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Five new members of the Cantonese Opera Advisory Committee were
appointed?on Friday by the Hong Kong Home Affairs Bureau in a
gesture to help the ancient opera withstand challenges posed by
modern pop culture.
These members, who are actors and actress, playwright from the
Cantonese opera sector, were included in the 16-member panel, which
invited celebrities from business and show-biz circles.
Besides the 16 members, representative from government agencies,
like the Home Affairs Bureau, the Leisure and Cultural Services
Department, and cultural institutions also participated the
committee.
Members were appointed for a two-year term, effective from May
1, 2006 to April 30, 2008.
"We hope that members of this new term will continue to enhance
communication between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
government and the Cantonese opera groups," a spokesman for the
Home Affairs Bureau said.
"These will include, in particular, the promotion and
preservation of the heritage of this traditional art form, as well
as studies on developing permanent venues for training,
performances and promotional activities for the sector," the
spokesman said.
Though still popular among the Cantonese-spoken people in
southern China's Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Chinese
communities in Southeast Asia, Cantonese Opera is now facing
increasing competition from pop culture that had captured many
youth's hearts in the region.
The Cantonese Opera Advisory Committee is an advisory body set
up by the Home Affairs Bureau in 2004 to advise the Government on
the promotion, preservation, study and development of Cantonese
opera and to assist the Government in formulating policies to
develop this art form.
Since the establishment of the Cantonese Opera Advisory
Committee, members had made dedicated efforts to help the
development of Cantonese opera in Hong Kong, setting up a Cantonese
Opera Development Fund and promoting related training.
During the previous terms, the Committee had also been
instrumental in facilitating exchange and cooperation on Cantonese
opera and the preservation of its heritage in the Greater Pearl
River Delta Region.
(Xinhua News Agency May 6, 2006)
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