Speeches
The development of Cantonese opera in Singapore
Sectors
Arts & Heritage
30 March 2014
Speech by Mr Sam Tan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth at the Chinese Opera Institute's book launch
外交部兼文化、社区及青年部高级政务次长陈振泉先生于戏曲学院的新书发布会暨讲座上致词， 2014年3月30日，上午11点00分,国家图书馆
尊敬的戏曲学院主席林方华先生
戏曲学院的董事们
各位嘉宾、文艺戏曲界的朋友们、女士们、先生们
大家早上好！
今天早上真的很高兴能出席由戏曲学院所举办的新书发布会暨讲座。当然也非常很荣幸能为戏曲学院所发行的新书“The Development of Cantonese Opera in Singapore”
主持新书发布仪式。
新加坡是一个多元民族、多元文化的移民社会。我们的先辈从亚洲各地飘洋过海到南洋寻找新生活、落地生根。而随行来到新加坡的是他们的文化及传统，这当中也包括了华族传统戏曲。虽然说华族传统戏曲是先辈们从中国各地“引进”到新加坡的一个艺术形式，这个传统艺术不仅在新加坡落地生根，而且开始散叶。这个传统艺术在新加坡普及化，更曾在三零年代至六零年代之间红极一时。
但是随着社会的变化、科技的日新月异，以及人们的生活习惯改变，人们对传统艺术的兴趣渐渐减少。
不过我们都知道传统艺术是文化的根源之一。因此，每个华人都有责任去保存和推广传统文化。而传统艺术组织，比如戏曲学院，多年来在台前幕后为我们的地方戏曲的传承确实更功不可没。戏曲学院自1995成立以来就不遗余力的发扬与提倡华族传统戏曲文化。戏曲学院为发扬这门艺术，便在各个阶层推动本地的戏曲活动，包括在中小学教导戏曲课程，和举行大型公开演出。此外，学院也定期举办讲座，增进公众对传统戏曲的了解。
戏曲学院更为了记录粤剧在新加坡的演变，深入研究和探讨，把收集到的资料编写成英文书籍，让更多人能对粤剧有更深一层的了解，这股传承的精神真的是可圈可点。
我自己个人是希望能有更多本地传统艺术团体能把持信念，继续为发扬传统艺术再接再厉。政府也会相应给予支持和资助，帮忙推广我们的传统文化和艺术。
在今年的财政预算案中，我提到了政府将继续致力于培育和推广优良的传统文化。我们相信只要国人对传统文化有了更深一层的了解后，就能产生认同感和自豪感。这能确保传统艺术能够在新加坡持续扮演着文化基石的重要角色。
因此，文化、社区及青年部和属下机构推行了一系列的计划来支持传统文化的推广。这包括了我们在2011年推出的总额达到2300万元的五年传统艺术计划（National Traditional Arts Plan）。这个计划目的就是希望能支持和帮助传统艺术的流传，并协助艺术团体提高作品素质。政府在过去给予的资金主要集中在非盈利或业余化的团体。而这个五年计划将把赞助的方向扩展到一些盈利、商业的团体。比如说不久前刚谢幕的福建戏曲团新赛凤，他们其实也可以申请，而国家艺术理事会也曾向他们表示过他们可以提出资金的申请。但是基于种种的原因，他们决定要结束长达百年的福建戏曲传统，令人感到非常惋惜。我希望就算是一些商业性质的团体都可以向政府和国家艺术理事会提出申请，只要是能过传承传统艺术，我们将会非常乐意的支持。
传统艺术不单是发展新加坡文化的重要环节之一，它也是促进不同社群的了解，甚至彼此欣赏对方的艺术 的桥梁。除了政府的支持和资助以外，企业界和广大民众对传统艺术的支持也非常重要。我相信如果政府，企业界及观众能紧密合作，三管齐下支持我们的传统艺术，传统艺术的前景将是非常光明的。
在此，我想向戏曲学院送上最真诚祝贺。希望你们再接再厉，弘扬传统文化和艺术，并且举办种种活动教育观众，培育新一代的观众群。最后，我祝愿戏曲学院在主席林方华和诸位董事的领导下能更上一层楼！
谢谢大家!
It is my pleasure to be here this morning to launch the Chinese Opera Institute's new book, titled “The Development of Cantonese Opera in Singapore”.
With the advent of radio, television, and the Internet, traditional art forms are now facing severe competition for people's attention. As such, to maintain the interest in traditional arts, every one of us has a role to play in preserving and promoting our cultural heritage. And the work of traditional art groups such as the Chinese Opera Institute is therefore very crucial and important.
Through trainings, talks, research papers and courses, the Chinese Opera Institute brings alive the rich history of our local Chinese opera across all the genres. I believe that many non-Chinese speaking Singaporeans will also benefit from this English research publication “The Development of Cantonese Opera in Singapore”. After reading the book myself, I believe that this book will provide them with interesting insights on the evolution and the evolvement of Cantonese Opera here. Such effort, by traditional arts groups like the Chinese Opera Institute, is indeed very commendable as they help to preserve and promote the appreciation of Chinese Culture among audiences old and young.
Furthermore, efforts by the various arts groups, artists and the government are necessary, as doing so will enable Singaporeans to better understand and appreciate the different cultures. When we celebrate our diversity, we will also continue to enjoy racial harmony and a cohesive society. And as we celebrate our 50 years of independence next year, I think the publication of this book and the translation of this book into a Chinese version will indeed be a very apt celebration of the progress and development as a nation for Singapore, and also as a cultural and artistic form for traditional operas.
As such, I will like to take this opportunity to thank the Chinese Opera Institute's for its unwavering effort in promoting Chinese Opera in Singapore. And for those who are present this morning, I hope you will find the book very insightful and interesting. As I went through the book the last few days, I really enjoyed reading because the book provides very detailed chronologies of the development of Cantonese opera in Singapore. This book chronicles the development the ups and downs, not just the Cantonese opera, but operas of the different genres in Singapore. So I think the responsibility of the future of the traditional art forms lies in every one of us. We can encourage our next generation to have the appreciation of this artistic form, and I think we will still have a bright future for our opera in Singapore. And on this note, I wish all of you a very pleasant Sunday.
Thank you.