BIO
Edward Tsao was born in Taipei, Taiwan in 1954 and immigrated to the United States in 1981. Tsao has lived in Houston, Texas ever since with his wife and two children, and has made quite a living in the field of architecture for the past 39 years. He has earned a professional degree in architecture and has held an influence in many of the buildings in Houston, more specifically Chinatown. Alongside his passion for architecture and love for his family, he is also well-involved in the Houston Chinese Opera Club as a board member and an actor. He and his club have worked hard to perform for the public and share their joy of Chinese opera with diverse audiences. This interview is split into six different sections. In the first section, Tsao discusses his education in Houston, his parents moving from Taiwan to the United States and his upbringing in an Air Force base village. He discusses his motivation for moving to the United States, as well as his experience serving in Taiwan’s military. In the second section, Tsao discusses the relationship between China and Taiwan. He also explains why he chose a career path in architecture and explains all of the contributions he has provided to Houston’s architectural scene, with details of his previous. Tsao also talks about his Chinese-Taiwanese-American identity, his childhood, and his current involvement in the Chinese Opera Club in Houston. In the third section, Tsao details the difficulties of maintaining a Chinese opera club within the United States and the processes that he and his group have put together to keep their club running, as well as how they prepare for performances. In the fourth section, Tsao explains how he became so interested in Chinese opera, how Chinese opera forms a connection between the Chinese and Taiwanese as something they can both enjoy and bond between, and the backgrounds and experiences of other members in the Houston Chinese Opera Club. In the fifth section, Tsao discusses the Asian American community in Houston, more specifically the Chinese community and his daughter’s involvement in local politics. He also explains his experiences of discrimination in Houston and the architecture field, as well as the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic held on the state of the Houston Chinese Opera Club. In the sixth section, Tsao covers in detail his career journey, from selling ice cream at baseball games to large contributions to Houston's architecture scene, as well as powerful opera performances and the state of Chinese opera in Houston.