Hong Kong's West Kowloon cultural district: a must for art enthusiasts

Built on reclaimed land in Victoria Harbour and stretching across 40 hectares, Hong Kong's new West Kowloon cultural district is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural projects in the world. It is also a hub for art-related businesses, where auction houses such as Phillips established their new headquarters.

Located on the eastern tip of the district, enticing visitors with its stage curtain-like entrance is the Xiqu Centre. Opened in 2019, this striking, architectural building is the new home of Cantonese opera. 

The structure boasts a Grand theatre which can seat up to 1,073 people as well as a more 'intimate' Tea House theatre. It was designed in the style of Hong Kong’s early 20th-century tea houses and home to the signature Tea House Theatre Experience — a narrated performance of Cantonese opera excerpts perfect for new audiences.  

The centre not only hosts magnificent theatrical performances but also film screenings, workshops, symposiums and the annual Chinese Opera Festival. 

Chinese opera is an art form that is thousands of years old. It is considered to have begun in the Tang dynasty under Emperor Ming Huang (712-755) who created the country's first theatrical troupe; the Pear Garden.

The exact origins of Cantonese opera, also known as 'Guangdong Drama,' are under debate but can be traced back to the 16th-century Ming Dynasty, under the reign of Emperor Jiajing (1522-1566). It is believed the art form developed in the Guangdong province during the Song Dynasty in the 12th century.

According to the City University of Hong Kong%20of%20the%20Ming%20Dynasty.), "It is a blend of different operatic styles, such as the Yiyang and Kun tunes of the Ming Dynasty, the Xiqin and Han Opera of the early Qing Dynasty, the