See Too Hoi Siang conducting Chinese Opera Classes - Basic Movements of Chinese Opera

Basic Movements of Chinese Opera

Class Content

Chinese Opera is a beautiful traditional art with a long history. Its expression, facial as well as physical gestures and movements are symbolic and mesmerizing. This course, opens to the public at large, focuses on gestures and movements commonly seen and used in Chinese Opera. Starting with basic footwork and hand movements, the trainer will slowly lead the participants to learn the more intricate ones, like postures and poses, horse riding, and especially the use of the water sleeves which are regarded as the quintessential feature of Chinese Opera. Towards the end of the course, the trainer will teach the participants the skills in handling various stage weapons like the sabre, sword, and the lance. At the conclusion of the course, the participants will understand the fundamental principle underlying all forms of Chinese Opera, and that is, every movement is a dance. Each session will begin with about ten minutes of stretching and warming exercise led by the trainer. Participants are expected to purchase their own training paraphernalia such as water sleeves and tassel whips. They may if they wish purchase them through the trainer.

Class Requirements and Remarks

Suitable for age 7 to 70 years old. Please refer to trainer for materials needed in the course. For further enquiries, please call 62223597.

Trainer

See Too Hoi Siang A professional Cantonese Opera artist.

"I am also Deputy Chairman and lead actress of Chinese Theatre Circle Ltd. I learnt Cantonese Opera at the age of 15 from Ms Joanna Wong and I have since been performing at home and abroad for more than 30 years. I am competent in both civil and military roles and I have performed in 22 countries. I won the 'Outstanding Young Person in Singapore Award, in Year 2000 followed by clinching the "Outstanding Young Person in the World Award' for cultural achievement in Year 2001. I am the first and till date the only Chinese Opera artist in the world to win this world trophy."

Trainer's Qualifications
See Too Hoi Siang
Professional Qualifications
Awarded
The Outstanding Young Person of the World from JCI World Congress Barcelona
The Outstanding Young Person Award in Singapore from Orchid Jayceettes of Singapore

Class Details

Date: 08-Oct-13 (Tue) 
Day/Time: Tuesday 07:00 pm - 08:30 pm
No. of Sessions: 10
Class Fee:      $160.00 (Passion Card Member)   $170.00(Non Member)
Venue: Kreta Ayer Community Centre, 28A Kreta Ayer Rd
             Activity Room 6
Class Size: 10 - 20
Language: English, Mandarin, Cantonese
Certification/ Examination Type: Nil

Appreciation of Cantonese Music and Songs

                  敦  煌  劇  坊 呈献
                              粵樂粵曲欣賞会
                 日期:2013年9日29日(星期日) 時間: 下午2時正                   地点: 牛車水民众俱樂部  時間: 下午2時正
                     CHINESE THEATRE CIRCLE (CTC) presents
                   APPRECIATION OF CANTONESE MUSIC AND SONGS
                 Date: 29 September 2013 (Sunday)Time: 2.00 pm
                  Venue: Kreta Ayer Community Club
 
               门票: 一律30元 (包括茶点)( 票价不包括行政手續費)
             年逾六十長者或在籍学生或持有百胜卡人士优惠20巴仙折扣
             售票处: 敦煌戲曲茶館 - 牛車水史密斯街(俗稱戲院街)5号
                      电話: 6323 4862; 9630 2886
               网上購票: www.botempus.com/ctc  电話: 6100 2684

Ticket: $30.00 (Free Seating) (Inclusive of Refreshments)
(Ticket price excludes administration fee)
20% discount for senior citizens above 60 years old, students, and Passion Cardholders
Outlet: Chinese Opera Teahouse, 5 Smith Street (Chinatown) Tel: 6323 4862; 9630 2886
Online Booking: www.botempus.com/ctc  Tel: 6100 2684

 

THE VERSATILITY OF SEE TOO HOI SIANG

                    CHINESE THEATRE CIRCLE
                                                  presents
                   THE VERSATILITY OF SEE TO HOI SIANG
                                DRAMA CENTRE THEATRE
                                ON 25 MAY 2013 AT 7.15 PM

 

See Too Hoi Siang started learning Cantonese Opera under Joanna Wong at the young age of 15. Now,  she has acquired all the skills of both male and female roles of Cantonese Opera. Due to her passion for Cantonese Opera, she quit her job in an American firm in 1998 to join Chinese Theatre Circle Limited (CTC) as a full-time artist in 1998 earning much less in salary. She is now the lead actress as well as Deputy Chairman (Operations) of CTC.

 

For the past 37 years, she has been continuously performing various Chinese Opera roles, and has chalked up an impressive record of having performed more than 2,000 Cantonese Opera performances at home and abroad. Today, she is the only homegrown Chinese Opera actress, nurtured and groomed by Joanna Wong, capable of performing both the civil and military types of Cantonese Opera with equal competence.

 

She has performed in more than eighteen countries; and for her cultural achievements, she won “The Outstanding Young Person In Singapore Award” in 2000, followed by clinching the prestigious “The Outstanding Young Person In the World Award”  in 2001, beating about 200 contestants from more than 180 countries, making her a world class artist alongside with Hong Kong celebrities Jacky Chan, Cheung HokYau, Lau Tak Wah. Today, she remains the only Chinese Opera artist in the world to win such an international award.

 

To celebrate her 37th anniversary, and in recognition of her hard work and contribution towards promotion of Cantonese Opera at home and abroad, CTC  will present a special show for her to showcase her versatility. The programme comprises four excerpts:-

 

(a) Fanfare To A Princess;
(b) “Feigned Insanity” from “Reincarnation Of A Beauty”
(c) “Punishment For Infidelity” from “When The Lioness Roars”
(d) “A Timely Rescue” from “Woman Warrior Liu Jin Ding”

 

In “Fanfare To A Princess”, a traditional Cantonese Opera excerpt depicting peaceful co-existence between two warring States of Zhu and Zhao in the Epic of Warring States in China (722 BC – 481 BC), subject will perform in “bound feet” (a special theatrical skill seldom seen on an opera stage nowadays) as a lady chariot driver carrying the Princess of Zhao back to her State. This is a very colourful spectacle with a cast of 50 in sparkling costumes.

 

In “Feigned Insanity” subject performed the role of a “xiao dan” characterized by cute and comical behaviour.

 

In “Punishment For Infidelity” subject plays the role of “qing yi” a gentle category of “dan” (female roles) specializes in singing.

 

In the finale “A Timely Rescue” subject assumes the role of “dau ma dan” a military role which demands great martial art skills from a performer. In this episode, subject will display her fighting skills with the sabre and acrobatic stunts.

 

The objectives of this project are:-

 

(a) To demonstrate that Singapore is not a cultural desert for Chinese Opera. Singapore can, and has produced a world class performer;
(b) To present top quality Chinese Opera performances for the general public to watch, and in particular, the Chinese Opera enthusiasts to learn;
(c) To attract people from all walks and especially the younger generation, with the use of both Chinese and English surtitles;
(d) To show how to renew Chinese Opera and make Chinese Opera relevant in our modern society;
(e) To provide an example for other opera groups to emulate.

 

To enhance the success of the show, apart from using both Chinese and English surtitles, a veteran Cantonese Opera singer Ms Kwan Siu Ping will be the compere to explain the significance and finer points of each and every excerpt so that the audience will understand and appreciate better. Moreover, she will trace the training journey of See Too Hoi Siang to show the hard effort behind her success.

 

For this show, CTC will work in collaboration with a renowned foreign troupe---the Guangzhou Hong Dow Cantonese Opera Troupe and invite 25 artists from this troupe to come to Singapore to participate in the production. For the purpose of outreach, CTC will also work together with the Kreta Ayer Community Club Cantonese Opera Group, hoping thereby will attract more people to join ranks with CTC to further promote Chinese Opera.

 

To crown the show, Leslie Wong, resident playwright of CTC will write a classical Chinese verse and invite Cantonese Music maestro Mr Bu Can Rong from China to write the music for subject to lead a cast of local and China artists to perform. Joanna Wong will choreograph the dance.

                                               

Intrique of the Qing Imperial Court in Cantonese

The performance of The intriguq of the Qing Imperial Court on 17th Mqrch 2013

Cantonese Opera - Intrigues in the Qing Imperial Court

Cantonese Opera - Intrigues in the Qing Imperial Court

Chinese Theatre Cirlce in Cambodia

Chinese Theatre circle has travelled to Cambodia for performances on 10th December 2012.

Chinese Theatre Circle performance in Bangkok on 2nd December 2012

Chinese Theatre circle has presented chinese opera in Bangkok on 2nd December 2012. 12 members is in Bangkok from 30th November 2012. Besides these we are also participating the performance in Pbnom Penh, Cambodia on 10th December 2012.