Cantonese Music and Silent Film at Peralta Hacienda
PRESS RELEASE:
Second Saturdays at Peralta Hacienda present:
THE CULTURE OF OAKLAND’S EARLY CHINESE
A Singing and Musical Instrument Demonstration of Cantonese Opera
In conjunction with a showing of Marion Wong’s 1916 silent film:
THE CURSE OF QUON GWON
2465 34th Ave, Oakland
510-532-9142
Sat. Sept. 13, 2-5 pm
In October, 1852, long before Enrico Caruso graced the stage of San Francisco’s Tivoli Opera House during the big quake, a troupe of Cantonese musicians offered California its first taste of opera with a performance of “The Eight Genii”. For the next century and a half, Cantonese opera has continued to be studied and performed within the Bay Area’s Chinese community.
In recent years, amateur musician/singer, Helen Chou, has been active in exposing a wider audience to Cantonese opera. To help the non-Cantonese-speaking public better understand this art form, she projects both English and Chinese* subtitles during performances.
On Sat., Sept. 13, Chou, along with seven other musicians, will perform a duet of the Cantonese opera song entitled “General Dee-Ching and the Princess” and demonstrate the musical instruments played in Chinese opera. The performance will occur at 3 pm, in between two showings (2:15 and 4:15) of Oaklander Marion Wong’s 1916 silent film, “The Curse of Quon Gwon”, the first film produced and directed by a Chinese American.
This program is part of Second Saturdays at Peralta Hacienda (Oakland’s original rancho) 2465 34th Ave, off Coolidge.
Both events are free to the public, but seating for the film is limited.
For reservations, call 510-532-9142. www.peralthacienda.org
* Cantonese is one of the many dialects in China; all the dialects share one written form.
Song Title: General Dee-Ching and the Princess Music provided by MUSIC ORIENT.
Mr. Y. D. Douglas Wong: Lead Gaohu (Violin), Virginia Chan: Yangqin (Dulcimer), Ming Yip: Dizi (Flute), Camille Lau: Cello, Harry Leung: Yuan (Bass Guitar), Betty Hui (or Mr. Yao): Percussion, Male Vocal: Jeff Cheung as the General, Female Vocal: Helen Chou as the Princess