Older generations of Chinese Americans in the Bay Area revel at the sight of traditional Chinese opera performances. But younger folks? Not so much.
That’s why several San Francisco teenagers launched the after-school program Jing Shao Nian, which teaches local middle schoolers all about the age-old craft.
The program’s mission is to provide an “immersive experience into the world of Peking and Cantonese opera involving performances, martial arts classes, Chinatown field trips, Chinese history lectures and community service projects” and “to be a vibrant and transformative influence in the San Francisco Bay Area, enriching the lives of young people by celebrating the beauty of Chinese opera.”
“So many older adults grew up with (Chinese opera) and it’s incredible to watch their legacy being carried on by these younger students,” says Julia Howe, 17, founder of Jing Shao Nian and a senior at Lick Wilmerding High School in San Francisco.
Participants in the program, which runs from Feb. 2 through June 8, meet in person every other week on Sunday.
Meetings are at the Chinese American International School on 19th Avenue in San Francisco; a professional Cantonese Opera studio on Waverly Place in San Francisco’s Chinatown and the Tat Wong Kung Fu Academy in San Mateo.
Students can sign up on the organization’s website until Jan. 21 for a fee of $10, which covers access to all program resources and activities.
Classes, taught by Chinese theater professionals, cover topics from martial arts and singing to costume and makeup.
In June, the kids will put on their own show alongside professional performers at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. Performances, complete with elaborate costumes and makeup and live musical accompaniment, are entirely in Mandarin, Cantonese or other Chinese dialects,
Program participants also do community service performances at senior retirement centers in Chinatown.
Howes says her favorite part of leading Jing Shao Nian is watching shy students grow more confident and comfortable in an opera setting.
“Chinese opera by nature is really bold,” she says. “You have to sing loud and high-pitched. The makeup and costumes make everyone look at you. For a lot of students, that’s really scary, especially when that’s connected to their culture and not something they’ve really been taught to celebrate before.”
Professional opera performer Eva Tam, who participates in shows in San Francisco and Hong Kong, appreciates how Jing Shao Nian is getting youths interested in opera.
“I’m so glad to have this group,” Tam says. “They have a passion for Chinese culture and for promoting the workshop in all the schools in San Francisco.”
Howe says lack of exposure to the craft, or difficulty in understanding Chinese opera, which dramatizes Chinese history, legends and folklore, are among the reasons why youngsters aren’t more interested in the art form.
Howe, who discovered opera through her grandmother, hopes the program will help children of all backgrounds feel connected to the region’s vibrant opera culture.
While San Francisco’s prominent opera organizations are run by and serve adults, Howe hopes there will be more opportunities for intergenerational performances in the future.
“I think there should be more programs that let older adults and younger kids perform together and learn from each other,” Howe says. “I feel like they both have so much wisdom to share.”
For more information, visit jingshaonian.org.