Transmission of Cantonese opera in the conservatory tradition: two case studies in South China and Hong Kong

Abstract

The Cantonese opera was traditionally transmitted by an apprenticeship approach, which has faded out in the mid-twentieth century. Instead, the conservatory approach adapted from the West has replaced the major mode of nurturing professional artists in China and Hong Kong. This study aims to investigate and examine the current practice of the conservatory approach in nurturing professional artists for the field of Cantonese opera. Two institutions from South China and Hong Kong were the subjects of this case study with observation and interviews as research tools. A cross-case analysis reveals that modern institutions have transformed the transmission mode of the traditional genre. While concentration on formal learning in the conservatory tradition may lead to efficient training, advantages from informal and non-formal learning adopted by the apprenticeship approach are abandoned. An eclectic approach is implied for improvement in nurturing professional artists for the Cantonese opera.