The 40th Anniversary of the University of Macau—Chinese Culture Exhibiting Activity: Huangmei Opera Art Appreciation

Organized by the Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC) of the University of Macau (UM), and co-organized by the On Fai Friendship Association of Macao, Anhui Huangmei Opera Theatre, and the Association of Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture of Macau, the 40^th Anniversary of the University of Macau—Chinese Culture Exhibiting Activity: Huangmei Opera Art Appreciation was successfully held on 21 May, 2021, at the Theater of the E31 Student Activity Centre of the University of Macau.

Prof. Zhu Shoutong, Director of the CCHC of the UM, said in his speech that as one of the five major Chinese operas, Huangmei Opera is the quintessence of Chinese culture and an outstanding representative of China’s intangible cultural heritage. It originated from Huangmei Opera in Hubei Province, and it is now widely distributed in Anhui and Hubei provinces. To promote the excellent traditional Chinese culture as well as the cultural exchanges between Macau and Anhui, the CCHC, Anhui Huangmei Opera Theatre, and the Association of Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture of Macau jointly organized this activity. It is wished that this event could enhance the youth of Macao to feel and experience the charm of the excellent traditional Chinese opera culture through this experience.

Ms. Chan Chi Leng, the president of the Association of Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture of Macau, said in her speech that Huangmei Opera comes from the folks and enjoys both refined and popular tastes. It has impressed countless audiences with its rich flavor of life and fresh local flavor. Furthermore, it is hoped that, this event can help to encourage meeting with friends by means of literature, strengthen the cultural exchanges between Macao and Anhui, and jointly promote the construction of “One Base” in Macao.

This event was divided into two parts. The first part was an introduction to the culture of Huangmei Opera. Mr. Yao Entian, a national first-class performer and the head of the performance troupe of Huangmei Theatre in Anhui Province, and other performers from Huangmei Theatre introduced the culture of Huangmei Opera to the students.

The second part was the artistic appreciation of Huangmei Opera. Many performing artists had brought us a rich artistic and cultural feast of Huangmei Opera, such as “Couple Watching the Lanterns”, “Couple Returning the Home” and other classic works.