Ya Le Opera Troupe/blazes an opera path in Kaohsiung 雅樂歌劇團/樂此不疲唱出高雄歌劇新天堂
They are a group of active music teachers and they call themselves people with "opera caner." For the last decade, they ran the only one opera troupe in Kaohisung devoted to the production of operas performed in local language and directed by local directors, and the only one opera troupe funded by the private sector.
Opera is an expensive art. Ya Le's sponsor Kuo Tsai-lian (the wife of city councilor Li Fu-hsing), pointed out that the production of opera calls for joint efforts of many art talents and huge funds. The task that can seemingly be fulfilled only by public musical institutes was taken by a group of opera-lovers for 10 years. This indicates their great passion for opera.
Alto Liao Miao-chen beamed with joy and said, "music is to be shared." They enjoy singing together and even out differences with common love for music.
Members of Ya Le never get tired of year-round rehearsals and performances. In early years, they had to frequently travel long distance to the north to cooperate with Taipei Opera House. Later on, they decided to establish an opera troupe for their city. Along the way, they had wonderful days and grew keener on the art of singing.
Today, they have gained mature skills and created a style of their own. Director Sh Kao-e explained why he organized the troupe in the first place, "The opera troupe formed entirely by Kaohsiung residents will stay forever. Foreign groups depart soon after the show ends. They are like bonsais which never take root."
Next year Ya Le will stage the western version of "Shih Hsi Chi," a repertoire of traditional Taiwanese opera. The juxtaposition of eastern and western art forms poses a great challenge. The Executive Producer Lo Chiu-yu hopes to make it an opera for all, namely simple and understandable.
他們笑稱自己是一群得「歌癌」的人。一群活躍於高雄聲樂界的音樂老師，十年來用本土的語言、本土的導演成立高雄市唯一的本土歌劇團，更是目前全台灣唯一的一個民間自組歌劇團。
歌劇是一個昂貴的藝術。雅樂歌劇團的贊助人郭彩連（李復興市議員夫人）指出，從歌唱、音響、燈光、戲劇藝術到舞台製作都必須集合很多藝術人才及龐大經費，在台灣除非是公立樂團才能製作，在高雄卻由民間一群愛好歌劇的藝術家自組，十年不間斷，若非興趣是不能持續那麼久的。
女中音廖妙真笑開了嗓門，「獨樂樂，不如眾樂樂」。因為熱愛歌唱，大夥兒一起唱歌唱出革命情感，唱到最高點，即使有所爭執，也都為了音樂而彼此包容接納。
這一群人幾乎終年排練及演出，而且樂此不疲。從早期與台北首都歌劇院南北合作，團員常常要南北奔波忍受舟車勞苦，後來高雄自己籌組劇團，主要想讓高雄的聲樂老師有一個展演的舞台，這一路唱來，大夥是愈唱愈熱烈，每個人也在當中快樂成長。
這一路走來，音樂藝術更成熟，情感藝術也更成熟，歌手們培養了良好默契，也走出了高雄本土歌劇團的風格。「這個完全由高雄人自組的歌劇團，是真正紮根的歌劇團，不似外來劇團演完了就走，大卡司再多也像盆栽，無法落地生根」組長石高額用他那高亢的嗓門表達他當初籌組劇團的心願。
明年他們即將演出西洋版的「什細記」。用歌劇來表達傳統的歌仔戲，從編曲、演出到歌唱譜本都是一個極大的挑戰。執行製作人羅秋玉希望能做到歌劇雅俗共賞，不僅團員唱得興緻高昂，也要讓觀眾聽得懂、看得懂。