1 - 2.8.2022

An Adapted Cantonese Opera Third Master Sha and His Charming Maid

Screenplay Arrangement: Ng Chin-fung, Yuen Siu-fai

This repertoire is allegedly based on a well-known real life story in old Canton which decries the idle and depraved offspring of high officials.  The repertoire may appear light-hearted and witty but there is a strong underlying didactic element to it.  When compared to the works of Tong Tik-sang or Yip Siu-tak, this repertoire is very different in style.  Written by Ng Yat-siu, the celebrated King of Arias in the 1940s to 1950s, the libretti were written in the vernacular style devoid of literary heftiness, which aids understanding on the part of the general audience.  Cantonese Opera stars Sun Ma Si-tsang, Pak Suet-sin, Poon Yat-on and Au Yeung Kim adapted it for the silver screen, and the film enjoyed huge popularity and box office success.  The script for this performance has been adapted by Ng Chin-fung and Yuen Siu-fai with great care to move with the times and cater to a modern audience.

Coming from a rich and powerful background, Third Master Sha, son of a senior officer, is a bully in his neighbourhood.  Yin Jie’s husband Tan Ren (Aren) has lost his job, and to make ends meet, she has to go to the Sha Residence to work as a maid servant.  Now Third Master Sha is married and has a beautiful wife, but he still ogles the pretty Yin Jie and makes passes at her.  On seeing this, his wife is outraged and dismisses Yin Jie.  Zheng Chujiu comes up with another treacherous scheme, that Third Master Sha should play sick to make his wife rehire Yin Jie.  After that, money can likely be a lure. Third Master Sha goes on to lie to Aren that his wife has been unfaithful to him, and persuades him to divorce her.  This sparks a row between the indignant Aren and Third Master Sha, ending with Aren being wounded and dead.  Yin Jie sounds the court drum to lodge a complaint.  Officer Sha, stunned to learn of his son’s crime, arrests him in person in a righteous and honourable move, and sentences him to death.  Although Third Master Sha feels remorse in his final hour, it is too late.

Ng Chin-fung as Sha Anbo (Third Master Sha)

Chan Wing-yee as Yin Jie

Yuen Siu-fai as Tan Ren (Aren)

Lo Lai-see as Mother of Tan Ren

Wan Yuk-yu as Sha Fengxiang (Officer Sha)

Miu Dan-ching as Mother of Third Master Sha

Tong Yuen-ying as Wife of Third Master Sha

Siu Wing-yee as Chun Tao

Ng Lap-hei as Gardener Ya Quan

Lai Yiu-wai as Zheng Chujiu

Shum Pak-chuen as Xu Gengsheng

3.8.2022

The Dream Meeting between Emperor Wu of Han and Lady Wei

This marks a rare occasion when two stars in Cantonese Opera, Ng Chin-fung and Yuen Siu-Fai, are brought together in this production of The Dream Meeting between Emperor Wu of Han and Lady Wei, which is selected from the proclaimed repertoire of Sit Kok-sin, beacon of Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong.  Ng Chin-fung is recognised as the number one exponent of the art of Sit in Cantonese Opera circles today, so the audience can expect a riveting experience to hear him deliver the theme song.  Yuen Siu-fai as the famous general in Chinese history, Wei Qing, is headstrong, valiant, persistent and adamant in his love for his sister, which is a perfect incarnation of the role.  The chemistry between the duo will be most impressive on stage.

Wei Ziqing is a songstress at a prince’s palace.  Her brother Wei Qing, a slave charged to take care of the horses, and the widowed Princess Pingyang are lovers.  In order to free her lover from servitude, the Princess plots a chance meeting between Wei Ziqing and Emperor Wu in the garden when the latter is on his way to a sacrificial ritual.  The Emperor is struck by Wei Ziqing’s beauty, and as expected, takes her into his harem and confers on her the title of Lady Wei.  Wei Ziqing is inducted into the palace to seek audience with the Empress Dowager.  Just at that time, the Huns have invaded into Han territory.  Wei Qing is appointed General Valiant upon recommendation and goes on an expedition to the Western Region.  Empress Chen is a vicious and jealous woman.  She pours poisonous words into the Empress Dowager’s ear, as a result of which Wei Ziqing is banished to the cold palace.  Empress Chen does not stop at that, but secretly instructs her brother to incriminate Wei Ziqing.  Wei Qing returns triumphant, and knowing his sister’s life is at stake, he feigns to kill her by using a palace maid in her place while his sister escapes unharmed.  The Emperor, thinking his beloved is dead, mourns her at her altar.  When Wei Ziqing appears with their son, he thinks he is in a dream.  The truth is out, and Wei Qing is already in command of the state’s armed forces.  The Empress Chen has lost her power and the Empress Dowager gives her blessings to the two marriages.

Ng Chin-fung as Emperor Wu of Han

Chan Wing-yee as Lady Wei

Yuen Siu-fai as Wei Qing

Liu Kwok-sum as Dongfang Shuo

Tong Yuen-ying as Princess Pingyang

Chan Hung-chun as Empress Dowager

Chui Yuet-ming as Empress Chen

Ng Lap-hei as Chen Yafu

Shun Pak-chuen as King of Liao

4.8.2022 Cantonese Opera Excerpts

Giving up His Own Son to Save the Zhao’s Orphan and Searching and Saving the Zhao’s Orphan from The Orphan of the Zhao’s

The Orphan of the Zhao’s has its origin in a Za Opera written by Ji Junxiang of the Yuan dynasty.  This repertoire was taken to Europe during the 18th century and its popularity spread on an international scale.  Today, over 30 translated versions have been staged, making it one of the most translated Chinese plays, a testimony to the rich appeal of its subject matter.  In the 1960s, Yip Siu-tak adapted the Peking Opera version into Cantonese Opera.  Yuen Siu-fai has played the role of Cheng Ying ever since the repertoire’s premiere in Hong Kong.  The acting needs to bring out the difference in mien, movements, acting, singing and line delivery.  This is a highly demanding role in that the actor is under sustained emotional intensity without a break.  In this performance, Liu Kwok-sum performs Tu’an Gu and Miu Dan-ching, Gongsun Chujiu.  The gripping development of the plot would have the audience holding the edge of the seat throughout.

The story takes place during the Spring and Autumn Period.  Zhao Dun, a loyal minister in the State of Jin, is wrongly accused by the villainous minister Tu’an Gu.  All his assets are confiscated and his kin are subject to extermination.  Cheng Ying, a retainer under Zhao Dun, sacrifices his own son in exchange for the Zhao Dun’s orphan, and raises him.

Giving up His Own Son to Save the Zhao’s Orphan

Yuen Siu-fai as Cheng Ying

Chan Wing-yee as Wife of Cheng Ying

Searching and Saving the Zhao’s Orphan

Yuen Siu-fai as Cheng Ying

Liu Kwok-sum as Tu’an Gu

Miu Dan-ching as Gongsun Chujiu

A Secret Meeting from The Last Emperor of Southern Tang

Librettist Yip Shiu-tak adapted the film made by Sin Fung Ming Opera Troupe, The Last Emperor of Southern Tang, into a Cantonese Opera for the Chor Fung Ming Cantonese Opera Troupe.  He incorporated the ci lyric of the poet King, Li Yu, into the libretto. It was considered a trailblazing attempt and a breakthrough. An excerpt taken from Yip’s play, A Secret Meeting, is picked for performance on this occasion. It stars Tam Wing-lun, Alan and Leung Sum-yee, Angel, two up-and-coming actors noted for their vocal skills of high standards among their peers.

The story takes place during the Southern Tang period. The regime was on a decline during the reign of the previous emperor, and by the time Li Yu ascends the throne, the state is on the brink of falling into the hands of the encroaching neighbour of Song. Li is a talented poet in the ci genre but knows no state craft and can hardly think of strategies in face of the enemy’s threat. He cannot shake off the sad loss of his consort and wallows in his depression, which he tries to drown by drinking. One night, his sister-in-law, Zhou the Younger, steals into his palace chamber although she knows it is against the decorum and the rules. She encourages him to rule his country with vigour and vision, and declares her love for him, vowing to share his burden and be a partner in rebuilding the state. Li is moved and decides to rally round. So, on this night of the secret meeting, he makes Zhou the Younger his imperial consort to take the place of her deceased elder sister. The two pledge to go through thick and thin together, till death would they part.

Tam Wing-lun, Alan as Li Yu, the Emperor of Southern Tang

Leung Sum-yee, Angel as Queen Zhou the Younger

Writing the Petition and Impeaching Song from Ten Charges against Yan Song

In Writing the Petition, Ng Chin-fung plays the righteous Hai Rui, and Chan Wing-yee, his wife Madam Hai, in a scene where they bid a dreaded farewell with remarkable singing, acting skills and seamless rapport.  The gripping and climactic Impeaching Song is a showcase of Ng Chin-fung’s virtuosity in singing and outstanding line delivery when he engages in a heated verbal exchange with the treacherous Yan Song, performed by Yuen Siu-fai.  With the support from other members on the main cast, they are able to sustain the dramatic tension in the confrontation.  It promises to be a highly engaging and compelling performance for the audience.

The story takes place during the Jiajing reign of the Ming dynasty.  The Emperor indulges in Taoist practices and spending time with his beautiful concubines, leaving governance to his ministers.  Yan Song amasses power, takes bribes and extorts exorbitantly high taxes to the demise of the common folks.  Emperor Jiajing has already decreed that anyone who impeaches Yan Song, father of his favourite concubine, will be executed, but Inspector Hai Rui, undeterred by the powers-that-be, submits ten memorials to impeach Yan Song.  So on receiving Hai Rui’s memorials, Emperor Jiajing is furious.  He orders to strip Hai Rui of his official title, and sends Hai Rui to prison to await execution.  At that juncture, Yan Song’s son, Yan Shifan, is exposed for delaying military manoeuvres and colluding with Japanese pirates.  The Emperor Jiajing confiscates all of Yan Song’s assets and revisits accusations of his dereliction of duty.  Yan Shifan is executed after proven guilty, but Yan Song is pardoned from death in view of his decades of service at court.  The stricken Yan Song ends up being a beggar in the streets.

Writing the Petition

Ng Chin-fung as Hai Rui

Chan Wing-yee as Madam Hai

Siu Wing-yee as Hai Xiaocui

Ng Lap-hei as Hai Xiaofeng

Impeaching Song

Ng Chin-fung as Hai Rui

Yuen Siu-fai as Yan Song

Liu Kwok-sum as Emperor Jiajing

Shum Pak-chuen as Su Wentong

Tong Yuen-ying as Imperial Concubine Yan

Siu Wing-yee as Empress Su

Running time of each performance is approximately 3 hours including an intermission of 15 minutes.

Information provided by the arts group.