Scent of Thunderbolts

Welcome to Scent of Thunderbolts: An Introduction to Cantonese Opera in Canada.

My name is Karen Tam, and I am a Montréal-based artist and researcher. Follow me on this project as I discover Cantonese opera through archives, family collections, an art installation, and community conversations. We will enter the world of Cantonese opera as it journeyed from southern China to Canada’s Chinatowns, carried by the performers, families, and communities who have kept it alive. More than a performance tradition, Cantonese opera is a living social practice that has shaped gathering places, preserved stories and repertoire, and offers communities forms of creativity and care across generations.

Together, we’ll discover how Cantonese opera has created spaces of belonging through sound, stories, and memories. Along the way, I’ll share what I’ve discovered and learned from archives, exhibitions, and community voices. I am not an expert, but someone learning along the way. We’ll encounter photographs and stage backdrops, hear recordings from family collections, and meet the performers and organizers who have kept opera alive in Chinatown theatres and clubrooms.

Whether you are new to Cantonese opera or already familiar with it, let’s be curious together.