The theater stage is bathed in a luscious lavender hue, a color that in Chinese tradition signifies nobility and mystery — and portends things to come. A young couple, pure of heart, fall in love only to see their romance thwarted by the machinations of a corrupt bureaucrat. They declare their devotion to each other, expressing themselves in song and precisely choreographed hand movements and poses.

I am watching a snippet of the Cantonese opera "The Story of the Purple Hairpin," written in 1957 by Tong Tik-sang. It's part of a taster program that includes narrative singing, musical performances and excerpts from 20th-century versions of traditional dramas. The audience is served oolong tea and morsels of dim sum and as English subtitles appear on an LED panel above the action, I reflect on similar efforts in Japan to capitalize on culture.

The venue for this event is the Hong Kong Academy of the Performing Arts, the atrium of which bears a strong resemblance to the cozy 1970s vibe of London's Royal National Theatre on the South Bank. The troupe, however, are looking forward to moving into a spanking new home, the Xiqu Centre, set to open late 2018.