5 best places to see a Western opera in Hong Kong | More Than Musical

For long, opera lovers have been struggling to find the perfect theatre to see a Western opera in Hong Kong. In the programme lists of overseas theatres, there is no lack of ongoing world-renowned opera programmes such as Verdi’s La traviata, Bizet’s Carmen, Puccini’s Tosca, but to name a few. Shifting the focus to Hong Kong, Western opera receives significantly less attention in our hometown.

There are not a lot of places to see an opera in Hong Kong

Here we are faced with a critical question: is there any Western opera in Hong Kong? To be specific, can we see a Western opera in theatres in Hong Kong? To these queries, the definitive answer is a big ‘YES’. But where can we find details of Hong Kong opera programmes? 

This article will give you a guide on where to see a Western opera in Hong Kong. No matter you are living on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon or the New Territories, there must be a theatre for you to see the classical opera programmes. 

Freespaace - A great venue for shows of opera in Hong Kong

1. Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre: Spacious auditorium for large opera audiences

With over 1,700 seats in the auditorium, the Grand Theatre is spacious, comfy and well-equipped for large-scale opera performances in Hong Kong. It is located in Tsim Sha Tsui, close to the city’s centre with various transportation options available. 

The Grand Theatre is where Opera Hong Kong usually holds their performances. Apart from hosting opera performances in Hong Kong, the Grand Theatre is also the ideal venue for other forms of performing arts, including musicals, ballets, dances, you name it.

Address: 10 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

2. Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District: Perfect for multimedia opera in Hong Kong

Located in the heart of the West Kowloon Art Park, Freespace is a newly constructed event space dedicated to contemporary multi-genre performances and events. With a mission to provide event venues for reimaging theatrical performances , Freespace is the perfect place for modern multimedia performances like More Than Musical’s immersive opera in Hong Kong.

Freespace is easily accessible by major transportation services in Hong Kong, including MTR, buses and cars. If you are looking to visit West Kowloon Cultural District for an opera performance in Hong Kong, the closest MTR station would be the Kowloon Station via Exit E4 or E5.

Address: West Kowloon Cultural District, No. 18 Museum Drive, Kowloon

3. Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall: For opera lovers in the New Territories, Hong Kong

As part of the podium complex, Sha Tin Town Hall is an easily recognizable landmark building right next to the Sha Tin Public Library and Sha Tin Marriage Registry. In the eyes of music lovers, all you can see in this complex is probably the Auditorium, a time-honored venue designated for performing arts and culture in Hong Kong, the city of hustle and bustle. The Auditorium in Sha Tin Town Hall is where you can see an opera in the New Territories, Hong Kong. 

But what makes the Auditorium well-suited to deliver performances of opera in Hong Kong? First off, it has an orchestra pit where the orchestra can sit comfortably in an opera performance. The Auditorium also comes with professional stage lighting, multimedia projector, dressing rooms, etc. 

Reading this, you might be wondering: why are all these facilities important? These on-stage and backstage equipment are essential to deliver to the audience the quintessential multisensory experience in an opera performance — especially in More Than Musical’s multimedia, immersive opera in Hong Kong. (Just in case you aren’t sure how a projector comes to use in the theatre, check out More Than Musical’s blog, Six Misconceptions about Operas Dispelled to read more about supertitles.)

Address: 1 Yuen Wo Road, Sha Tin, Hong Kong

4. Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall: Opera venue with a welcoming ambience

Back on the Hong Kong Island, the Concert Hall is a venue for Western opera performances in Central, home to some of the city’s most exquisite boutique stores and high-end office spaces. The Concert Hall can accommodate a maximum of some 1,400 audience members, just 300 members short of the Grand Theatre in Hong Kong Cultural Centre. 

Furnished in oak wood, the Concert Hall presents to the audience a warm ambience to see an opera in the city’s busy central business district. As a side note, the Concert Hall is a popular venue for theatrical performances in Hong Kong and thus, typically fully booked all year round. If you are interested in performing arts and culture, be sure to check out their programme list to see if there is an upcoming performance of opera in Hong Kong!

Address: 5 Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong

5. Xiqu Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui: Venue dedicated to Cantonese opera in Hong Kong

The grand opening of the Xiqu Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, an opera house for Cantonese opera in Hong Kong is all over the news lately. Apparently, the Hong Kong government is making every effort to support, preserve and revive Cantonese opera in Hong Kong. 

No doubt, preservation of Chinese opera as a performing arts form is important as it embodies the traditional Chinese art, reflects the local vernacular, and is widely recognized as the living heritage of Chinese people. 

Whilst the Hong Kong government, mass media and music interest groups place heavy emphasis on the modern development of Cantonese opera, there is an overlooked facet of opera in Hong Kong: Western opera. There are calls to extend the use of the Xiqu Centre to allow performance of both Chinese and Western opera in Hong Kong, but the impacts of these efforts are yet to be seen.

Address: 88 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon 

Still in search of a reason to see your first opera in Hong Kong? Check out More Than Musical’s blog to uncover Six Reasons to See Your First Opera!

Six Little-Known Facts About Operas

Do you know… the record for the world’s longest applause? That opera composers used to hire professional applauders at their live performances? And that some male opera singers had their testicles removed for the sake of preserving their soprano voices? These are issues pertinent to the development of operas in the past and present days. But of course no one likes to read boring articles about the 400-year-old history of opera in Hong Kong and the rest of the world. So here are six little-known fun facts about operas that you would surely be interested in.

Fact 1: Plácido Domingo set the world record for the longest applause in an opera

This fact is getting a little bit tricky here. The title of the world’s longest applause used to belong to Plácido Domingo, a Spanish opera singer. On July 30, 1991 when Giuseppe Verdi’s Otello was on show in Vienna, Plácido Domingo played the title role and yielded a standing ovation that lasted for an incredible duration of 1 hour and 10 minutes. That set the longest applause in world history, but the record was beaten 13 years later by Dustin Luke Nelson, outlasting Plácido Domingo’s performance by 50 more minutes at his performance at the Walker Art Center's Open Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Fact 2: Claques were hired to applaud at opera performances

The success of an opera cannot be judged merely by the loudness of applause received at its performance. Nonetheless, many in the classical period deemed cheers and boos important indicators of success. This gave rise to the employment of claques, which were professional groups that would feign tears at teary moments, laugh at hilarious times and chant for encores at the end of the show. These professional clappers were most commonly seen in France in the 19th century, the influence of which quickly spread to theatres in neighbouring areas.  Hopefully claques are not employed in any opera in Hong Kong nowadays.

Fact 3: Young male opera singers had their testicles removed to preserve their voices

We all know that boys’ voices crack and get lower upon puberty. The universal rule of human’s endocrine system does not only perturb the youngsters personally, but also causes trouble to the team for the lack of male sopranos. During the Baroque period, therefore, male singers would have their testicles removed before they even reached the age of puberty. These professional performers, who sacrificed their masculinity to retain their high-pitch voices, were known as castrati. The last castrato, Alessandro Moreschi, died in 1992 such that castrati cannot be found in any opera in Hong Kong or other parts of the world in modern times.

Fact 4: The Sydney Opera House was one of the world's most over budget projects

An article about opera cannot be complete without mention of the iconic Sydney Opera House. According to Joseph Cahill, Premier of New South Wales in 1954, construction of the Sydney Opera House began as a project to “help mould a better and more enlightened community”. Before Australia’s award-winning opera house became a famous tourist attraction today, its construction racked up a cost of $102 million (in Australian dollars), almost 15 times the estimated figure of $7 million. Worse still, building work of Sydney Opera House was expected to be completed in 4 years, but it took up to 14 years in the end.

Fact 5: Opera singers’ voices are loud because they sing at distinct frequencies

You’re not alone if you are wondering why opera singers’ voices, without amplifiers of any kind, can be clearly heard over the sound of an orchestra. To project their voices over the theatre, opera singers specifically adjust the resonance frequency of their vocal tracts to a level close to the fundamental frequency of the pitch. In simpler terms, while most of us sing at our most natural frequency, professional opera singers sing at a different frequency to make their voices significantly louder.

Fact 6: There are very few performances of Western opera in Hong Kong

So that’s quite a lot of technical knowledge and facts about operas in the past. Setting the calendar date in 2019, it is not hard to notice that opera in Hong Kong and other regions does not thrive as much as it used to be. If you type in the keywords ‘opera’ or ‘opera in Hong Kong’ on Google, the most probable result that you come across would be Opera Hong Kong’s website. If not, the bet is on the newly opened Xiqu Centre featuring Cantonese operas in the West Kowloon Cultural District. Following from this observation, one can confidently conclude that one can hardly find, let alone see a Western opera in Hong Kong. Opera Hong Kong is no doubt the leading organizer of opera performances in Hong Kong, but make sure you don’t miss out More Than Musical’s amazing live shows which present operas in a modern, compact and accessible manner. Hint for you: their actors and actresses use laptops and smartphones in their performances! Sounds fun, right? Check out their latest programmes and subscribe to stay tuned here!

Six Misconceptions About Operas Dispelled

“Hey! Are you up for hanging out this weekend? There’s an opera in Hong Kong that I really wanna see…” 

“Opera… seriously? Operas are boring and expensive. They’re for the rich old guys. What about a movie instead?” 

Does this conversation sound familiar to you? If not, have you ever thought of opera as a boring and expensive past-time for the wealthy elderly? Say yes, and read on until this article completely debunks the top six myths about opera.

1. Operas are boring

This is probably the most commonly held misconception about operas. The truth is, most if not all operas are packed with convoluted yet riveting storylines that can absolutely grasp your attention throughout the performance. Sometimes they can even be more intense than movies! Not sure what this means? Opera Hong Kong’s latest performance of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci is a case in point to illustrate this.

The imaginary story of Cavalleria Rusticana is set on an Easter morning when Turridu’s lover, Santuzza suspected that Turridu was cheating on her and sleeping with his mistress Lola. Outraged and driven by mounting jealousy, Santuzza informed Lola’s husband, Alfio, of Lola’s misbehaviour. Alfio was infuriated. He challenged Turridu to a duel, and a bloody Easter Monday entailed.

Pagliacci, on the other hand, was inspired by a real-life murder story. In the opera, Canio was the head and clown of a troupe of travelling street performers. His flirtatious wife Nedda was concurrently pursued by two other men: Silvo whom she loved, and troupe actor Tonio whom she spurned. When Tonio told Canio about his unfaithful wife’s affair, the cuckolded clown set ready with a knife against his wife during the performance… Is this part of the troupe’s performance or a real act of revenge. 

2. Operas are for the old people

A big no. Many perceive operas as dramas based on old stories performed by actors and actresses in old costumes doing what people did some 400 years ago. What they don’t know is that some contemporary operas come with exciting, modern twists. For instance, characters in La Traviata would write letters to each other with pens and papers if it was performed a decade ago. In More Than Musical’s adaptation of this classic opera, however, performers would dig out their smartphones, swiftly press a few buttons on the screen and send text messages instead. The twist to the original masterpiece has not only made this a modernized production, but also a unique opera in Hong Kong.

3. Opera in Hong Kong are for the rich

They were, but they aren’t. Indeed operas used to be entertainment for guests of the courts, foreign diplomats and royal families, but this is no longer the case now. Operas may be expensive if you see them in European countries with high costs of living, but an opera in Hong Kong is definitely affordable for the average audience. At only $100HKD, you can buy your way to Opera Hong Kong’s performance (a balcony seat, set at a far distance from the stage). Alternatively, you can choose the immersive, stageless opera experience that allows close-up contact and even chit-chats over liquor with opera performers with More Than Musical at just $250HKD! In any event, it is for sure that opera ticket prices aren’t as expensive as you thought.

4. Opera in Hong Kong are serious events

Yes and no. Of course operas are performances to which the audience has to pay respect, but it is not necessary to go to great lengths to dress up before you see an opera in Hong Kong. Flip-flops and ragged jeans would be too casual to be respectful, but you will be fine with a nice and comfortable outfit for an opera in Hong Kong. For ladies, this may even be the perfect night to find yourself an excuse to add a new collection to your wardrobe and get into your pretty outfit!

5. Opera performances are long and dull

Not true. Whilst some opera performances can last up to five hours long, it usually takes you much less time to see an opera in Hong Kong. In fact, the average opera in Hong Kong spans only three hours with a 15-minute intermission, and More Than Musical’s productions are even shorter at 90 minutes to cater to the audiences’ tight schedules and fast pace of life.

6. Operas are incomprehensible

Not really. As you may already know, stories are sung and acted out in an opera. Usually the performers sing in English, but sometimes they may sing in a foreign language like Italian. Either way, the opera’s synopsis in the programme booklet should be able to guide you through all important events in the storyline. And don’t worry if you don’t speak any foreign language — an opera in Hong Kong should have supertitles (in English) projected above the stage if it is performed in another language!

Six Reasons To See Your First Opera

Operas are a 400-year-old art form, but many of you have probably never visited an opera house, let alone watched a live performance. If that is the case, here are six reasons why you should give operas a try:

1. Opera is for everyone

Ever since operas were staged in the theatres a few hundred years ago, composers from all over the world have spawned productions featuring a wide variety of storylines. There are stories about a paranoid king who instructed his 50 daughters to marry and kill their husbands in order to safeguard his kingdom against invasion (Hipermestra by Francesco Cavalli), a demigod dolefully looking for his dead fiancée’s soul in the inferno (L' Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi), and a prince that fell in love with a charming lady who was under a peace treaty to marry the prince’s father (Don Carlos by Giuseppe Verdi). No matter you are craving for some blood-stained fighting scenes, prepared for a glimpse of the underworld or hoping to immerse yourself in tear-jerking tragic romance, rest assured that you will find your thing among tens of thousands of opera programmes available today. 

Tip for opera beginners: if you’re not sure where to look for opera programmes, don’t forget to subscribe to More Than Musical’s e-news.

2. Operas seamlessly integrate music and drama

Who doesn’t like concerts and movies? Hong Kong people could go so far as to take a few days off work in order to fly across the globe to watch live performances of their favourite bands, and many couples pay weekly visits to the cinemas. With operas being a combination of singing, orchestral music, dancing and drama, opera houses are where Hong Kong people’s favourite pastimes meet. 

3. Operas are an enjoyment for the eyes

Humans have an inherent liking for fancy things – pretty ladies, good-looking men, glimmering outfits, extravagant architecture and many more. Pay your way to an opera house and you can have it all – stunning casts, costumes that seem to come from a medieval nobility’s wardrobe, backdrops and props that make the audience feel like they have travelled a few hundred years backwards − call it an enjoyment for the eyes and soul of humankind.

4. Learning culture and history through operas

Sensational historical events, prevailing cultures and social norms have inspired composers to write some greatest operas of all time, making operas excellent materials for us to learn about history and cultures of the past. Giulio Cesare by George Frideric Handel, for example, bases its plot on the historical figure of Julius Caesar, an ancient Roman military general who was assassinated by contemporaneous senators for fear that he possessed too much political power in the republic. Our world’s culture and history are imperative to understanding the past and present, and for avoiding the same mistakes in the future. Yet many shun the process of learning history as it often comes in the form of long and dull history classes. To turn things around, operas take away the boring bits of history and leave audiences with the ultimate, enjoyable learning-in-theatre experience.

5. Operas as an affordable pastime

Whilst it would be ridiculously expensive to frequent the pubs in Lan Kwai Fong for late-night drinks, treat golfing as a hobby, or watch concerts in the Hong Kong Coliseum a few times per year, seeing operas would be a fairly affordable pastime to the average Hong-Konger. Tickets to live opera performances come in a wide price range, with the cheapest ones priced at $150 that would probably seat you at the upper circle of the Grand Theatre in the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. More Than Musical, on the other hand, offers a much more appealing deal. For just $210, members of ASHK and MTM could savour a free-flow of exquisite drinks, engage in insightful conversations with classically trained theatre singers, and engross in live performances delivered by world-famous performers and artistic directors. Most importantly, More Than Musical guarantees that opera-goers wouldn’t have to watch performances from above the stage in a bird’s eye view − without a stage in the theatre, everyone could stand close to the performers and fully immerse themselves in the ravishing music and drama.

6. Classical music boosts your brain power

If you’re still unmoved by the many artistic appeals of operas, here’s a scientific reason why you should check out the latest opera programmes and sign up for one. Dr. Gordon Shaw, a UC Irvine researcher and physicist, revealed that college students performed better than the average students in a spatial reasoning test after being exposed to 10 minutes of Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major (K. 448). This groundbreaking finding, dubbed the Mozart Effect, supports the proposition that classical music improves spatial reasoning and brain power. In simpler terms, listening to opera music makes you smarter. 

Rather than resorting to rock music which hurts your ears and sends a chill through your spine, why not listen to some classical music and immerse in the chorus to recharge yourself? Come back to More Than Musical’s website to check out our latest events!

Hidden Gems in the Music Entertainment Industry: Operas

In the 21st century when the effects of cultural globalization have fully emerged, you are probably living in a cave tucked behind the hills if you have never heard of terms like K-pop, J-pop or rock music. No matter you are a college student working tirelessly on your term papers or a white-collar employee sitting 24/7 in front of a desktop, you must have heard of these contemporary, popular music genres. You may even be able to name your favourite artists from bands or sing along with their songs and choruses in a foreign language. I’ve even seen hard-core fans fly from Hong Kong across the globe to see their favourite bands’ live performances.

But what about operas? When was the last time you looked up programmes for opera shows, or visited the opera house to watch a live performance? Have you ever attended an opera in Hong Kong? Can you recall the titles of at least three well-known operas? Do you know any opera composers? If you think you are a music lover but have negative answers to these questions, you are definitely missing a big fun part of the music entertainment industry. Read more to discover what you don’t know about operas!

Quick facts about operas

A typical opera is a staged drama set to music. In an opera, you will find stage performers who serve as both vocalists and actors, or sometimes dancers to tell stories in their euphonic voices and fluid dance moves. These performers are usually accompanied by an orchestra which provides music to the opera. An opera is a live performance where a drama is sung instead of spoken. In more figurative terms, it is a story coming to life in the theatre.

Historical development of operas

The origins of operas can be traced back to the Renaissance period dated 400 years ago. Against the backdrop of the cultural movement of reinvigorating literature and arts in Europe, the first opera, Dafne, was performed in Italy in the late 1500s in the hope to revive classical Greek dramas.

Operas quickly took off in Europe. The early operas were not performed in opera houses, but in Italian courts as live performances to entertain guests. During the Baroque period (1600 – 1750), operas were mainly of the opera seria style, which meant serious opera with a mythological or classical theme. Operas continued to thrive in the following classical period (1750 – 1800). This period saw the rise of a new opera style, opera buffa. Echoing the contemporaneous Age of Enlightenment, operas of this type tended to question aristocracy and authority. The quintessential example of opera enshrining Enlightenment beliefs was La serva padrona, in which a maid outwitted and tricked her master into marrying her, making her way up the social ladder in a disturbingly unscrupulous manner. The storyline of La serva padrona was then adapted in operas composed later in the same period as well as the Romantic period (1800 – 1890), many of which depicted exceptionally intimate relationships and promiscuity between masters and servants.

World-famous operas

The wild imagination and creativity of gifted composers have given birth to hundreds of thousands of masterpieces. As time passes, some of these operas have been obliterated. Yet many remain popular and are regularly performed in opera houses even today. Here are three must-know, world-famous operas and their synopsis:

1. Carmen (1875) by Georges Bizet

Carmen, the female protagonist of the opera, was a gypsy lady who captivated the hearts of all men in town — Don José the soldier was no exception. When Don José was commanded to arrest Carmen for initiating a fight, Carmen flirted with the young man, who then set her free in breach of his duty as a soldier. Poor Don José fell head over heels for Carmen, but she already had her eye on Escamillo, a charismatic bullfighter. What entailed was an intricate love triangle fraught with passion and jealousy…

Despite the wild success of Carmen as an opera, it actually started off amongst criticism from opera singers, directors and the audience. The opera did not acquire the popularity it now has (its overture and chorus are widely used around the world today) until the death of Georges Bizet, see the full story here: "https://www.classicfm.com/composers/bizet/guides/story-georges-bizets-carmen/

2. Don Giovanni (1787) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The story was about Don Giovanni, a libertine nobleman who never ceased to surprise others with his undisciplined pleasure-seeking behaviour. Many had sworn vengeance against Don Giovanni — for trespassing on their property, killing the Commendatore in a duel, seducing a bride on her wedding day and the list went on. When this daring man heard a warning from the graves, he unflinchingly invited the ghost to join him for dinner. Curious what would happen next? This opera will be performed in Hong Kong very soon. Check out programme details to grab your ticket to the theatre!

For Don Giovanni’s programme details and more live performances in Hong Kong, see:
http://operahongkong.org/performances/upcoming-performances/

3. La Traviata (1853) by Giuseppi Verdi

On the face, Violetta was a famed, beautiful courtesan. Behind all the glamour and luxury, illness was slowly nibbling away her life. When Violetta fell in love a bourgeois named Alfredo, her father demanded that she part with her lover to preserve their family’s reputation. In a dilemma between fidelity to her father and lover, Violetta left Alfredo without explanation, leaving behind nothing but a farewell note. Stricken with grief and outraged, Alfredo decided to confront and denounce the sick lady at her party. Could the broken relationship be reconciled? Would Alfredo ever unveil Violetta’s true love for him?

This romantically tragic opera in Hong Kong was performed by More Than Musical back in late 2017. Missed our opera? Check out our other programmes on www.morethanmusical.org to see if anything interests you!

Craving for an unconventional opera experience in Hong Kong? More Than Musical might be what you’re looking for!

If we talked about operas ten years ago, you would probably think of opera singers singing at the top of their lungs on the stage at the front of the theatre. If you are a student, or cannot afford to pay for the pricey tickets that guarantee a seat in the front rows, you will most likely be seated at the back of the theatre, looking down at the live performance at a far distance from the stage, where the performers are no larger than ants from your vantage point. To most people, this is the typical opera experience you can find in Hong Kong. Note that I used the word ‘typical’ — it means some unconventional opera experiences are available out there in the city.

Established in 2017, More Than Musical is an opera company/NGO based in Hong Kong. With a passion for music and opera, its founding members aim to make operas more accessible, relevant and contemporary to the Hong Kong community. As its name suggests, More Than Musical delivers to its audience more than the average musical does. At More Than Musical’s programmes, there will be no stages, no fixed seats and no more ant-like opera singers. You will find yourself in stageless live performances where the audience can actually watch the performers in close proximity, observing their facial expressions and gestures, feeling their vocal vibrations as well as admiring their melodic voices. What’s more, More Than Musical hosts open bars before, during and after each live performance. In Hong Kong where the masses work to their maximum stress levels, is there a better way to relax and spend your evening than taking sips of champagne over chats in anticipation prior to an opera, enjoying the immersive performance while alcohol adds to your excitement, and interacting with talented opera singers after their breathtaking performance? With More Than Musical, you will find moments of peace through operas in the hectic city. It is the oasis for opera in Hong Kong for frequenters and those who wish to discover more about operas alike.

In an era where digital technologies take the lead and the classical entertainment industry seems to take a backseat, and where creativity and innovation are inherently emphasized, entertainment providers in the music industry have gone to great lengths to make their programmes stand out to attract the crowds. In this everlasting quest for originality, we have seen outdoor operas where audiences and performers are no longer confined in a closed area in the opera house, classical operas held in off-the-wall venues as opposed to traditional theatres, as well as performers who invite the masses to join in singing the chorus during live performances, just to name a few. Yet none of these can deliver an opera experience in Hong Kong as immersive and engaging as More Than Musical does. In an intimate performance venue and with open bars which foster close interaction between the audience and performers, you would gasp at how close to the opera singers you can come to.

Still not sure whether opera is your thing? Hesitant to walk out on traditional opera performances and try something new? Need more of a nudge to sign up for More Than Musical’s programmes? Here is one last reason for you to give it a try. Whilst the average opera lasts for two to three hours (inclusive of intermissions), each of More Than Musical’s programmes lasts for only 90 minutes. It gives you a compact, intensive opera experience out of your 24/7 busy work life. If you find the opera dull and boring, then you can walk out of the theatre after only 90 minutes and forget that you have ever been to this performance. Just 90 minutes. 90 minutes and you don’t have to put up with boring classical music anymore. But of course, this isn’t going to happen.

To keep up with the modern culture and tear off the label of classical operas in Hong Kong being lifeless, uninteresting and catered for the old people, modern elements have been injected into More Than Musical’s operas. To better fit the opera context, the vast majority of opera singers dress in gorgeous, extravagant costumes analogous to those worn by nobles dated back in the eighteenth century. More Than Musical’s operas, on the other hand, take a bold move and break through from the norms of the industry by acting as modern characters, dressing up in modern ways, and incorporating state-of-the-art technologies in their live performances — you might find an opera singer using her iPhone XR as one of the props in a performance! Not surprisingly, this novel approach has been well-received with positive feedback. Music lovers from across the globe have flocked to More Than Musical’s operas in Hong Kong, and tickets sell out fast.

What are you waiting for? Check out the latest programmes offered by More Than Musical, grab your tickets online at https://www.morethanmusical.org, enjoy the contemporary opera and walk out of the theatre signing up for the next upcoming show before you even know it!