On November 20^th, the 9th Yangcheng International Cantonese Opera Festival opened grandly in Guangzhou, drawing thousands ofCantonese Opera enthusiasts. Since Cantonese Opera was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009, the past 15 years have seen Guangzhou not only producing outstanding works but also building a solid foundation for innovation, preservation, and integration with contemporary culture. 

"We have been optimizing top-level planning to lead the revitalization of traditional opera," said a representative from the Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism Bureau. Policies like the Work Plan for the Revitalization and Development of Cantonese Opera in Guangzhou (2022–2024) have provided robust support for Cantonese Opera, covering everything from producing masterpieces and nurturing talent to building venues and promoting cultural benefits. In June this year, the new Guangdong Yueju Opera Theater site was inaugurated in Zhujiang New Town, becoming a cultural landmark and the main venue for the festival. With its 1,200-seat Hong Xian Nu Grand Theater and 500-seat Hong Dou Hall, the venue is positioned as the world's leading Cantonese Opera cultural hub and Guangdong's revitalization base for the art form.  

Guangzhou has consistently delivered Cantonese Opera masterpieces in recent years. The Guangdong Yueju Opera Theater has revived and created over 40 productions, including "Princess Wencheng", "Double Embroidery Fate", and "Southern Fist", with Lingnan intangible cultural heritage-themed operas especially well-received. Cantonese Opera films have also gained significant recognition, with "The Legend of the Nanyue" winning the Golden Rooster Award for Best Opera Film-marking a breakthrough for Cantonese Opera in this prestigious category.

For many Cantonese Opera enthusiasts, Guangzhou is the "holy land of Cantonese Opera". This reputation stems not only from its advanced infrastructure but also from its profound commitment to preserving the art form. Efforts include compiling the "Compendium of Cantonese Opera Performing Arts" to document a century of Cantonese Opera music and launching the "Cantonese Opera Film Excellence Program", which plans to adapt ten large-scale operas into films for global distribution. The city also promotes Cantonese Opera in schools and has published educational materials tailored for younger audiences.

In audience outreach and cultural promotion, Guangzhou has embraced innovative approaches. Cantonese Opera's dedicated website has garnered over 130 million clicks, becoming the world's largest professional platform for the genre. The cultural hub "20 You'ai Road" blends traditional Cantonese Opera with broader artistic expressions, attracting over 6 million visitors. Additionally, Guangzhou has established the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao-Guangxi Cultural Platform" and publishes "Nanguo Hongdou", a magazine dedicated to expanding Cantonese Opera's influence. Collaborations with online games have also helped Cantonese Opera break through to younger audiences.

Guangzhou's Cantonese Opera community is actively exploring domestic and international markets. Productions such as Madam Xian and Mazu have resonated deeply with audiences in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Since 2017, the "Cantonese Opera China Tour" project has staged 83 performances across the country, reaching an audience of 65,000.

Source: Lingnan on the Cloud

广州交出粤剧传承新答卷 | 粤剧传承，何以广州

11月20日，第九届羊城粤剧节在广州盛大开幕，吸引了数千名粤剧知音。自粤剧2009年入选联合国人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录以来，15年间广州的粤剧不仅有精品、有基地，而且有传承、有创新，与当代文化深度融合发展。

“我们通过优化顶层设计，示范带动戏曲事业振兴发展。”广州市文化广电旅游局相关负责人表示，《广州市关于振兴发展粤剧事业工作方案（2022-2024）》等政策持续发力，从精品创作到人才培育、从场馆建设到文化惠民，全方位推动粤剧传承。今年6月，广州粤剧院新址落成，成为珠江新城的新文化地标，并成为本届粤剧节活动主阵地。拥有1200座红线女大剧院、500座红豆厅的新址，定位为世界粤剧文化中心和广东振兴粤剧发展基地。

近年来，广州的粤剧精品不断。广州粤剧院复排和新创了《文成公主》《双绣缘》《南拳》等40多个剧目，其中岭南非遗题材剧目尤其受到观众好评。粤剧电影也捷报频传，《南越宫词》荣获金鸡奖最佳戏曲片奖，实现该奖项粤剧零的突破。

在很多粤剧知音心中，广州是“粤剧的圣地”。这不仅是指广州有厚实的硬件条件，更重要的是在粤剧传承方面。广州通过编撰《粤剧表演艺术大全》，整理近百年粤剧音乐艺术精华；“广州市粤剧电影精品工程”规划将10部大型粤剧拍摄成为粤剧电影，并在全球范围内发行上映同时推动“粤剧进校园”活动，出版了粤剧教材。

此外，在传播粤剧、培养观众方面，广州还有不少新探索与时代新表现。近年来，粤剧网点击量超过1.3亿，已成为全球影响力最大的粤剧专业网站之一。“友爱路20号”人文艺术平台植根粤剧艺术，探索戏剧破圈，已吸引超过600万人次参与。广州还搭建了“粤港澳桂文化大平台”，推出粤剧刊物《南国红豆》，扩展粤剧的传承空间。通过与网游合作，粤剧逐渐“破圈”，吸引年轻观众。

广州粤剧积极拓展国内外市场，《冼夫人》《妈祖》等戏曲音乐剧在港穗两地反响热烈。2017年启动的“粤剧艺术中国行”项目，在全国多地巡演83场，惠及观众6.5万人次。  

文｜记者 黄宙辉 谢亿明 文瑶
译｜赵凡
英文审校｜林佳岱