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Cantonese Opera

An evening to remember

Authentic make-up, sumptuous costumes and stage settings direct from China certainly made a night at the Cantonese Opera one to tell the grandchildren about.

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The performance on Saturday 8 September, 2007, drew a large audience to the ASB Theatre at the Aotea Centre, Auckland, and an incredible $18,000 raised from those ticket sales was donated to the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation (LBF). Prime Minister Helen Clark and Opposition leader, John Key, sent their apologies and best wishes to both the Cantonese Opera Society of New Zealand and the LBF.

204Cantonese-Opera The evening starred Peng Che Quan, direct from the People’s Republic of China, and principal diva Audrey Chan, who is also founder of the society.

Cheng Wing Mui, a rising Cantonese Opera graduate from the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, and her opera acrobatic skill tutor joined the show and their performances drew spontaneous applause from the audience. Although all the performers sang the arias in their original language, there were English subtitles.

The excerpts performed at the ASB Theatre at the Aotea Centre, Auckland, included: The Taming of the Proud Princess, The West Lake Encounter, The Legend of the White Snake, The Feudal Tragedy and The Ghostly Rescue from Reincarnation of the Red Plum Blossom Lady.

Pru Etcheverry, Executive Director of the LBF, said: "We were incredibly honoured to be chosen as the beneficiary of this unique fundraising event. The grace and skill of the performers, and the beautiful sets and costumes, ensured a really special evening."