Research on Digital Exhibition Design for Cantonese Opera Intangible Cultural Heritage Based on the "Media Convergence Theory": Taking the AR exhibit at the Guangdong Cantonese Opera Museum as an example

Under the accelerating trend of digitalization and media convergence in the field of intangible cultural heritage, Cantonese opera—a performing art with distinctive Lingnan cultural characteristics—is confronted with multifaceted challenges in its transmission, including an aging audience, shallow experiential engagement, and rigid exhibition formats. To address these practical issues, this study is grounded in Media Convergence Theory and takes the Guangdong Cantonese Opera Museum as its primary case, systematically investigating the innovative application of Augmented Reality (AR) technology in the exhibition and communication of Cantonese opera heritage.Media Convergence Theory emphasizes the deep integration of multiple media forms across content, channels, platforms, and cultural dimensions. Within this framework, this research transcends the limitations of conventional "static display" by proposing a dynamic exhibition strategy characterized by "virtual–physical symbiosis, multi-sensory interaction, and narrative immersion." Through the digital reinterpretation and contextual reconstruction of core cultural symbols of Cantonese opera—such as vocal artistry, martial choreography, costumes, and props—AR technology establishes an interactive, exploratory, and participatory mixed-reality environment. This approach transforms audiences from passive spectators into active participants and empathetic co-creators.By doing so, the study provides a theoretically informed and practically viable pathway for the contemporary living transmission, innovative dissemination, and value revitalization of China's intangible cultural heritage.