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.
Hung Sin-nui participated in film-making in addition to performing on stage, acting in more than 90 movies in total. As a fan, Wong Jum-sum eagerly watched a lot of them, including the famous A Mother Remembers.
撰曲：盧家熾
編劇：李願聞
主唱：紅線女
「第一段」
（音樂托白）
又快到中秋節，天上個月一樣咁圓，
唉！可惜人事全非咯。
（小曲）月窺人。光華滿眼。
情夢不温。滄桑人事比烟雲。
風中殘燭我傷神。心魂誰慰誰慰心魂。
（乙反南音）
唉！慈母淚，種愁根。
情花愛果出何曾。三十年來情與恨。
「第二段」
化成恩怨兩難分。慘吐紅冰郎不幸。
最苦就係嬌兒愛女都化作那寃魂。
（拉腔過序）
