新新荣和潮剧 洛水仙姬
First Encounter with Another Local Teochew Opera Troupe

In mid Oct 2006, I came across an announcement on a series of temple celebrations by a temple at Bukit Batok. It came as a surprise to me when I discovered that an unknown local troupe would be putting up 4 nights of performance there. This troupe is called 新新荣和潮剧. I have not heard of the existence of this troupe. The only new troupe I knew is 新怡梨兴潮剧团.

I went to the website to search for pictures of local teochew street opera. I managed to find one picture bearing the same troupe name, 新新荣和潮剧. The photo was taken in Nov 2003. As I was curious to watch their performance, I decided to make a trip to Bukit Batok.

On 27 Oct 2006, I left home at about 8.15 pm. I boarded the train at Nee Soon South and alighted at Bukit Batok station. I headed towards the bus interchange and asked the duty personnel for direction. I was advised to take bus 945. The stage was located at the open field outside Block 506 and it was only a bus-stop away from the interchange.

The moment I alighted, the teochew opera music could be heard. I walked briskly as I was anxious to see this unknown troupe. Yes, I saw 新新荣和剧团. About 20 -30 people were watching. As there were many empty chairs available, I pulled one and sat on it.

新新荣和剧团 put up 洛水仙姬. I would rate the standard of performance as average. In the dwindling days of teochew street opera in Singapore, I should not expect too much from this troupe. This troupe has a variety of backdrops and their costumes are very new.

碧玉簪 The Jade Hairpin
Hong Kong’s 新天彩潮剧团

I like to watch this teochew movie 碧玉簪 very much. I think this is one of the very few teochew movies which 曾珊凤 and 陈楚蕙 had acted and sang fantastically well that had touched the hearts of their opera fans.

陈楚蕙 paired off with 林玉of China when they performed 碧玉簪 in Singapore. 陈楚蕙 also paired off with 谢子兰 of Thailand when they performed 碧玉簪 in Thailand. I managed to rent a set of video tapes in the 1990's.

Personally, I think the teochew movie production is still the best.

金鹰潮剧团 红楼夜审
Another performance by Singapore's Kim Eng Teochew Opera Troupe

Watching 红楼夜审 again in Bishan.

On Wed 18 Oct 2006, I was not very sure whether I should make a trip to watch 金鹰潮剧团 again. One key consideration was because I needed to spend time to prepare my children for their end of year examinations. The other factor was because 金鹰潮剧团 would end their performance in Feb 2007 instead of Nov 2006.

After much consideration, I made a trip to Bishan and reached there at about 8.45 pm. I remembered watching the same segment at about 9.45 pm when I watched 金鹰潮剧团 put up 红楼夜审 at 义顺南凤善堂. Later, I learned from my younger sister that the show commenced at about 7.30 pm that evening as there were many reporters and video crew. She wondered why they were present. The show ended at 9.45 pm that evening. That was definitely a surprise to me as it was certainly too early.

Any way, my sister and I enjoyed watching 红楼夜审.

金鹰潮剧团 狄青解征衣 Kim Eng Teochew Opera Troupe Another performance by Singapore Teochew Opera Troupe

On Sunday, 15 Oct 2006, my younger sister was so happy to notice that 金鹰潮剧团 was performing near her place of residence in Bishan. She called me early in the morning to give me an early warning so that I could set aside time to watch Kim Eng.

I decided to take a bus ride down as it was definitely faster than driving. Indeed, I took only 15 minutes to reach Bishan Street 22 by taking Bus number 851.

I reached there about 8.15 pm and the show had already commenced. 金鹰潮剧团 put up 狄青解征衣. I have not seen 金鹰潮剧团 performed 狄青解征衣 before. Then, I phoned my younger sister to join me for the show. She is not an opera fan and will never watch one if she is alone. There were slightly more than 30 people watching 金鹰潮剧团.

The next day, the local evening daily news, Shin Min Daily News featured 金鹰潮剧团 as one of the local news. It is now confirmed that 金鹰潮剧团 will disband in February in 2007. The last time I heard about this news was that the troupe would disband in Nov 2006. Wow! I have another 3 months to watch 金鹰潮剧团.

On 17 Oct 2006, my younger sister called me again to inform me that 金鹰潮剧团 would be performing in Bishan for 4 nights instead of the usual 2 nights. On the same day, Shin Min Daily News carried another article by a reporter who shared her reflections watching teochew opera and she mentioned 金鹰潮剧团 and 新荣和兴.

广东潮剧院三团 - 无意神医 Guangdong Teochew Opera Troupe 3

When 广东潮剧院三团 Guangdong Teochew Opera Troupe 3 came to perform in Singapore in Sep 2006, 知名丑角方展荣 and and 中国潮剧著名青衣花旦姚璇秋 came along to land support to the troupe.

Below are some photos taken when 方展荣 performed in one of the short segment called 无意神医.

广东潮剧院三团 Guangdong Teochew Opera Troupe 3
再谈广东潮剧院三团的李勇强

On mooncake festival day, I got in touch with 李勇强 of 广东潮剧院三团. He told me 广东潮剧院三团 was putting up 平贵登基 on that auspicious evening. Personally, I like this show very much. It was a pity that 广东潮剧院三团 did not put up this show when they were in Singapore last month.

I am glad to maintain contact with him since I like to watch teochew opera and also the shows put up by 广东潮剧院三团.

广东潮剧院一团 Guangdong Teochew Opera Troupe 1
广东潮剧院一团的演员 - 林初发, 黄映伟, 林燕云, 陈晓丽,张怡凰,翁松梅

When 广东潮剧院一团 came to Singapore in Jul 2006, that was the first time I started to blog. Therefore, I did not upload as many photos as I would like to. Now that I have acquired some basic skills in editing the original photos, I would like to share a few photos which I had taken a few months back.

Happy viewing.