Cantonese Opera Day 2026 set for 29 November with free workshops
Hong Kong's Cantonese Opera Day 2026 will be held on 29 November, featuring performances, workshops, talks and a meet-and-greet with veteran opera stars. Free workshops and lectures open for online registration from 16 November.
Hong Kong's Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced on 12 November that the annual 'Cantonese Opera Day 2026' will take place on 29 November. The event will include stage performances by young troupes and emerging talents, who will present excerpts from classic operas. Child performers will also model their costumes and makeup on stage.
Winners of the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival Cantonese opera competition and young opera students will perform their signature pieces and share their learning experiences. The Music Office's Chinese music elites will play familiar Cantonese and Chinese orchestral pieces.
On-site workshops will allow visitors to try basic opera movements and props such as horse whips and tasselled spears. This year adds two new activities: a parent-child 'trial performance workshop' where participants can go on stage, and an interactive 'Cantonese Opera Music—Blow, Pluck, Strum, Strike' workshop led by lecturers from the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts' Chinese Opera School, offering instrument-playing opportunities. Visitors can also make opera-themed handicrafts and take photos at a costume corner.
A signing session will feature veteran opera stars Cheng Wing-mui, Wan Yin-fei, Chan Wing-yee, Lai Yiu-wai, Wong Shing-bun, Wong Chi-leung, Leung Sum-yi and Yu Lung-lung. Senior opera coordinators will explain makeup and costume conventions in Cantonese and English, while stage crew will share behind-the-scenes stories. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum will showcase selected opera artefacts including playbills, scripts and film publications.
Guided tours in Cantonese, English and Putonghua will be available. Participants who collect stamps at designated spots can redeem limited-edition souvenirs while stocks last. Registration for workshops, talks and the new activities opens at 10am on 16 November via the LCSD website. Each person may register for up to two activities, with two places per activity. All activities are free and first-come, first-served.
Cantonese Opera Day 2026 is part of the 'Heritage • Grand Opera Season' series and the sixth 'Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cultural Arts Festival'.
