Interview Of Hon. Sir Guy Green 19 November 2010
Hon. Sir Guy Green is the Chairman of Trustees of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart, Australia
1)Yam Kim Fai was one of the top classical Chinese opera performing artists and extremely popular in China and overseas in the 20th century, what do you think, as a westerner, of the achievements of this artist as based on what you have seen?
Yam Kim Fai is a truly remarkable performer.
Last year I had the privilege of participating in the launch of the book and the DVDs about her in Hong Kong. Before that, although I had heard and enjoyed traditional Chinese instrumental music, I had had little exposure to traditional Cantonese or Chinese opera. So reading the English sections of the book and watching the DVDs were my introduction to this art form and to Yam Kim Fai.
It was a fascinating and moving experience. Although I could not understand the words or the conventions of Chinese opera I was still able to appreciate Yam Kim Fai's very special qualities: the sheer power of her presence, her attractive personality, her timing, the way she moves, her magnificent voice, her capacity to seamlessly move from dialogue to singing and above all her expressiveness: her extraordinary capacity to convey so much just by her facial expressions and those incredible eyes. I was also struck by her naturalness: she was performing in a traditional art form and yet she does not give any impression of formality or being stylized.
I thought it was remarkable that so much could be conveyed to a westerner about her capacity and her qualities even though I was unfamiliar with the genre. I think it is a tribute to her genius that her performance is able to transcend the barriers of language and culture in that way.
2) Yam Kim Fai was a female opera performer and actress but played the role of a male is there any similar example in the long history of classical opera in the West?
I am not an expert in classical western opera but I do know there are many operas where a male character is played by female singers: for example in Mozart's the Marriage of Figaro; Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier and Gounod's Faust, male characters are sung by female singers. Interestingly they are usually sung by mezzo sopranos, not the rich contralto of Yam Kim Fai. I don't know of any western singers who specialised in the female /male roles
3) Seeing the performances of Yam Kim Fai in the DVDs, could you relate any of her acting style to western performers?
I can see particular aspects of her style in different western performers but I cannot think of anyone who possesses them all. But there are some similarities with Dame Judy Dench; she is not an opera singer although she has had singing roles but she is one of the greatest English speaking actresses and she has a similar range of skills, is a very natural performer and there are similarities in their personalities.
4) If there is an exhibition of materials on this artist, do you think people in Tasmania would be interested to come to this exhibition?
I am not sure if a Tasmanian audience would be quite ready for such an exhibition; I think they would need more exposure to Chinese music and opera before they would appreciate it.
However I should also say that when we held the exhibition of the works of Professor Jao Tsung i at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery last year we were surprised and pleased by the great interest shown in the calligraphy sections of that exhibition even though the public were unfamiliar with it; I think they were appreciating the intrinsic aesthetic appeal and grace of the characters and they also became interested in learning about the different styles of calligraphy: running script, cursive script and so on. So perhaps I am wrong and the public would be prepared to be adventurous about a Yam Kim Fai exhibition too!
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雙飛蝴蝶 - 任劍輝 吳君麗by safzsd5,125 views
Rather than the negatives, shall we think of the positives. Shouldn't we be trying to exposing the Westerners to the richness of Cantonese Opera and the many lessons that we can learn from the historic characters of Chinese civilization. Thanks.
francispflai 4 months ago
这样高的评价，为什么任剑辉的艺术在大陆还是遭到忽视呢？？？？？？？
fangyiyi3811 6 months ago
This interview and commentary about Yam Kim Fai is well deserved and long overdue. I am a non-professional actress/singer and recently learned to sing Cantonese opera. It was YKF who inspired my interested in Cantonese opera.
suelam0 10 months ago
Neither of them know anything about this subject !! Waffle, waffle.. Can't even pronounce her name right and know nothing of western opera either. This is Colonialism, live and thriving where people can expound on something ythey have no idea about but get away with it because they are "superior".
paklaanfa 10 months ago