Chinese Opera in Singapore: Negotiating Globalisation, Consumerism and National Culture

While it is conventionally argued that global culture homogenises local cultures, very little attention is paid to the strategies that local cultures deploy to survive. This article looks at Chinese opera in Singapore and explores strategies such as apprenticeship schemes, coopting consumerist culture and amateur opera. It argues that the relationship between global and local cultures is one of continuous contestation and refutes the notion that national culture protects or elevates local cultures.