Latest news with #SunbeamTheatre
South China Morning Post
17-04-2025
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
Bus crash in Hong Kong's North Point leads to major traffic congestion
A double-decker bus heading to the airport crashed into a road divider in North Point, partially blocking a major route on Hong Kong Island during the evening rush hour. Advertisement Concrete from the divider was scattered across a main road, prompting some pedestrians to help with removing large slabs of debris to facilitate the flow of traffic. Citybus A11 was travelling along King's Road near the recently closed Sunbeam Theatre when it lost control and collided with the central road divider at around 6pm. The crash caused serious damage to the front of the bus, with the bumper torn off and the front perched precariously on the divider. Some passers-by help to pick up debris to allow other drivers to pass. Photo: Handout The male driver sustained an injury to his hand. He was taken to the hospital. No other injuries were reported among passengers or pedestrians.
South China Morning Post
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's Sunbeam Theatre finds new home, set to reopen as soon as mid-June
Beloved Cantonese opera venue Sunbeam Theatre , which closed down in North Point last month, has found a new home across the harbour in Hong Kong and is set to reopen as soon as mid-June. Advertisement The theatre's chairman, Edward Li Kui-ming, provided details about the move on Tuesday during a signing ceremony for the project with Hutchison Property Group. The new venue, Sunbeam Whampoa, will take over the site of the recently closed GH Whampoa cinema in Hung Hom. It is set to reopen in June or July. Li, a Cantonese opera impresario and composer, said the theatre would carry on the cinema's legacy by establishing itself as a new cultural landmark for entertainment and film. He said Sunbeam Whampoa would host live performances of Cantonese opera excerpts. It will also screen Cantonese opera films and regular movies. Edward Li Kui-ming says 10 Cantonese opera films are in production and will be shown at the new venue. Photo: Jonathan Wong Li said 10 Cantonese opera films were currently in production, each running around 3½ hours, which would allow audiences to appreciate the expressions and movements of the performers.
South China Morning Post
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Young Post's Best of the Quarter awards celebrate the most compelling submissions of 2025 so far
Young Post's Best of the Quarter awards celebrate Hong Kong students' hard work and thoughtfulness. We are pleased to announce our latest winners and sincerely thank all of you, our readers, for your thoughtful and well-researched submissions. Here are some of our favourite entries from the first quarter of 2025. Best Letters Retaining fragments of Chinese culture Peter Chui Pui-ling from Maryknoll Fathers' School impressed us with his letter about preserving Chinese opera in the city. He expressed his disappointment with the inadequate measures taken by the government to preserve local Chinese culture, citing the closure of the Sunbeam Theatre. Supporting the LGBTQ community Emily Kwai from Munsang College wrote a thought-provoking letter about Hong Kong students building a more progressive society with the Hong Kong Secondary Schools Gender Studies Club (GSC). The club strives to support and raise awareness about the LGBTQ community through educational activities and community events. Best Face Off Chelsea Chen of St Paul's Co-educational College won Best Face off for this quarter after giving a compelling argument in opposition to a mandate requiring private schools to disclose their finances. Best Insight Monique Siu of Chinese International School won Best Insight for her thoughtful analysis in The Lens, where she discussed the impact of US President Donald Trump's bid to annex Greenland. Most Creative Ava Tee Yuet-yee from St Paul's Convent School took home this quarter's creativity award for her suggestions on our Top 10 page to start the new year by poking fun at dramatic goals, making outrageous predictions and hosting a silly dance competition. Most Engaged School Ma On Shan Tsung Tsin Secondary School earned the distinction of Best Contributing School this quarter. We received a wealth of enthusiastic responses from the school, including numerous submissions for Top 10. Student responses were received weekly, and questions from those selected as school ambassadors have been published. Winners will receive a certificate and a special YP notebook to encourage them in their writing journeys. We will contact the students about their prizes.
South China Morning Post
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Listen Up: Artist bridges Cantonese opera and J-pop in Hong Kong's evolving cultural scene
Questions 1. According to the beginning of the podcast, which of the following best describes Woo's outfit when she performs J-pop? A. dark and dramatic B. simple and feminine C. colourful and elaborate D. none of the above 2. What does Woo hope to achieve by performing both Cantonese opera and J-pop? A. become a successful performer B. explore different artistic expressions C. bridge the gap between both cultures D. increase her social media following 3. How many Cantonese opera shows are staged in Hong Kong every year? A. less than 100 B. slightly more than 600 C. close to 1,000 D. information not given 4. The 'golden era' of an art form refers to when it … A. was most popular. B. had just started. C. was nearing its end. D. had undergone lots of changes. 5. When did the Sunbeam Theatre open? A. 1927 B. 1972 C. 1997 D. 2025 6. Why is it common for Cantonese opera actors to use rented costumes? A. because renting is more environmentally friendly B. because they do not have storage space to keep them C. because the costumes cannot be easily found in Hong Kong D. the costumes are expensive to buy 7. What was Woo's grandfather's occupation? A. work on lighting for Cantonese operas B. design costumes for Cantonese operas C. write Cantonese opera scripts D. perform in Cantonese operas 8. How many members are there in Otome Syndream? A. three B. four C. seven D. nine 9. What happened to Otome Syndream during the Covid-19 pandemic? A. They disbanded. B. They recruited more members. C. They switched to online streaming performances. D. They started performing Cantonese opera. 10. When did Otome Syndream release their first album according to the podcast? A. right after they debuted B. during the Covid-19 pandemic C. early this year D. information not given 11. Arrange the following events in Woo's life in chronological order from 1 to 4. (4 marks) (a) Studied Cantonese opera (b) Performed at Tone Music Festival (c) Became part of Otome Syndream (d) Left Hong Kong's first J-pop group Rika Woo's unique blend of artistry keeps both art forms alive in Hong Kong, a city facing economic challenges and competition from overseas events. Photo: Reuters Answers 1. B 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. B 6. D 7. A 8. B 9. C 10. D 11. (a) 1; (ii) 4; (iii) 3; (iv) 2 Script Adapted from Reuters Voice 1: Rika Woo wears a white sleeveless top and a long white skirt embroidered with lace as she performs Japanese songs for an energetic group of young fans in Hong Kong. In stark contrast, she transforms for her Cantonese opera performances, applying bright theatrical make-up and donning striking, colourful costumes embellished with purple flowers. Her headpieces are adorned with pearls and lace veils, adding to the dramatic flair of her act. Voice 2: The 31-year-old local entertainer is unique in Hong Kong for her efforts to appeal to both young and old audiences as a cross-cultural artist. She performs both the centuries-old art form of Cantonese opera and the modern music phenomenon of J-pop with her all-girl group, Otome Syndream. Woo expressed her desire to act as a bridge between these two cultures. She hopes people will appreciate the beauty of traditional art while also being open to pop culture. Voice 1: Many types of live performances are struggling to draw crowds in Hong Kong amid an economic downturn and competition from overseas events. Although there are up to 1,000 Cantonese opera performances in Hong Kong each year, the art form has steadily declined since its golden era in the 1950s and 60s. For artistes, the cost of performing is high because the costumes can set them back several thousand dollars, so often, outfits are borrowed. The city's iconic Cantonese opera house, Sunbeam Theatre – which opened in 1972 – closed earlier this month. Voice 2: For opera, Woo was influenced by her grandfather, who worked on lighting for Cantonese operas. She now also teaches Cantonese opera in schools. While Cantonese opera has deep roots in Chinese culture, the city's underground J-pop scene only emerged in 2015. That year, Woo studied Cantonese opera at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and joined a competition organised by a J-pop entertainment company. Voice 1: Woo was asked to join the city's first J-pop group in 2015, although it broke up after five years. Woo and three others established their underground J-pop-style idol group, Otome Syndream, in Hong Kong in 2017 and officially debuted in Japan in 2019. Their performances were upended by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 when they swapped live shows for online streaming. Woo and her group finally grabbed the public eye in 2021 after performing at two local music festivals – Tone Music Festival and Unison Fest. Voice 2: This year marks the 10th anniversary of Woo becoming a J-pop entertainer. Woo admitted that she had many difficult times, and there were moments when she wanted to give up. However, she has the support of her mother, Emma Cheung, who said her daughter's ambitions reflected generational change.
South China Morning Post
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
As sun sets on Hong Kong's Sunbeam Theatre, what's left for Cantonese opera in the city?
Hong Kong's iconic Sunbeam Theatre closed permanently on March 3, 2025. The venue long considered the home of Cantonese opera in the city had operated for 52 years, employing a loyal troupe of actors, musicians and technicians. Advertisement Sunbeam's closure has raised questions about how the traditional performance art can be preserved.
