A hidden gem in Chinatown

Posted by noelbynature under Buildings and Monuments, Heritage Sites and Trails
(1) Comment • (3245) Reads • Permalink

Amidst the hustle and bustle of Chinatown stands an imposing icon of yesteryear’s entertainment scene. But you may already have passed it by without realising it. Built in 1887, the Lai Chun Yuen was the premier Chinese Opera Theatre in Singapore, and played host to the top opera stars from as far as China and Hong Kong! In some sense, this made the Lai Chun Yen akin to Broadway or the Kodak Theatre of the East.

Of course, Chinese Opera had its day, and then met a swift demise with the arrival of the ‘talkies’, or movies with sound in the 1930s. It was briefly converted into a cinema, but its heyday came to an end when the Japanese invaded Singapore.

Today, the building has been restored and the interior refurbished - it’s interesting to note that Lai Chun Yuen was built as a tea-house rather than an opera house. Although the days of opera are over, the building still hosts occasional performances and you can still catch a small Cantonese opera performance every Tuesday and Friday.

What does the inside of Lai Chun Yuen look like today? You can take a peek in yg’s blog - or better yet, you can head down to Chinatown and see for yourself!

Rating: +1