Cantonese Opera is a traditional Chinese theatre performed in the Cantonese language, and a UNESCO-listed intangible heritage. It combines singing, speech, dance and martial arts, and its stories come mostly from history and folk legends.
It is one of the most popular opera forms in the Lingnan region, loved in Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao and Chinese communities overseas, where it is fondly called the "red bean of the south".
Cantonese Opera goes back more than 400 years to the Ming Dynasty and matured during the Qing Dynasty. It absorbed influences from Kunqu opera and northern regional theatre, then grew its own style in the teahouses, piers and theatres of Guangdong.
Singing, speech, acting and martial arts — the core skills of every performer.
Male roles, female roles, painted faces and clowns.
Inscribed on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009.
A Cantonese Opera show is a feast for both the eyes and the ears.
Sung in Cantonese, with flowing melodies accompanied by traditional instruments such as the gaohu fiddle, gongs and drums.
Rhythmic recitation and lively everyday speech, mixing humour with deep feeling.
Every gesture follows traditional forms — flowing sleeves that express emotion in movement.
Fight scenes blend martial arts and acrobatics — thrilling and spectacular.
In Guangdong, you can watch a live show in a theatre, or admire costumes and headdresses in a museum.
A professional theatre that regularly stages Cantonese Opera performances.
Located on Enning Road in Liwan District, with costumes, painted faces and historical exhibits.
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