Special Appearance At Karaoke’s Contest 柴房会

In 1999, I sang a teochew opera song as a guest performer at a karaoke contest. The song which I sang was a segment from the 折子戏 柴房会. My performance lasted more than 15 minutes. That was the opera my wife and I watched at Raffles Place after we had our wedding photo taking session on the stage where 老赛桃源潮剧团 performed. Many of my colleagues were shocked with my performance. They wondered how I memorized all the lyrics as I hardly stared at the screen. I thought it was an achievement for me too.

See below, for the lyrics of the segment (adapted from chaoju.com), which I performed.


莫二娘（唱）尊声大哥我的大恩人，你莫惊。

李老三（唱）我不惊……

莫二娘（唱）请端坐容奴细诉苦情。

李老三（白）我端坐！我端坐！（唱）端坐，端坐在柴房之里，我劝一声冤魂鬼你莫悲声，你家住在哪一州，哪一府，哪一县，哪一乡？哪州哪府哪县哪乡，尊姓贵名从头讲。

莫二娘（唱）奴本是，太平县莫家庄人氏，莫二娘是妾的名字。幼年不幸双亲丧，丢下奴孤苦无依。投身富家为奴日，为奴为日受尽鞭答度日如年。

李老三（唱）在富家为奴不如牛和马，我也曾尝过这辛酸苦涩味。你千处万处不去投，这富家豪门怎么可依栖？难道你家无叔伯婶姆，远亲近邻，舅妗姑姨，投亲靠戚，寻藤宿枝，胜比那鸟人牢笼受磨折。

莫二娘（唱）言虽是，怎奈投亲又逢不义。堂叔起歹心，拐奴卖落烟花之地。正是前门方拒虎，后室豺狼又到身边。奴誓死不肯接客，恶鸨婆严刑毒施，打得我皮破肉裂。莫奈何涂脂抹粉，强颜欢笑吞声忍气。常抱琵琶偷弹泪，只望从良暗祷苍天。

李老三（唱）你既有心从良， 岂有才郎合你心意？

莫二娘（唱）那日来了一客商，甜言蜜语惜玉怜香。他怜我坠落火坑，每为我嗟叹心伤。我见他多情堪匹配，山盟海誓结鸳鸯。

李老三（唱）既是情投意合多恩爱，他何处人氏说给我知。

莫二娘（唱）他家住在扬州地，阳春便是他名字。见奴囊中多积蓄，商量赎身脱离烟花地。

李老三 后来如何？

莫二娘（唱）赎身之后同他归去，半途不幸遭病缠。谁料到贼阳春，心毒如蛇蝎，见奴财帛起歹意。汤药不顾恶言相欺，百般凌辱恨奴不死。竟乘奴病中昏睡， 盗金银首饰逃走离，丢奴在床奄奄待毙。势迫无奈寻短见， 阴魂不散在柴房里！

李老三 哎咋！阳春呀，狗奴才！（唱）我听，听听听，听冤魂言来伤心怀，果然冤情深似海。亏她历尽千般苦，铁石人闻之也悲哀。