|
02
Thu
Oct
2019
19:30
|
23
Wed
Oct
2019
19:30 |
|
$50 |
|
Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Space Museum |
BUY TICKET
Music
Operas in Chinese Lecture Demonstration Series
Speaker: David Quah
Guest Speakers: Chan Hing-yan, Mak Su-yin, Law Wing-fai
Researcher (Lecture 4): Cheung Pui-shan
Live Music Demonstration: David Quah (Tenor), Candice Chung (Soprano), Kenix Tsang (Soprano), Rosanne Lee (Soprano), Dennis Tam (Piano), Lam Tsan-tong (Pipa)
(Conducted in Cantonese and free seating)
2 Oct 2019 (Wed)
Lecture 1: From Western Opera to Opera in Chinese
Speaker/ Tenor: David Quah
Piano: Dennis Tam
Tenor David Quah is probably one of the vocalists who premiered the largest number of operas sung in the Chinese language in Hong Kong. Composers he has collaborated with include Law Wing-fai, Koo Chat-po, Guo Wenjing, So Ting-cheong, Lo Hau-man and Chan Hing-yan. What exactly are the differences between singing operas in Putonghua and in European languages? Are different techniques required when it comes to interpretation? In this lecture, Quah will share his experience and expertise, supported by demonstration.
9 Oct 29 019 (Wed)
Lecture 2: Composing for Operas in Chinese
Guest Speaker: Chan Hing-yan
Tenor: David Quah
Piano: Dennis Tam
The composition of operas in Chinese is a horizontal transplanting process and not vertical inheritance. There are actually very few successful examples for reference, and composers are feeling their ways in uncharted territory, each on his or her own attempting to accumulate experience and learn. Composer Chan Hing-yan has written three Chinese chamber operas within the span of five years between 2013 and 2018, an experience that made him one of the most prolific composers in this relatively new genre in Hong Kong. In this lecture, Chan will be discussing various aspects of composing operas in the Chinese language by drawing examples from these works.
16 Oct 2019 (Wed)
Lecture 3: Is Composing Operas in Cantonese an Impossible Task?
Guest Speakers: Chan Hing-yan, Mak Su-yin
Tenor: David Quah
Soprano: Candice Chung, Kenix Tsang, Rosanne Lee
Piano: Dennis Tam
When composing operas in the Chinese language, one not only needs to pay attention to plot building to allow for fair play of the vocalists’ voices, but should also take into account the characteristics of the language used. The composer and librettist must construct the melody in conformity with the cadence of the lyrics, in particularly the rising and falling tones, and yet be careful not to be trapped by it. This is not an easy feat. There are nine tones in Cantonese; is writing the libretto before composing the tune truly an impossible task? Composer Chan Hing-yan and librettist Mak Su-yin will be sharing their views and expertise with us; Chan and Mak have also invited several singers to join David Quah to demonstrate a Cantonese operatic excerpt they are currently working on.
23 Oct 2019 (Wed）
Lecture 4: The Evolution of Opera
Guest Speaker: Law Wing-fai
Researcher: Cheung Pui-shan
Tenor: David Quah
Pipa: Lam Tsan-tong
Artistic growth is stimulated by diversity. The more homogeneous its expressions are, the weaker its vitality. Change an angle, and everything becomes completely different. Enriched by their stage experience acquired through the "Atmospheric Music Theatre" Series, the Wuji Ensemble continues to move forward with their exploration into Western Opera. Taking references from traditional Japanese music and theatre, as well as traditional Chinese theatre and narrative singing, they blend elements from the East and West to create a new style of theatre, leading to a ubiquitous exchange between the performers and the audience. Driven by theatrical atmosphere and music, the new style of opera is expressed as an animated whole with free-spirited touches.
(Information provided by the speakers.)
Each lecture will run for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
The programme does not represent the views of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
The presenter reserves the right to change the programme and substitute speakers and demonstrators.
TICKETING
DATE VENUE PRICE 02.10.2019 - 23.10.2019
(Every Wed, 7:30pm, 4 lectures in total)
(Every Wed, 7:30pm, 4 lectures in total)
Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Space Museum
$50
DATE02.10.2019 - 23.10.2019
(Every Wed, 7:30pm, 4 lectures in total)
(Every Wed, 7:30pm, 4 lectures in total)
PRICE
$50