Description
Book SynopsisFostering national culture in Singapore through Chinese street opera performance
Trade Review“Interesting and informative ... this work presents a valuable case study in the historical fluctuation of cultural categories that challenges the notion of inherent artistic value.”--Journal of Folklore Research
"A fascinating effort to rethink the question of art as cultural capital in a nationalist narrative."--
The Journal of Theatre Research International"A valuable contribution to the study of traditional performing arts in Singapore and is a useful resource not only for ethnomusicological studies but also for non-music students alike."--
The World of Music"This groundbreaking study examines the ways Chinese street opera has been redefined and transformed as part of the process of nation building in Singapore. It becomes a lens through which we can observe changing social dynamics, the pragmatic ways performance can be appropriated and/or reinterpreted by various social groups, and the politicized ways in which cultural representation can intersect with ideas about nationalism, modernity, and cosmopolitanism. The author makes excellent use of business and management models in his sophisticated exploration of organizational structure, entrepreneurship, and cultural development in Chinese street opera. A stimulating book, it is one of the few studies of traditional performing arts in Singapore and Malaysia, which makes it a very precious resource."--Margaret Sarkissian, associate professor of music, Smith College
"Based on detailed ethnographic and archival research, this study of Chinese opera in Singapore subtly highlights the nuances of professional vs. amateur performance, the contributions of different dialect groups, and the tie-in by the 1990s with officially promoted cultural nationalism and tourism. The author is a cultural insider whose linguistic expertise and personal experience greatly enrich his treatment of the topic."--Helen Rees, author of
Echoes of History: Naxi Music in Modern ChinaTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vii
Introduction 1
1. Chinese Opera in Singapore, 1940s-1960s 15
2. Chinese Street Opera and Professional Opera Troupes 42
3. Amateur Chinese Opera and Confucianism 75
4. Reinstating Patronage and Tradition: Chinese Temples and the Revival of Chinese Street Opera 96
5. Tourism and Cultural Authenticity in Chinese Opera 117
6. Chinese Opera and the Concept of Culture in Singapore 138
Conclusion 159
Notes 165
Glossary 183
Bibliography 197
Index 215
