The Chinese Opera Institute
History
The Chinese Opera Institute (COI) was established in June 1995 as a non-profit organisation with the support of the National Arts Council. The COI holds talks and courses throughout the year to encourage opera practitioners to expose themselves to different genres and techniques in Chinese opera, as well as to familiarise and educate the public on Chinese opera.
Promoting Chinese traditional culture is one of our objectives. COI has been putting up public performance, organizing talks, and conducting courses in more than 100 schools. To mark the centennial history of local Hokkien opera, COI organised the gala performance of the “Xue Gan – The Fire of Youth” with the local Hokkien opera groups.
The efforts that COI has put in are recognized by both local and overseas arts organisations. Our artistes and the student performers were invited to perform in countries like Thailand, India, Italy and so forth, and received tremendous good responses.
COI has organised courses including opera movements, martial arts, music and singing for different genres, including Hokkien, Huangmei, Teochew, Cantonese, Hainanese and Beijing opera. Since the setting up of the Singapore Children Opera Repertory Ensemble (SCORE) in 1988, it had participated in the Savonlinna International Children’s Theatre Festival in Russia, Finland, Germany, Japan and India. COI also involved in academic research and had since published 5 publications. The recent publication is an English research titled 'The Development of Cantonese Opera in Singapore', which is published in Dec 2013.
Mission
Chinese Opera Institute is a resource and training centre for Chinese Opera. Its mission to promote, nurture and develop the traditional Chinese Opera artform in Singapore by being an advocate for the local Chinese Opera groups and a builder of audiences for Chinese Opera in Singapore.
Vision
Chinese Opera Institute is the thought leader and driving force for the promotion and development of the traditional Chinese Opera artform in Singapore.
Objectives
1. To develop, promote, establish, manage a professional Chinese opera group in Singapore;
2. To identify, nurture, promote, generate, foster and develop Chinese opera groups in Singapore to assist and enable them to achieve high artistic standards and to develop their potential to the fullest;
3. To promote, generate, simulate and inculcate greater interest in Chinese opera in Singapore and to carry on all or any activities in connection therewith to broaden the base of appreciation of Chinese opera among the people in Singapore, in particular among the younger generation of the people in Singapore;
4. To act as a coordinating, training and resource centre for Chinese opera groups in Singapore and to enter into any arrangements;
5. To promote, present, deal in and undertake all aspects of the staging of Chinese opera festivals and performances by professionals or otherwise in Singapore and elsewhere to raise the standards of Chinese opera productions in Singapore;
6. To provide assistance for the sourcing, procuring, employment or commissioning of instructors in Chinese opera, and the organization of training programs in Chinese opera for Chinese opera practitioners in Singapore;
7. To do incidental or conducive non-profitable activities to the attainment of the above mentioned objects.
Focus
1. Creating an increased awareness of and support for COI’s mission.
2. Connecting with all Chinese Opera groups and practitioners in Singapore.
3. Cultivating relationships and partnerships with government agencies, and any local an
international organisations and individuals that support COI’s mission and vision.