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.
Chun Sin Mei Opera Troupe, founded by Ma Si-tsang and Hung Sin-nui, was a pillar in the movement to modernize Cantonese opera. In 1953, Wong Jum-sum (then twelve years old) saw the troupe performing their debut work, an adaptation of the Italian opera Madame Butterfly. He was immediately mesmerized by what he saw.
The excerpt here recorded the duet between Ma and Hung, performing as Pinkerton and Butterfly respectively.
撰曲：馬師曾
主唱：馬師曾（飾上尉）
紅線女（飾蝴蝶）
蝴蝶（白）：嚟啦，你請坐低先啦
上尉（白）：夫妻上頭要平等至好架
成日咁服侍我
攪到我過意不去添
蝴蝶（白）：應該嘅(走馬)
斟杯咖啡跪敬君
上尉（接）：不必咁區會跪到暈嘅
你跪迎跪送
整得咁區贃跪到暈啫
蝴蝶（接）：人地要係要咁至合
不能不區免得失禮人
上尉（接）：你儍定癲
鄧你真正笨
無為咁温沌
我地得兩個人
又無他人
喺閨房尋樂要甜蜜至應份
蝴蝶（接）：你共我把快樂尋
應要檀郎做快樂人
你要除鞋我跪脫
等你時時無悶困
上尉（接）：你時時無為咁哩
蝴蝶（接）：我願時時侍奉你
望君你長護蔭
上尉（接）：乜得你咁興奮得架
蝴蝶（接）：只願時時服侍你
我要你笑面吟吟
上尉（接）：其實有的下人服侍
蝴蝶（接）：將你服侍
覺得開心
毋謂再話我真正笨
其實我好應份
上尉（接）：你是我心愛人
在閨房閨房尋樂
其實要烟靱
蝴蝶（接）：我願意充下陳
君呀，我實在行運
上尉（接）：嬌呀我實在行運
蝴蝶（接）：我真正係行運
上尉（接）：我至行運
蝴蝶（接）：感君一片濃情護愛人
