and more. Recently, she performed in Noah's Ark for Hong Kong Arts Festival in 2021.

into a family with a long tradition in Cantonese opera, Yue Ling-loong began training at the age of 11, learning the basics under the tutelage of Yam Taifan. After her stage debut in a performance of operatic excerpts in 1999, she collaborated with Guangzhou Hongdou Cantonese Opera Troupe and Shunde Opera Troupe in Hong Kong and mainland China. In 2006, she performed wearing a pair of lotus shoes for bound feet for the first time in The Bound-feet Muk Kwaiying Breaks the Heavenly Gate Formation. She founded Yue Ling Loong Cantonese Opera in 2010. From 2005 to 2009, she took part in the ritual performances of Cantonese opera on Po Toi Island. She has performed with Lung Koon-tin, Nam Fung, Lee Fung, Yau Sing-po, Liu Kwok-sum, Yuen Siu-fai, Choi Kei-leun, Lui Hungkwong and other opera stars.

For The Bound-Feet Liu Jinding Crashes Four Gates, she won the 2007 Audience Choice Award for Cantonese Opera Performance –Silver Award by Radio Television Hong Kong. In 2010, she was recognised with the Award for Young Artist in Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2009, and the Most Promising Actor Merit Award by Radio Television Hong Kong and the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong. In 2022, she participated in the HKAF show, “Faith, Family, Fealty–Three Cantonese Operas”.

his youth, Leung Waihong has been a student at his father Leung Hon-wai’s Hong Fung Cantonese Opera Institute. Leung Wai-hong has established himself as a performer under the tutelage of Guo Jinhua for the basics, Jia Junxiang for movement and posture of jing roles (a role known for painted faces such as heroes, generals, villains, gods or demons), Ko Yun-kun for gongs and drums and Yuen Siu-fai for grasping the essence of traditional formulaic plays. He is now extending

his range by specialising in chousheng (comic male) roles.

In 2011, Leung Wai-hong, Lai Yiu-wai, Thomas Law and Lau Tsz-yan established Canto Op and staged a significant number of shows, including comical Cantonese operas Lunar New Year’s Chatty Women, Madame Pui at the Ball, as well as Cantonese operas The Arrant Revenge, Kublai the Great and Noah's Ark

Performances Leung has been involved in include The Purple Hairpin (2015), Dream of Peony Pavilion (2017), The Butterfly and the Red Pear Blossoms (2018), and Princess Changping (2019).

Ryder Chan, a specialist in the roles of wusheng (military male) and chousheng (comic male), studied singing under chousheng Chan Hung-chun, Hu Zhifeng, Ng Lut-kwong, Tai Shing-kwan, Ying Kam-sha and more. Chan graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and is currently active in various Cantonese opera troupes. His past accolades include the Golden Award from the National Youth Quyi Contest in Guangdong province (2006), the Golden Award for the Youth Selection Competition of the Rising Star of Quyi (2008), the Award of Excellence in the King of Xiaoqu Contest (2010) and Champion in the Hong Kong Youth Cultural and Arts Competition (2012). His better-known performances include Revenge at Guang Chang Long, Offering Incense to Mark a Lovers’ Pledge, Female Generals of the Yang Family, Hiding in the Luo River and The Defeat at Maicheng.

Ryder Chan

梁煒康 Leung Wai- hong

Angel Leung Sum-yee joined the Love and Faith Cantonese Opera Laboratory in 2003, under the mentorship of Cheung Bo-wah. Since 2005, she has studied opera singing under master Lam Kam-tong. In 2011, she officially became an apprentice of renowned actress Wan Fei-yin. Leung enrolled in the Advanced Diploma in Cantonese Opera at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2020 and received an Outstanding Performance Scholarship for 2020/21 and the Grantham

Fund 2020. In 2021, Leung was selected as one of the Outstanding Tertiary Students. Currently, she is a board member of the Chinese Artist Association of Hong Kong, and has taken part in the Hong Kong Arts Festival and Chinese Opera Festival.

Speared Luk Man-lung, which was also performed in Guangzhou with guidance and appreciation from master Hung Sin-nui.

Upon graduation, Vong was recommended by Lung Koontin to enter the Cantonese Opera Young Talent Showcase organised by the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong. Vong is now a fulltime actor employed by various troupes. He was coached by Guan Shizhen, Wong Sing-kwan, Yau Lung and Tsai Chi-wei. His repertories include General Di Qing, Reincarnation of Lady Plum Blossom and Death of a Loyal Warrior.

Seng-pan was born and raised in Macau. When he was nine, he learned Cantonese opera at the Cantonese Opera Youth Training Centre of the União Geral das Associações dos Moradores de Macau. His acting credits for the Macau Arts Festival include Zhou Yu and The Double-

Angel Leung Sum

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