[2010.05.15] HUNG SIN NUI HAS MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT CANTONESE OPERA

courtesy of takungpao.com

The 9th Annual China Art Festival is taking place in Guangzhou. Famous performer Hung Sin Nui has appeared in each performance venue to absorb different art performance format. She expressed that she had to keep studying and working. If the audience was willing to accept it she will make another Cantonese opera animation to attract even more young people to appreciate Cantonese opera.

Dressed in pink, Sister Nui was animated and did not resemble a senior in her 80s. Having just received the Chinese opera association's first "Chinese opera lifetime achievement award", Sister Nui was asked what young actors should learn from her. She looked somewhat embarrassed as she humbly expressed, "The Lifetime Achievement Award was very unexpected, but the younger folks shouldn't learn from me. They should study Chinese people's excellent quality." As a performing artist, Sister Nui felt that she should use her singing and performing art to perform in the new era, but she could not just do so with Cantonese opera. She had to absorb stage drama, musical and other performance format, as she needed to continue to learn in order to keep up the pace of time.

The Cantonese opera WEDDING ON EXECUTION GROUND will compete in this art festival's Wenhua award. Sister Nui honestly said that she had a lot of expectation for this opera. Sister Nui expressed that after the Cantonese Opera was recognized as cultural heritage it faced a lack of screenplay and young actors. Sister Nui pointed out that neither could be resolved in the short run, but felt that no one should be too pessimistic. Cantonese opera had quite a market outside the cities. Anywhere with Cantonese people would have Cantonese opera. Sister Nui was the most concerned about the lack of creative teams and the lack of new operas in the future. Sister Nui was a "work-aholic" who had to work. At her age, Sister Nui could no longer perform on stage but her voice was very well maintained. Thsu earlier she spent a long time to create the first Cantonese opera animation DIAO MAN GONG ZHU GANG FU MA and personally directed and performed voice work. Sister Nui said that, "Too bad it didn't do widespread promotion". Thus this July she planned to promote the film anew. With a good audience response she would be willing to make another Cantonese Opera animation.