Since the early twentieth century, Hong Kong has always been an important venue for Cantonese opera development. After 1949, as a result of political turmoil in the Mainland, performers and troupes converged and resettled in the territory, leading to a tremendous prospering of Cantonese opera in the subsequent decade. This development is linked intimately with the rise of the electronic media.

Performers and troupes began to grasp the possibilities offered by film and radio to re-examine age-old performance practices with regard to acting, singing, script writing, instrumentation, and stage set-up. They brought in novel elements from the theatre and movie world, and participated in the production of films and records. With these acts, they are extending the movement to modernize Cantonese opera that began in the 1930s.

Wong Jum-sum was thoroughly immersed in the world of Cantonese opera from young. Through his close encounter with master performers like Hung Sin-nui, Ma Si-tsang, Yam Kim-fai, Pak Suet-sin and Tong Dik-sang, he witnessed first hand the modernization of Cantonese opera, and was mightily moved by the adventure and passion he saw.

痴雲 (excerpt) (1950s)

撰曲﹕王心帆
主唱﹕小明星

（南音）
思往事﹐記惺松﹐看燈人異﹐去年容﹐可恨鶯兒頻喚夢﹐晴絲輕裊﹐斷魂風﹐想起贈環情深﹐愁有萬種﹐量珠心願﹐恐怕無從﹐箇濃愛我﹐都算恩情重﹐真是心有靈犀一點通﹐獨惜身無羽翼﹐學不得雙飛鳳﹐所以思嬌情緒﹐無日不朦朧﹐記得當時邂逅﹐橫波送﹐驀地相逢﹐真似在夢中﹐背燈私語﹐話我係個多情種。