Joanna Wong

Joanna Wong

Joanna Wong Quee Heng (b. 1939, Penang, Malaya)¹ is a leading exponent of Cantonese opera in Singapore. Although an amateur artist, Wong’s artistic skills have won her praises from Beijing opera scholars. She has also pioneered many novel ideas to promote Cantonese opera among the young and non-Chinese speaking audiences. Her promotion efforts have not only revived Cantonese opera in Singapore, but also elevated it to a respectable art form. Some of Wong’s most well-known works include Madam White Snake, The Patriotic Princess, and Emperor Wu Ze Tian. For her tireless dedication in promoting the art form, Wong was awarded the Cultural Medallion for Chinese Opera in 1981.²

This guide provides supplementary resources for those who are keen to further explore this topic. You can also visit catalogue.nlb.gov.sg ↗ (opens in new tab) to search for more resources. This resource guide was prepared in November 2021 by Winnie Tan, Associate Librarian at the National Library, Singapore.

Introduction on Joanna Wong adapted from Chor, Poh Chin, “Joanna Wong Quee Heng,” Singapore Infopedia, National Library Board, last modified February 6, 2014, https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=46012067-7c25-43e9-908d-ddabada62fd2.

Books

• Choo, M. E. (2020). Her opera, her life - Joanna = Ta de xi qu, ta de yi sheng - Hu Guixin. ↗ (opens in new tab) Singapore: Simply Green. (Call no.: 792.5092 CHO)

• 胡桂馨 [Hu, G. X.]. (2013). 红氍毹上之不倒翁红氍毹上之不倒翁 [Joanna Wong: An indomitable life, an operatic legacy] ↗ (opens in new tab). Singapore: 敦煌剧坊. (Call no.: 792.5092 WJ)

Articles

• Baptista, E. (1972, February 21). The big night jitters of 'Madam White Snake’. ↗ (opens in new tab) The Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.

• Yong, C. (2013, June 30). A lifelong passion for Chinese opera ↗ (opens in new tab). The Straits Times, p. 16. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.

• Fun, P. Y. (1981, October 20). To promote Chinese opera. ↗ (opens in new tab) The Straits Times, p. 3. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.

Audio

• Wong, J. Q. H. (2011). Oral history interviews (58 tracks). Retrieved 27 October 2021, from National Archives of Singapore website https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/oral_history_interviews/record-details/50600da4-1162-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad ↗ (opens in new tab)

• Mediacorp Radio. (1998). Wayang Wayang: Cantonese Opera 1. Retrieved 27 October 2021, from National Archives of Singapore website https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/audiovisual_records/record-details/5e39f39f-1164-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad ↗ (opens in new tab)
  Duration: 60 min 14 sec

• Mediacorp Radio. (1998). Wayang Wayang: Cantonese Opera 2. Retrieved 27 October 2021, from National Archives of Singapore website https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/audiovisual_records/record-details/5e3a0636-1164-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad ↗ (opens in new tab)
  Duration: 54min 58sec

• Mediacorp Radio. (1998). Wayang Wayang: Cantonese Opera 'Romance Of The Purple Hairpin' Zi Chai Ji. Retrieved 27 October 2021, from National Archives of Singapore website https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/audiovisual_records/record-details/5e39e272-1164-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad ↗ (opens in new tab)
  Duration: 55min 10sec

Videos

• 胡桂馨 : 红氍毹上之不倒翁. (2013). Available via PublicationSG.
  Duration: 99min

• Intrigues in the Qing Imperial Court. (2012, October). Available at library@esplanade. (Call no.: 792.542 INT -[ART])
  Duration: 133min

• Infusion. Episode 7. (2005). Available at Lee Kong Chian Reference Library Level 11 and library@esplanade. (Call no.: 782.1 INF)
  Duration: 30min

Websites

• Chor, P. C. (2014, February 6). Joanna Wong Quee Heng. Retrieved 2021, November 12 from Infopedia website: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=46012067-7c25-43e9-908d-ddabada62fd2 ↗ (opens in new tab)

References

¹ 胡桂馨 [Hu, G. X.]. (2013). 红氍毹上之不倒翁 [Joanna Wong: An indomitable life, an operatic legacy]. 新加坡: 敦煌剧, p. 22. (Call no.: Chinese RSING 792.5092 WJ)

² Purushothaman, V. (Ed.). (2002). Narratives: Notes on a cultural journey: Cultural medallion recipients 1979–2001. Singapore: National Arts Council, p. 22. (Call no.: RSING 700.95957 NAR)