Like those on any other soccer team, the Forever Young players are jubilant when they score a goal.
What sets them apart, however, is how they express that joy. You won’t see hugs and high-fives when a player gets it in the net, rather you’ll hear snippets of Cantonese opera.
“Other soccer players look at us and wonder what’s going on. They think we’re crazy, and we might be crazy. However, as Cantonese opera singers, we enjoy kicking the ball and singing together,” said Hoi Seng Ieong, 70, a fabled singer among the local Chinese Canadian community.
“I haven’t played soccer for more than 10 years. But COVID-19 has kind of pushed me outside to kick the ball around.”
Although Ieong’s weekly players are fairly new to the sport, most of his team members are experienced Cantonese opera singers who, in full regalia, have graced the stages at many local events.
“We used to gather in a little studio in Richmond at least once a week for rehearsals before the pandemic. But the place isn’t big enough for more than 10 people to maintain social distancing (in accordance with provincial health guidelines.)
“Like many other professional artists, Cantonese Opera singers are required to stay focused and keep practising. Otherwise, we will lose our skills, just like an old bike rusting quickly. We don’t want our talents to have faded away by the time the pandemic comes to an end,” said Ieong.
Cantonese opera originated in Southern China back in the 12th century and gained popularity in Hong Kong and Chinese communities throughout Southeast Asia. Cantonese opera reprises stories of Chinese history and myth through music, song, martial arts, acrobats and acting.
After moving from their indoor studio to an outdoor playground two months ago, Ieong said he and his fellow performers felt alive again.
Cantonese opera singing is a craft, and there is no shortcut to master an art, the only way out is to keep practicing. With restrictions of practicing performances indoors in place due to limited space, playing soccer is a great way to help them maintain or even improve their physical strength and power, which is required to make a good opera singer, according to Ieong.
Another in the group, Mark Leung, who joined the team through a friend only a month ago, said the weekly soccer event gives him a platform to express his energy and passion.
“We have been holding too much inside of ourselves since the outbreak began. We were stuck at home and couldn’t sing or dance. But I feel connected to others and feel less alone in the world when I hang out with my team members,” said Leung.
The average age of the soccer team is around 62. However, age is just a number for them, said Leung, noting that age won’t stop them from staying young at heart.
“We’ve named our soccer team Forever Young. We might be grandpas at home or seniors in public, but we try to have as much fun as possible,” said Leung, adding that their team will continue to thrive in soccer fields even if everything returns to normal after the pandemic.
If you want to see some bad soccer but some great Cantonese opera for free, visit Talmey Neighbourhood School Park at 5 p.m. each Wednesday.
