The Awakening: Reclaiming & Remembrance

About three years ago, I reached out to the Vancouver Cantonese Opera Society (VanCan) to offer my theatre history students a hands-on introduction to Chinese theatre practice. What began as a single workshop quickly evolved into a much deeper collaboration.

The Vancouver Cantonese Opera Society, 2015.

Rosa Cheng, VanCan’s Artistic Director, had been developing the idea of "fusion opera" during the isolation of COVID—a bold yet elegant concept blending traditional Cantonese Opera with contemporary performance forms.

This creative dialogue grew into a shared project: The Awakening, a historical drama tracing the journey of Chinese Canadians from the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act to a pivotal turning point during World War II. At that moment in history, Chinese Canadians were granted the opportunity to enlist in the military, and with it, the right to vote. This act of service broke a long chain of systemic exclusion and marked a watershed in the ongoing struggle for inclusion and equality in Canada.

We’ve just completed the second draft of the libretto, and the project is now entering an exciting new phase. A traditional Cantonese Opera composer and a jazz musician are currently developing the score, bringing together two power ful musical traditions. I’m deeply proud to be part of this collaboration and to witness its evolution as we bring this vital story to life.