HK movie star wants young blood to revive Cantonese Opera

When Hong Kong actor Law Kar-ying appears in public, his physique and mannerisms usually remind people of a role he played in the 1994 movie A Chinese Odyssey. The character was that of Xuanzang, a monk who traveled to India to collect Buddhist scriptures.

The hit comedy was loosely based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.

Law has acted in nearly 100 movies since the 1990s, such as Crime Story in 1993 along with Jackie Chan and Future X-Cops with Andy Lau in 2010.

Yet, the 68-year-old actor says his aspiration is rooted in the centuries-old art form: Cantonese Opera.

Along with veteran Hong Kong actress Mai Suet and Cantonese Opera singer Cheng Wing-mui, Law recently performed one of the lead roles in an experimental Cantonese Opera, titled Three Dreams, in Beijing's decades-old Daguanyuan Theater, where traditional Chinese opera shows are often held.

In the recent show, Law wore long red robes and heavy makeup, and sang the rhythmic Cantonese Opera taking the audience back to ancient times.

Initiated and produced by a group of young Cantonese Opera students from Beijing-based National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts, the show was adapted from three classical works of the famous Cantonese Opera scriptwriter Tong Dik-sang (1917-59) - The Flower Princess, Revival of Red Plum and Mistaken Dream of West Chamber.

The three stories revolve around the romance between human beings, ghosts and fairies.

"I spent much time in movies and TV series. But whenever I have the time, I will return to Cantonese Opera. It's important to me," says Law, who is also the artistic director for the show.

Born in Shunde in southern China's Guangdong province, Law learned Cantonese Opera from his father, who performed Cantonese and Peking Opera, from the time Law was 8 years old. In 1973, he founded his own Cantonese Opera troupe in Hong Kong and devoted himself to promoting the art form worldwide.

He says wherever there are Chinese people who speak Cantonese dialect, there is a market for Cantonese Opera.

As one of the major art forms of traditional Chinese opera, Cantonese Opera is performed in the Cantonese dialect and is popular mostly in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. In September 2009, UNESCO listed Cantonese Opera as a worldwide "masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage".

Like many traditional Chinese operas, Cantonese Opera combines singing, martial arts and acting. It reached its peak in the 1950s and '60s, which was developed by renowned scriptwriter Tong and performers Yam Kim-fai (1912-89) and Pak Suei-sin. The indigenous art form has been on a steady decline in recent decades.

Law's troupe was disbanded because fewer people enjoyed the opera in the '80s, he says. And to make ends meet, he started starring in movies and TV series in 1993.

But occasionally he performed with some local troupes. He says, performing Cantonese Opera makes his heart beat faster and takes him back to his childhood.

Most audiences watching Cantonese Opera are above 45.

The younger generation finds it hard to connect with the ancient art form because of its slow melody and old-fashioned plots. Unlike pop and rock music, they also find it difficult to learn because it takes years to master the skills of Cantonese Opera.

"You have to put your time and heart into it. But it's also very difficult to make money, which makes the art form hard to develop," Law says.

"Canto-pop and film stars hold the most sway over young people," adds Law. "There must be new blood to make this dying art come alive."

Wu Jiahui, director of Three Dreams, also performed in the recent Beijing show. He was introduced to Law via Cantonese Opera singer Cheng, one of Law's apprentices.

Along with his classmates and friends, who share the same passion for Cantonese Opera, he funded the show with his own money and aims to revive the ancient Chinese art form with a modern twist and making it more youthful.

"For me, the art form is so beautiful, from the characters' costumes to the delicate portrayal of the roles," says Wu, 21, from Huizhou, Guangdong province.

"It's my dream to tell stories through Cantonese Opera. Thanks to the established artists, we can now make this show happen."

Law Karying (left) plays the lead role in the Cantonese Opera Three Dreams, which was recently staged in Beijing.Zou Hong / China Daily