The Awakening: Vancouver Cantonese Opera Workshop

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About

The Vancouver Cantonese Opera presents a special public workshop introducing The Awakening, a new bilingual fusion opera premiering in October 2026.

Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025

Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Venue: Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch, 350 West Georgia Street ,Vancouver

This groundbreaking production weaves together Cantonese opera, Western music, and multimedia design to tell the powerful story of Chinese Canadians during the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act.

The workshop will feature:

• Rosa Cheng – Artistic Director

• Peter Tam – Composer

• Dr. Stephen Atkins – Director & Co-Playwright

• Professor Xu Shang – Projection Designer (National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, Beijing)

• Vincent Min, Architect (AIBC) – The Digital Reconstruction of Sing Kew Theatre

• A special presentation at 3:00 pm by Director Joe Chang and Liangtee Tue

For Information:

Email: [email protected]; Phone: 604-764-8181; www.vancanopera.com

Organizer

Vancouver Cantonese Opera

Vancouver Cantonese Opera (VCO) is a non-profit performing arts organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, and innovating the art of Cantonese opera in Canada. Our vision is to build cultural bridges by blending tradition with contemporary creativity and to share the richness of Chinese opera with diverse communities.

Year-round, we present performances, workshops, and community outreach programs that bring Cantonese opera to theatres, schools, senior care homes, and public festivals across Metro Vancouver. Our programs include:

Community Outreach at local cultural celebrations and festivals.

Community Education through singing and performance classes, master classes, and youth engagement.

Opera-in-Care, which brings live performances to seniors and patients in care facilities.

Water Sleeve Flash Mob Camp is a fun and interactive experience for people of all ages.

This workshop is part of our commitment to making Cantonese opera accessible and relevant today, while nurturing new creations like The Awakening that reflect both Chinese heritage and Canadian stories.