Mrs. Joanna Wong Quee Heng, JP, BBM, is a veteran Chinese opera practitioner who has been practising her art since the 1950s. She received the Cultural Medallion in 1981, becoming the first Chinese opera artist to be conferred the prestigious award. Mrs Wong also started the Chinese Theatre Circle (CTC) in 1981, and was both its Artistic Director and Chief Leading Actress. The CTC staged many successful local and overseas performances under her leadership. Mrs Wong is credited with reviving the Cantonese opera scene in Singapore and elevating the art form. An effectively bilingual performer, she pioneered the use of English subtitles to accompany her performances to attract and cater to a growing English-speaking audience. She was also responsible for grooming many promising opera artistes, the most notable being Lou Mee Wah, who received the Cultural Medallion in 1997.
