This October, we invite new and existing ArtClub members to come for engaging art-based activities in a Cantonese Opera Singing Workshop.

Join esea ArtClub from 12pm on Wednesday, 7 October 2026 for a free creative workshop for East and Southeast Asian people aged 50 and over. New and existing ArtClub members are welcome.

Led in Cantonese by Kamling Fung and Yuen Wah Leung of Aroma Cantonese Opera Troupe, the workshop will introduce participants to the fundamentals of Cantonese opera, including Gongche notation, Dingban and vocal techniques. Participants will also explore the classic repertoire Reunion in the Nunnery from Princess Cheung Ping.

The session will provide an opportunity to learn about Cantonese opera through singing and to share cultural knowledge and experiences with others in the ArtClub community.

The workshop also forms part of a wider collaboration with Vivienne Chow, who will be interviewing members of Aroma Cantonese Opera Troupe as part of herWriter-in-Residence (https://www.eseacontemporary.org/residencies/vivienne-chow) project with esea contemporary and CNTRFLD.ART.

This programme is part of esea ArtClub, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Please note that the workshop will be conducted in Cantonese. The session will also be photographed and filmed for research and documentation purposes. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please inform a member of the esea contemporary team on arrival.

Materials and light refreshments will be provided throughout the workshop. Attendance is free of charge, but due to limited capacity, advance booking is essential to secure your place.

‍About Aroma Cantonese Opera Troupe

Kamling Fung and Yuen Wah Leung are Cantonese opera practitioners from Hong Kong. They established the ‘Aroma Cantonese Opera Troupe’ (https://www.aromaopera.com/) in 1994 and have since initiated annual performances, accumulating a rich portfolio of on-stage experience over the years. In 2004, they enrolled in the School of Chinese Opera at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and were awarded the ‘Performing Arts Training Certificate (Cantonese Opera) – Evening Part-time Course.’

Image credit:

1,4,5. Image courtesy of Aroma Cantonese Opera Troupe.

2-3. Image courtesy of esea contemporary.

About esea contemporary (https://www.eseacontemporary.org/)

esea contemporary (https://www.eseacontemporary.org/) is the UK’s only non-profit art centre specialising in presenting and platforming artists and art practices that identify with and are informed by East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) cultural backgrounds.

esea contemporary is situated in an award-winning building in the heart of Manchester, home to one of the largest East Asian populations in the UK. Since its inauguration as a community-oriented visual arts festival in 1986, esea contemporary has continuously evolved to establish itself as a dynamic and engaging space for cross-cultural exchanges in the British art scene, as well as in a global context.

esea contemporary aims to increase the visibility of contemporary art practices from the East and Southeast Asian communities and their diasporas. It is a site for forward-thinking art programmes that beyond exhibitions also include commissions, research, residencies, publishing, and a wide range of vibrant public events. esea contemporary values creativity, compassion, interconnectedness, and collectivity in implementing its mission.

Learn more at: www.eseacontemporary.org

Photo by Joe Smith.

Description supplied by the event organiser.