Via Amy Welborn.
September 27,2006
Evangelical Cantonese Opera fills theater with diverse crowd
HONG KONG (UCAN) -- No one in the audience that filled a 2,000-seat concert hall recently to watch an evangelical Cantonese opera had previously heard the Gospel message performed that way publicly in the Chinese dialect.
Yau Heng-yee, a renowned local opera singer who was baptized this Easter, and guest artist Pan Guorong, who is not a Christian, sang at the Sept. 16 performance. It also featured a talk by a priest and an appearance by a local Catholic TV personality.
During the four-hour concert that attracted Christian and non-Christian viewers, Yau sang operatic renditions of The Lord's Prayer and hymns such as Praise God For His Grace and The Triumph of God, among others. Groups affiliated with a Catholic lay association organized the event.
Pan acted and sang in an opera based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son. He played the characters of the father, the prodigal son and the elder son in the parable about a father's love and forgiveness of his son who left home and squandered his inheritance.
Yau and Pan also sang together, accompanied by the choir of St. Anthony's Parish.
Yau, who teaches operatic singing, told UCA News she learned about the Catholic faith from one of her students two years ago and took up catechism classes. While a catechumen, she taught Cantonese opera in some parish groups.
She told UCA News after the concert that it is not easy for someone who was recently baptized to share the Gospel with others. Nevertheless, she said she would like to make use of her singing talent to evangelize, since "it is the work of the Holy Spirit" that enables her to keep her faith alive.
Pan, who comes from the neighboring mainland province of Guangdong, told UCA News he studied the parable in Saint Luke's Gospel to prepare for his performance. He added that he "learned the Bible teaching" behind the parable.
The artist said he accepted Yau's invitation to sing at the concert as he felt a responsibility to introduce people to the traditional Cantonese art form. He added that he felt that the concert was also a good opportunity for Yau to convey Church teaching using opera.
Father Edward Chau King-fun, during his talk in the middle of the concert, identified three qualities common to evangelization and opera singing.
The priest, who is knowledgeable in Chinese culture, said an artist performing onstage and a Christian sharing the Gospel both need "to have a good memory and a loud voice and to be 'long-winded.'"
Being "long-winded" does not mean one has to be boring or somber, he explained. "It is a daily practice for artists to regulate their breathing and singing, and we all need to maintain a healthy body for our mission."
Helena Law Lan, a well-known Catholic TV personality who also spoke during the concert, said that using Cantonese opera to evangelize is a good idea. She praised Yau, a new Catholic, for using her artistic talent in this manner.
Law later told UCA News that she appreciated the fact that the show was targeted at people from different walks of life. She said she was happy to see the Gospel shared with Cantonese opera fans, especially elderly people who may not be religious practitioners.
The TV actress pointed out that evangelization should be the task of all lay people, and that everyone is called to be an "agent of Church social communication." She added, "To make the sign of the cross before a meal is a simple enough way to bear witness to our faith."
Bonfire Limited and Bonfire Arts Development Limited, both set up by the Solidarity of Mary Help Of Christians lay association, organized the concert.
Bonfire Limited is a nonprofit company that promotes evangelization and conducts religious seminars and Bible sharing. Bonfire Arts Development Limited evangelizes through the arts.
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