Promoting Cantonese opera: HKAPA tours Italy

HKETO Brussels supports Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts' Cantonese Opera Tour in Italy

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (Brussels ETO) supported the Italian tour of Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts' (HKAPA) School of Chinese Opera, which presented performances in Piacenza, Urbino, Pesaro and Siena from November 10 to 14.

Speaking at the finale performance by HKAPA in Siena on November 14, the Deputy Representative of Brussels ETO, Miss Fiona Li said, "Hong Kong bears a rich cultural soul rooted in both Chinese heritage and Western influence." She thanked HKAPA for bringing Cantonese Opera to Italy, a living and unique traditional art form that blends music, drama, and movement, and recognised by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. "Impressing the international audience with their dedication and artistry, HKAPA's tour has showcased Hong Kong's growing role as a regional art-and-culture hub," she remarked.

She highlighted the infrastructure the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has heavily invested in, such as the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which celebrates Chinese art and history, and the Xiqu Centre, which is dedicated to preserving the rich tradition of Chinese theatre and Cantonese Opera.

The performance in Siena on November 14 was a special collaboration with the renowned Fondazione Accademia Musicale Chigiana (Chigiana Music Academy). The performance featured several classical scenes from Cantonese Opera, offering audiences an engaging encounter with the art form's revival in a contemporary setting.