Dr Choo Heng-cheong
Honorary Advisor

Born and raised in a Cantonese Opera family in Ipoh, Malaysia, Choo’s father Choo Kah-lok, as well as two elder brothers Choo Ngai-kong and Choo Siew-cheong were renowned musicians of Cantonese Opera. Thay were regarded as Three Hero of Choo’s Family. His sister Choo Sau-ying was also a Cantonese Opera female and comic roles performer. When he was a child, he learned various musical instruments and acquired percussion sills. He was especially good at playing violin, gongs and drums. At the age of nine, he made his debut and became the percussion leader when he was thirteen, cooperating with numerous famous Cantonese Opera veterans. In 1959, he moved to Hong Kong and joined the percussion crew of Sin Fung Ming Cantonese Opera Troupe for the premiere of The Reincarnation of The Red Plum. He was the music leader of the recording of the renowned repertories. Choo is now 96-year-old, keeping on giving lecture to students and being the music leader, sticks to his lifelong pursuit of knowledge transmission of Cantonese Opera.

Lung Koon-tin MH
Artistic Director
 

Lung Koon-tin, MH is a veteran Cantonese opera actor. Having practised the art under Maestros Lau Shun, Choo Ngai-kong, Lau Wing-chuen and Yam Tai-fan. Over the years, Lung has participated in large-scale performances such as the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Chinese Opera Festival, and exchange performances among the Greater Bay Area, Singapore, Malaysia and overseas. He has been involved in scriptwriting for various new libretti, studio-recording numerous opera titles, and participating in stage plays, music dramas and TV dramas.

Since 2012, he has been delighted to be the Artistic Director of the Venue Partnership Program at Yau Ma Tei Theatre (Cantonese Opera Young Talent Showcase) presented by the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong (CAAHK) to nurture the new generation in the field. In 2013, he was awarded a Certificate of Commendation by the Home Affairs Bureau. He is currently the Chairman of CAAHK, Chairman of the Cantonese Opera Musician and Vocalist Association, Chairperson of the Chinese Traditional Performing Arts Group, and committee member of the West Kowloon Xiqu Centre and of the 11th session of the Guangdong Theatre Association.

He also served as a committee member of the Cantonese Opera Development Fund, Chairman of the Xiqu Group of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, and a member of the Audience Building Scheme of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, HKSAR.

In 2016, he was awarded the MH Honorary Medal by the Hong Kong SAR Government. Lung was also awarded the "Artist of the Year Award" in 2021 by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council for his continuous contributions to the art.

Nam Fung MH
Artistic Advisor

At the age of thirteen, Nam Fung followed Wu Xiyi, Tan Peishan and Fen Juhua to learn performing skills and the northern-style opera frameworks. In 1962, Drums along the Battlefield by the Hing Sun Shing Troupe made her first debut on the stage. In 1963, she became an apprentice under Wong Jyt-seng and learned Cantonese opera art. Later, under Wong Jyt-seng's introduction, she participated in the performance of Hing Hung Kai Troupe with Nam Hung, and began to use "Nam Fung" as her stage name. Nam Fung worked as a TV artist from 1974 to 1980. Nam Fung was delighted to join the Tsung Sun Sing Troupe and establish the status of the second leading female role; in 1994 she performed as the leading actress in “Mystery of the Red Silk Shoes” under the Fung Seng Fai Troupe and earned the status of female lead actress. In 1995, she formed the Tan Fung Cantonese Opera Troupe and organized collaborative performances with Zhanjiang Cantonese Opera Troupe from Mainland China. In 1999, she continued to establish Lung Ka Fung Cantonese Opera Troupe with Lee Lung.

In 2001, she participated in the performance of "Cao Cao, Guan Yu and Diao Chan" at the Hong Kong Arts Festival; in the same year, at the invitation of Leisure and Cultural Services Department, she performed the series of "Four Beauties" at the "Legends of China" Festival. In 2011, Nam Fung participated in the Hong Kong Arts Festival and performed "Fang Yanfen Special", performing famous plays by renowned actress "Fong Yim Fun" including “Goddess of the Luo River”, “Auspicious Signs”, “Mrs. Cheng (aka A Forsaken Woman)” and “The Immortal Zhang Yuqiao, the Most Respectable Courtesan”. In 2016, he was awarded the MH Honorary Medal by the Hong Kong SAR Government.

Over the years, the Cantonese opera troupes that were under collaboration also included Kam Lee Loi, Sum Mei, Chin Fung, Lung Fung, Sun Moon Star, Kam Ying Wah, Cantonese Opera Place, Hon Fung Cantonese Opera Institute, Sun Fung Wong, Tung Shing, Fung Ching Wan, etc.

Leonard Wong Shing-chuen
Music Director

Leonard Wong Shing-Chuen worked as a member of the senior management in a large business company. He is currently a chief music leader and Cantonese opera music teacher. He started to learn and enhance his violin techniques and Cantonese Opera accompaniment skills from Choo Heng-Cheong, a famous Cantonese opera maestro. Mr Wong has been the music leader or a member of the band for numerous opera troupes and organizations starting from the 1980s. Being a part-time lecturer for courses offered by the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Hong Kong Metropolitan University. Mr Wong has dedicated much of his efforts in instructing students about Cantonese opera accompaniment, singing styles and appreciation. He is also one of the examiners of the Cantonese opera exam, and Assessment Panel Member for Hong Kong Arts Development Council and for Subvented Performance Projects (Cantonese Opera Development Fund).

Embarking on the preservation of Cantonese opera-related historical records, singing styles and skills, Mr Wong has also been sharing thought-provoking talks and seminars in the University setting, and through these, he wants to enrich and inspire ideas about understanding the art form’s historical development. He has also been involved in Cantonese Opera compilation and training, for example, The Life and Art of Choo Heng-cheong [2010] (autor) and Famous Names of Cantonese Opera in the Contemporary Age [2011] (editor). On top, he has also been giving talks and roundtables concerning operatic films to the public at the Hong Kong Film Archive.