By Hilda Lo
From a Hobby to a Career : A video about Chinese Opera
Lam has a unique hobby. She practiced Cantonese Opera since she was 7. She trains with her teacher every Saturday, who has been her coach ever since she started.
“Cantonese Opera is the career that I really wish to pursue in my life,” said Lam Ka-hei, an 18 year-old university student.
Lam is just like any other student, participating actively in university activities. But if you follow her to her training classes, you’ll see a totally different side of her.
She stretches and kicks, she sings and she acts. What’s more, her role is a Xiaosheng, meaning a young male character. She sings out verses of the play in a deep, strong voice. You can never imagine this quiet and intelligent girl can perform in such a powerful and contagious way.
Lam thinks that she might not be able to become a professional actress, but she is still deeply interested in devoting her career in Cantonese Opera, such as in wardrobe or as a musician.
Yet, the road to becoming a professional is not easy for Lam with aspirations and many fantasies about her future. Her parents, who are quite conservative, do not want their daughter to make Cantonese Opera as her career since they believe that being a Cantonese Opera performer cannot earn a living.
Lam’s teacher, Lau Wai Ming, also discourages her from pursuing this goal. Ms Lau doesn’t want Lam to experience the hardship she faced when she started her career as an apprentice.
“I know it’s not the smoothest path to go, but since I’ve gone so far, I will keep chasing my dream,” Lam said.
From a Hobby to a Career, captured all of this, from Ka-hei’s hobby to developing it into a career, as well as the hardships and discouragements that she faces along the way.