The Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (HKETO), Ms Emily Mo, attended the Yuen May Wong Cantonese Opera Charity Show staged at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts on June 21. The show showcased young Cantonese opera talents to Canadian audience and enhanced cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Canada. HKETO is a sponsor of the performance.
In delivering remarks at the Cantonese opera performance, Ms Mo is delighted to share with the audience the beauty of this art form. “Cantonese opera is an important part of Hong Kong’s traditional culture,” Ms Mo said. “It was included in national first intangible cultural heritage list. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has injected more than HK$100 million to encourage the creation of new plays, nurture talents and appeal to a young audience in the last decade.”
“Tonight’s performance is particularly special,” Ms Mo continued. “It gathers performing artists from Canada, Hong Kong and Guangzhou to enhance cultural exchanges between the East and the West.”
To develop Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th Five-Year Plan, Ms Mo remarked that the HKSAR Government has allocated close to HK$6 billion to support the art and cultural development in this financial year, an increase of about 40% compared with five years ago.
In addition, the Xiqu Centre of the West Kowloon Cultural District and the soon-to-be completed East Kowloon Cultural Centre also provide important venues as nurturing ground and performing arena for Cantonese opera artists.
Before closing, Ms Mo stressed that HKETO will continue to collaborate with different community art groups to inherit the art of Cantonese opera in Canada and Hong Kong.
The performance is produced by noted Cantonese opera producer and lyricist, Ms Yuen May Wong, with artists from Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Toronto including Canadian Hong Kong artist, Ms Yemina Chung. Born in Vancouver and graduated from McGill University, Ms Chung has a passion for Cantonese opera and was a tutor at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Her participation in the show demonstrated the splendid cultural exchanges on Cantonese opera between Hong Kong and Canada.
香港經貿處支持來自香港、廣州及多倫多演員參演的粵劇表演
香港駐多倫多經濟貿易辦事處（香港經貿處）處長巫菀菁六月二十一日出席阮眉加港穗協唱慈善粵劇粵曲晚會，活動由香港經貿處贊助，在烈治文山演藝中心舉行，向加拿大觀眾展示年輕粵劇演員的才華，促進港加兩地的文化交流。
巫菀菁在晚會上致辭時表示，很高興能與觀眾分享粵劇藝術的精髓。她說：「粵劇是香港傳統文化的重要一環，並獲列入首批國家級非物質文化遺產名錄，香港特別行政區政府（特區政府）在過往十年投放逾一億港元，鼓勵業界創作新劇目、培育新血和吸引年輕觀眾。」
她續指：「今晚的表演尤其特別，因為能匯聚加拿大、香港和廣州的演藝人才，促進中外文化交流。」
國家《十四五規劃綱要》點明香港將發展成為中外文化藝術交流中心，巫菀菁表示香港特區政府已於本財政年度撥款近60億港元支援藝術和文化發展，較五年前增加約四成。
此外，西九文化區戲曲中心及快將落成的東九文化中心均提供核心訓練及表演場地予粵曲藝術表演者。
最後，巫菀菁強調香港經貿處將繼續與不同社區藝術團體合作，傳承加拿大和香港的粵劇藝術。
今次粵劇粵曲晚會由知名粵曲撰詞人阮眉女士主辦，由香港、廣州及多倫多三地的粵曲表演者聯合携手演出，當中包括生於溫哥華、畢業於麥基爾大學的加籍香港演員余仲欣。她鍾情粵曲，曾在香港演藝學院擔任導師，是次參演正好彰顯港加兩地粵曲文化交流。
