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.
When a teenager, Wong admired Yam Kim-fai’s performance on stage from afar. In his twenties, Wong sang in the chorus for Sin Fung Ming Troupe's ground-breaking film production of The Tragedy of a Poet King. At close quarters, Wong was well and truly stunned by the stupendous voice of Yam’s, and moved by tremendous efforts of the whole team.
作曲：于粦
作詞：李煜
主唱：任劍輝
一重山，兩重山，
山遠天高煙水寒，
相思楓葉丹。
菊花開，菊花殘，
塞雁高飛人未還，
一簾風月閒。
