GIVING NEW LIFE TO TRADITIONAL ART FORMS
Lao Sai Tao Yuan Teochew Opera Troupe is a 160-year-old opera troupe looking to refresh itself.
“Our Chinese opera artists are also getting older, most of them are in their 70s and 80s, likewise for our musicians,” said Mr Nick Shen, its troupe leader.
“So it’s very difficult to find fresh blood. And our audiences are dwindling, so it actually affects the income of all our veterans. We definitely need to think of innovative ways to promote Chinese opera and also find different platforms for the veterans to perform.”
Mr Shen, who is also the founder and artistic director of Tok Tok Chiang Opera, added that it is “very challenging” to reach out and engage young people to ensure continuity in audience demand.
His troupe has taken a big bet to go digital with the help of government funding, including creating new products that appeal to a much younger crowd, such as a digital comic book about a warrior and other legends.
A mobile game is also being developed, where players can unlock characters to build their own opera troupe, and is “an innovative and fun way for the youth to discover and learn more about Chinese opera”, said Mr Shen.
“This app will be in English and Chinese, and the Teochew dialect will no longer be a barrier to understanding.”
He wants to use these in workshops that the troupe conducts with two to three schools each month.