Old School or Minor Practice: A Case Study of The Royal Execution or Zhan Er Wang (斬二王)

2013 saw some rudimentary breakthroughs in conceptualizing Cantonese opera in Hong Kong. While the pluralistic conglomeration of the ‘northern’ (北派) and ‘southern’ (南派) styles of xiqu handed down by Kok-sin Sit since early last century stays popular in the mainstream, there appear two tendencies of artistic detour. First, the live application of realistic theatrical representation enhanced by 3D screen projection technology undermines Cantonese opera’s fundamental aesthetic tradition of expressionism. Second, the special full-length signature presentation of the genre in the older ‘southern’ style by some well-respected senior artists is seen as a critique of the contemporary commercial practice. The latter arouses much attention on conservation of the intangible cultural heritage and on the genre’s sustainable development in general. This paper will base on Kar-ying Law’s latest predominantly old-school performance of The Royal Execution or Zhan Er Wang (斬二王) and spell out how this minor practice in Hong Kong may possibly revolutionize a nationwide cosmopolitan adaptation of the historical genre.