Guangzhou Cantonese Opera Art Museum

Guangzhou's Xiguan district was once a major hub for the development of Cantonese opera. The late Cantonese opera star Hong Xiannu was also born there. The Cantonese Opera Art Museum, which opened in 2016, is a great place to fully explore the history, evolution, and legacy of Cantonese opera. It features multiple exhibition halls and a complex of buildings steeped in the ancient charm of Lingnan, showcasing the past and present of Cantonese opera. A visit to the museum highlights the following Lingnan architectural styles.

Cantonese opera, formerly known as Guangdong opera, is a traditional Guangdong opera genre. It first gained popularity in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, and Macau, and later spread to Southeast Asia. Zhou Enlai, China's first Premier, once praised it, saying, "Kunqu opera is the orchid of Jiangnan, and Cantonese opera is the red bean of the South." This earned it the nickname "Southern Red Bean," highlighting the inseparable connection between Cantonese opera and southern culture.

Liwan District was once home to numerous Cantonese opera clubs. As early as 1868, during the Qing Dynasty, the Jiqing Guild Hall was built in Huangsha, Liwan District, becoming the earliest Cantonese opera performance venue. The Eight Wo Guild Hall, also located in Huangsha, Liwan District, was founded in 1889. However, it was damaged by Japanese bombing during the Second Sino-Japanese War. After the victory of the war, it was rebuilt on Enning Road in 1946. Since then, the Eight Wo Guild Hall has become the center of Cantonese opera in Guangzhou. Its location on Enning Road still houses numerous cultural relics, including the former residences of Cantonese opera artists and stages.

The Guangzhou Cantonese Opera Art Museum is located in Liwan District, a place steeped in Cantonese opera tradition.

The museum, a building embodying the Lingnan garden architectural style, is divided into north and south banks. The south bank houses gardens, exhibition halls, a stage, and a theater, primarily for exhibitions, Cantonese opera performances, education, research, and public events. The north bank houses supporting areas for the restoration of Cantonese opera artifacts, and the preservation and promotion of Cantonese opera art.

Let me first briefly introduce the distinctive garden and architectural layout of the south bank. Nan'an is the museum's main venue, with two floors above ground and three floors underground, primarily used as exhibition halls and a theater. Nan'an's layout follows a cross-shaped framework, encompassing Wansha Lake at its center. Surrounding the structure is a courtyard-style structure, encompassing six groups of courtyards, each connected by small bridges, forming a distinct entity.

The Lingnan Garden's imitation of ancient architecture is a key feature of the Cantonese Opera Art Museum. The museum also utilizes the traditional Lingnan craft of "three carvings and two sculptures": wood, brick, and stone carvings; and plaster and ceramic sculptures. These sculptures, housed on the museum's roof, vividly bring characters from various repertoires to life.
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Post by Matthew馬非 | Jul 27, 2023