八仙賀壽、新年頌 陳楚蕙, 方漢粧 of 香港新天彩潮剧团
十仙庆寿 or 五福连 by 广东潮剧院一团 and 香港升艺潮剧团

Time flies.

This year, the first day of Chinese New Year falls on Sunday, 18 Feb 2007. This year is the year of pig. I wish everyone good luck, pink health and prosperity.

Every year, I will play the cassette 八仙賀壽、新年頌 by 陳楚蕙 and 方漢粧 of 香港新天彩潮剧团. The cassette contains the standard songs and music for festive celebrations. It is a symbolic move to usher in the new year for health, wealth, growth and prosperity for the family, friends and relatives.

Then, I will play the VCD 十仙庆寿 or 五福连 by 广东潮剧院一团. 十仙庆寿是潮汕人仕传统喜庆节日,必备剧目。本剧共分五段,所又名(五福连);(一)十仙庆寿;(二)跳加冠;(三)仙姬送子;(四)唐明皇净棚;(五)京城会。 I will also watch the 五福连 version by 香港升艺潮剧团. I enjoy watching all the parts of 五福连 every year.

I have extratced the write up on the origin of 五福连 by 特区工报 (1997年8月16日) for reference. Enjoy reading.

«五福连»的由来
潮剧开场吉祥戏«五福连»,在1962年春天之前,并没有这个戏名,而是叫作«扮仙»,它包括«净棚»、«跳加冠»、«十仙庆寿»、«仙姬送子»、«京城会»五出,是以庆寿、祝福、团圆为主要内容。解放前每个潮剧戏班不论到哪一个演出点,每个开场,它都是必演的剧目,意在招来吉祥。十多年来潮汕所有潮剧团多演"广场戏",亦必须在开场时先演,甚至在戏演出中间插演此剧目,有时应主人的要求,还多次插演,但自解放后到1962年之前,此剧目被认为思想内容属于封建迷信,而没有演出。

1962年春天,一贯热爱潮剧艺术的领导人吴南生同志来住澄海,带领潮剧院几位编剧人员进行«续荔镜记»(«陈三五娘»下集)的剧本整理工作,同时鼓励潮剧院一团排练«扮仙»这个剧目,在演出之前,艺人们有所研究,认为如依叫«扮仙»,顾名思义,易于直接招来非议。吴南生同志看了内部彩排之后,根据其内容,提出改名为«五福连»的建议,得到艺人们的赞同而定下来并公开演出。当时«五福连»之名虽定,但因大气候的影响,各潮剧团还不可能放胆演出,直至改革开放之年,遍城乡的各演出点,才能逐渐听到«五福连»的锣鼓声。国际潮剧节期间终于正式奠定了«五福连»的思想、艺术地位,命名为潮剧开场吉祥戏。

1992年底为了迎接翌年初在汕头举行的国际潮剧节,和汕头市第六届迎春联欢节,以潮剧院为主体,选定了«五福连»进行大幅度的艺术加工,剧本方面除了作必要的文学加工之外,还把层次重新排列,以«十仙庆寿»这一折作为压轴,把整出戏推上高潮。演出方面突破舞台的局限,改在四面有观众的潮汕体育馆,参演人数增至两百人,演出当晚,美国、法国、新加坡、泰国、香港等国家和地区出席国际潮剧节的潮剧团都出台参演,一折«京场会»,各潮剧团都有一对生旦扮演吕蒙正和刘翠屏,同步演唱,济济一堂,煞是热闹壮观,加上此次演出,在音乐唱腔、舞台美术、灯光服装等各方面都有明显的创新提高,使整个潮汕体育馆充满祥和欢乐的气氛,博得海内外嘉宾、观众的高度赞赏,掌声经久不息。

«五福连»的这次大型演出,是潮剧史上前年未有的壮举,现场由汕头电视台录像,事后结合国际潮万里节的各项活动实录,由韩江影视公司出版专辑,名为«五洲潮曲共乡情»,发行海内外。«五福连»的剧本则发表于汕头市艺术研究室编的«潮剧研究»第一辑,同时还发表原广东潮剧院副院长林淳钧的«潮剧开台吉祥戏"五福连"摭谈»一文,详谈«五福连»的来龙去脉。

特区工报»1997年8月16日

猪年如意

18 Feb 2007 is the first day of Lunar New Year. I hope to see more Teochew Opera performances in Singapore. Looking forward to see 广东潮剧院二团 coming to Singapore since 广东潮剧院一团 had already announced that they would only come to Singapore in 2008. It is unlikely for 广东潮剧院三团 to return this year because they last performed in Singapore in Sep 2006.

I wonder if 陈楚蕙 would perform in Singapore in 2007. Although she will be performing in JB in Apr 2007 but it is rather inconvenient for working adults like many of us to rush across the causeway to watch her performance.

During Lunar New Year, many Chinese would like to paste the lucky word '福' upside down at some prominent parts of their house. In Chinese, it is '福到' and means luck has arrived. I can think of one Teochew opera which associates with the word '福'. This show is called 三家福. I understand that 陈楚蕙 will be performing segments of 三家福 in JB in Apr 2007.

香港潮剧小生王陈楚蕙又将来演出了!

Tan Chor Hwee will be back on stage again. However, the stage performance will take place in JB instead of Singapore. According to a newspaper article, 陈楚蕙 will be pairing up with 沈惠贞 of China this time.

There will be no new surprises in the series of performance as she will be putting up 三看御妹刘金定, 红鬃烈马, 一门三进士, 宋弘拒婚 etc. The only performance which she rarely put up in recent years is 三家福.

I am not sure if I could spare the time to cross the causeway and watch her performance. My favourite show, 一门三进士 has been scheduled on two week days. Sigh.

辞郎洲 (香港版) 萧南英 丁敏 野峰
香港升艺潮剧团

I was so glad to notice that the SB's production, 辞郎洲 by 萧南英, 丁敏 and 野峰 has been released on DVD and VCD formats in Hong Kong in Jan 2007.

As you may be aware, 萧南英 came from China and she had acted in many well known shows like 邬飞霞 in 刺梁冀, 益春 in 荔镜记. In this movie, 辞郎洲, 萧南英 performed the role as 陈璧娘. The male lead is 丁敏 from 香港升艺潮剧团. She played the role as 张达. Another person called 野峰 was a actor from Singapore.

辞郎洲 has always been regarded as an excellent Teochew opera spectacular. 张应炎 and 陈楚蕙 of 新天彩潮剧团 had acted in the black and white movie called 辞郎洲. 黄映伟 of 广东潮剧院一团 played the role of 张达 when the troupe performed 辞郎洲 in Singapore. The then 新荣和兴潮剧团 of Singapore had put up 辞郎洲 many times in the 60s to 80s.

Below is an extract of the brief description of 辞郎洲, courtesy of SB movie by yesasia.com.

再见了金鹰潮剧团!
Goodbye to Kim Eng Teochew Opera Troupe

11 Feb 2007, a day that placed 金鹰潮剧团 as a new entrant to the history of Chinese Opera in Singapore.

While surfing the net, I came across an article about the disbanding of Kim Eng Teochew Opera troupe by Ng Tze Yong of The Electric New Paper, dated 17 Oct 2006. You may read the article by visiting the URL: http://www.tnp.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,115678,00.html

I have reproduced the article below for easy reference.

The Electric New Paper :

Established Chinese opera troupe Kim Eng to disband

Once, they performed for thousands
Now, only a handful show up
TONIGHT, there are four.
When the show begins at for the Kim Eng Teochew Opera, the audience is meagre again, as usual.

By Ng Tze Yong

17 October 2006
TONIGHT, there are four.
When the show begins at for the Kim Eng Teochew Opera, the audience is meagre again, as usual.
'We used to perform in front of thousands,' says Mr Ng Ying Siong, 64, as he waits backstage, decked out in a glittery warrior costume.
'Now, we perform to houseflies.'
He spoke to The New Paper two weeks ago.
Mr Ng, better known as Ah Siong, chuckles. He's used to it now.
When his cue comes, Ah Siong prances majestically onto the stage.
Cheeks flushed with hot pink, he starts singing in Teochew, in a falsetto voice.
He tells the night's tale - a meeting between six generals - with thoughtful strokes of his beard, sharp sideway glances and dramatic throws of his long sleeves.
Like the rest of the crew, Ah Siong still performs as if there are thousands watching him.
But next February, it will be curtains for Kim Eng.
There will be sighs of regret, and relief.
Kim Eng (which means 'Golden Eagle' in Teochew), is one of Singapore's most established troupes.
'In the '80s, if you didn't book them a year in advance, you could forget about getting them,' said Madam Diana Chua, a heritage guide.
'I want to leave while we are still popular,' said Mr Chua Hock Kee, 66, who founded the troupe in 1980. 'I want Kim Eng's reputation to last.'
Despite the poor attendances, Mr Chua's schedule - neatly written on a scrap of paper he keeps in his shirt pocket - is still packed with events.
Kim Eng moves from temple to temple to celebrate festivals, for stints that last several days each. It is paid between $1,200 and $1,800 per day.
Three years ago, Mr Chua realised the road ahead led only downhill. He said: 'Frankly, deciding to call it quits was not a difficult decision to make.'
Few young people understand dialects nowadays. There is no young blood. And he feels no one is watching wayang anymore. (See report on facing page.)
Like the heroes he often plays on stage, Ah Siong, however, is gung-ho about his uncertain future.
'Life's journey is unpredictable. You have to forge a path for yourself,' he said with a philosopher's air.
But later, he admitted that he feels 'left behind by the times'.
'When all this is over, I probably won't be able to sleep for three months,' he said.
Most of Ah Siong's fellow actors have done wayang their whole lives.
Ah Siong's wayang career started when he was 12, when he was living at a kampung in Kim Keat.
'We were so poor that sometimes, my four siblings and I shared one boiled egg for breakfast,' he said.
His father was ill and the family had to sell most of their possessions to pay for his treatment.
When he died, 10-year-old Ah Siong left school to help make ends meet.
'My mother felt wayang would be a useful skill to learn,' he said.
RIGOROUS TRAINING
Mornings started at 4am. Ah Siong's head would be filled with the giddiness of endless somersaults and the rattle of sabre practice.
'Sometimes, we had to balance a candy on the back of our hands while standing on one leg, while our teacher went to the loo,' said Ah Siong.
Breakfast was Teochew porridge ate squatting against a wall.
Today, Ah Siong, who never married and lives alone in a two-room Whampoa flat, is one of the senior actors in Kim Eng.
The youngest in the troupe is 38. The oldest is almost 80.
They are all full-timers, paid $1,000 to $2,000 a month.
Like the others, Madam Tan Pian Choo, 55, is resigned about Kim Eng's closure.
'Even if we don't close next year, we'll close the year after next. How long do you expect we can do this?'
Mr Chua plans to downsize Kim Eng into a puppet troupe later on.
Puppetry is a Cantonese art form but Mr Chua wants to adapt it to Teochew. To survive, he is fusing his own dialect culture with another.
At 8pm sharp, the show began.
'The gods are watching us,' whispered a spear-wielding warrior waiting at the sidelines.
They sit in the front row, he said.
'If they see you make a mistake, you will find yourself with a toothache or diarrhoea the next day.'
Unlike getais which play to 'hungry ghosts', wayang is the gods' theatre.
But the human audience that night was made up of just four elderly aunties, in flowery blouses, legs propped up on plastic chairs.
They had dragged the chairs out from a corner of the temple themselves. Kim Eng doesn't even bother putting out seats for the audience anymore.
In the old days, fans followed troupes all over Singapore, not unlike today's boyband groupies.
After performances, some would scramble up backstage to give herbal soup to their idols.
But now, when the performance ends, there is no applause, no calls for encores.
The actors move swiftly, cleaning and packing up to catch the last bus home. Ah Siong hasn't made any plans for life after Kim Eng.
He remembers having worked as a cleaner at a furniture store once for a while.
'Maybe I'll go back there.'

Final Performance by Kim Eng Teochew Opera Troupe
金鹰潮剧团唱完最后一场大戏

Read today's Chinese newspaper, Lianhe Zaobao (12 Feb 2007) about the final performance by Kim Eng Teochew Opera Troupe. According to the report, on Sunday 11 Feb 2007, 金鹰潮剧团 put up 皇亲国戚 as their final performance at Defu Lane Industrial Park. I did not manage to witness their final performance. I must thank the reporter, 卢丽珊, for putting up the article with a colourful picture. You may find the article in

http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp070212_508.html.

However, the photo by 程友明（摄） could only be found in the hard copy.

I have posted some pictures of 皇亲国戚 by 金鹰潮剧团 before. Below is one of them.

I have copied the article here for ease of reading. I hope 卢丽珊 of Lianhe Zaobao does not object to it.

金鹰潮剧团昨天正式告别舞台，结束27年的戏曲生涯，班主决定彻底将戏班解散，不过，剧团的故事将收录在一部纪录片里。　

班主蔡奉岐（67岁）去年在报章刊登启事，他原本是想将戏班的人员减半，改为“金鹰庙堂乐”，只聘请大约10人：3个打击乐、2个乐手以及5个“扮仙”进行酬神仪式。

然而，经过两个月的内心挣扎，他决定彻底解散戏班，他说：“前一、两个月我确实非常的苦恼，最后我决定连庙堂乐也不做了，因为觉得太丢脸了。”
瑞士制作人要拍纪录片

他透露，所有的道具、服装和场景将全部装进集装箱，准备在年中开拍纪录片。原来，有一名瑞士制作人有兴趣将金鹰的创立和落幕拍摄为纪录片，目前细节已谈妥，准备六、七月开拍。

昨天是星期天下午，寂静的德福巷工业区几乎没有人迹，宽广的绿色草地上独有金鹰潮剧团的戏台帐篷，准备演绎最后的一场潮州大戏：《六国大封相》和《皇亲国戚》。

金鹰潮剧团在1980年成立，在巅峰时期曾经有40多个团员，目前只剩下20多人，而且都是年事已高的老演员。

在它的全盛时期，神坛和庙宇必须在一年前就得预定演出日期，然而人事已非，金鹰班主的无力感来自团员年华老去、没有年轻人加入，表演的舞台越来越窄而决定解散戏班。

他强调，如果要继续，戏班依然有人会请，不过会越来越少，他也受限于客观环境而无法维持过去的水平而选择放弃。

演员之一林松财（76岁）从10岁就开始演习，66年来和舞台分不开，最终还是得和金鹰告别，他目前考虑其他潮州戏班的邀约，继续演戏。他受询时表示很可惜，不过也必须面对。

65岁的吴应祥说，小时候学戏时常常挨打，多次想另谋出路，不过始终无法离开，没有想到有一天竟是因为戏班不愿再演下去而失去工作。

他说：“我不准备去适应其他的戏班，可能也适应不来，不如去找别的工作来做，毕竟年纪也大了，可能找一些轻松的工作来做。”

有174年历史的潮州戏班“新荣和兴”在2001年宣布解散。蔡奉岐曾是“新荣和兴”的一分子，担任乐队和戏剧的指导。他在1980年自立门户成立金鹰潮剧团。

由于是最后一次的演出，偏僻的地点还是吸引了忠实的观众、过去的戏班演员和摄影爱好者前往拍摄，后者希望以画面和影像留住本地潮剧团逐渐没落的身影。

在告别的一夜，蔡奉岐似乎也放下所有的负担，他笑说：“没有工作了，朋友笑我会去开银行，还是开杂货店？我现在感觉一切都放下了，反而觉得轻松。”

潮剧 跌雪 选自潮剧《珍珠塔》演唱 - 黄映伟,王锐光
潮汕林大钦 - 黄映伟

I have not posted any blog on Teochew opera for quite a while. Have been busy blogging on other URL: http://santuan3.blogspot.com/

Last Saturday, I had a chance to witness many Teochew opera performances over Tudou.com. I was actually searching for information on 王锐光 on yahoo search and I came across a url created by 老陈 called 老陈的Blog-潮剧:
http://www.tudou.com/home/user_favorate.php?userID=1860391&page=2

I was so excited to watch the 2 complete segments of 跌雪, each by 黄映伟 and 王锐光.

I was very thrilled to have a chance to watch 潮汕林大钦 by my idol 黄映伟.

This is an interesting 3-episode serial with dialogue in Teochew. I have not seen a Teochew serial with conversation in Teochew before. I wish I can have the VCD collection now.