Chinese Opera Troupe KIM ENG to disband

[Stereobox]

read in The New Paper yesterday that the Kim Eng Teochew Opera troupe is to disband after next February, due to dwindling crowds.

Kim Eng (or Golden Eagle) was one of Singapore's most established troupes and commanded crowds of thousands during its heyday in the '80s (not that i remembered, i was too young :bsmilie: )

at the time of the report, the attendance was only....four! :cry: Poor attendance for traditional Chinese performances like Teochew opera and wayang prompted Dr Chua Soo Pong, director of the Chinese Opera Institute, to comment sadly that "young people go to events like Womad (World of Music, Arts and Dance) which features performers from distant lands, but few have ever seen a wayang." such heritage gone to waste, on our own home ground no less, such irony! :bheart:

however, the next bit probably will interests the photographer in us =P

Dr Chua commented, for wayang troupes to survive, they must "learn how to market themselves to compete with other art forms". For example, wayang troupes in Taiwan have "brochures with slick photography" :bsmilie:

that sparked a thought in me. can we contribute a part in promoting interest in our traditional art forms? start by boosting audience attendance with our photographers so as to create awareness and appreciation? =P :sweat:

 

[ortega]

i don't mind, where do i sign up?

 

[Stereobox]

but perhaps, (*grimly*), not so much to revive flagging interest, but more like a chance to capture the last moments of a dying art form in Singapore :cry:

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

i guess the problems actually back track to the govt in the 80s, for the speak Mandarin & English campaign that most youngsters like me don't really know much dialects to appreciate these and just know how to swear in dialects at the very most.

I've only really started speaking dialect is during my interaction with older patient when i was schooling... cos its either i learn or simply ignore their needs, so bit by bit learn, which later can hold a rather 'decent' dialect conversation with my now departed grandparents, once in a while i still speak teochew with my auntie & uncles... but i totally dunno how to speak hokchew...

but den again, if this troupe is in cantonese i guess it will last abit longer... its a changing process... things go for new things to come, u can hold on to it now but will your next generation do the same?

 

[ortega]

what they need is marketing
with updated stories as well

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

what they need is marketing
with updated stories as well

modern twist... matrix style? :think:

 

[ortega]

stories about farmers is passe
no one can relate to it anymore

they need to learn from the modern plays with story line that the audience can relate to

 

[Stereobox]

stories about farmers is passe
no one can relate to it anymore

they need to learn from the modern plays with story line that the audience can relate to

The Battle of Canon vs Nikon?

i have no problem with traditional stories/folk-tales, but will need some form of translation =D

but yes, would love to see the troupers do a 'Matrix', dodging sword swipes in bullet-time :bsmilie:

 

[redstorm]

read in The New Paper yesterday that the Kim Eng Teochew Opera troupe is to disband after next February, due to dwindling crowds.

Kim Eng (or Golden Eagle) was one of Singapore's most established troupes and commanded crowds of thousands during its heyday in the '80s (not that i remembered, i was too young :bsmilie: )

Actually, Kim Eng is not a well established opera troupe with a relatively short history compared to many well established names like Sin Yong Wah Heng (more than 170 years old), Lau Sai Thor, Lau Chek Kee Hiang, Lau Sar Chia Soon, etc. many of which are easily a century old. With the dwindling crowds, many of these troupes closed down permanently and Kim Eng was established in 80s to feel in the void left behind by the well established troupes.

 

[Stereobox]

Actually, Kim Eng is not a well established opera troupe with a relatively short history compared to many well established names like Sin Yong Wah Heng (more than 170 years old), Lau Sai Thor, Lau Chek Kee Hiang, Lau Sar Chia Soon, etc. many of which are easily a century old. With the dwindling crowds, many of these troupes closed down permanently and Kim Eng was established in 80s to feel in the void left behind by the well established troupes.

:bigeyes:

thx for the info!! :thumbsup:

all the more we should cherish what we have left.

 

[redstorm]

:bigeyes:

thx for the info!! :thumbsup:

all the more we should cherish what we have left.

The other night I passed by Hougang St 21 and noticed a teochew opera troupe performing to a big crowd; mostly older folks. Understandbly so since Hougang is still a predominantly teochew area and many old folks still hankers for the good old days.