監製：程佩琪

百年回顧八和鳴

Cantonese Opera Treasures

 

播出日期/時間：五月十日星期一，晚上八時至九時

亞洲電視國際台

 

今年香港藝術節的開幕演出，是由八和會館悉心安排下，三十多位粵劇名伶一同演出多年未見的例戲。廣東戲的祖先是湖北漢劇，所以最早期的傳統戲，全部不是以廣東話演出，而是以中州音，即中原音韻，或我們俗稱以 ‘戲台官話’ 演出。港台電視部錄影了藝術節當晚的表演，並由阮兆輝及羅家英為觀眾作出介紹。
 
早劇粵劇以神功戲為主，每逢神誕、廟會應邀演出。首天日間例必演出「玉皇登殿」，然後是「賀壽、加官、送子」，在這些例戲後，才演出正本戲。藝術節是晚重現粵劇傳統，演出經典例戲後正本戲為「六郎罪子」。

 

其實「玉皇登殿」這齣例戲，嚴格來說已經失傳。在十一年前，阮兆輝及新劍郎等人分赴廣州與馬來西訪尋藝人，搜集資料，並由前輩新金山貞及尤聲普負責排演，在1998年修復了「玉皇登殿」。今年香港觀眾有幸再欣賞到「玉皇登殿」精彩演出。

 

中國戲劇傳統也有戴面具的，但粵戲中戴面具的戲現在只剩下「加官」。「跳加官」由羅家英演出。在這個演出中可以欣賞到羅家英的功架及醉步。
 


「天姬送子」陳好逑演七姐，阮兆輝演董永。兩位大老倌演出傳統唱腔。這場例戲中出場人物眾多，每個分屬不同行當，有不同功架與做手。「送子」中的仙姬｢反宮衣｣更為此戲其中一個特式。

 

是晚的正本戲，「六郎罪子」，由羅家英演楊六郎，王超群演穆桂英，陳好逑演穆瓜。「六郎罪子」是粵劇的大排場戲，有百多年歷史。戲中的生旦淨丑均有專門唱腔，如穆瓜的「穆瓜腔」和六郎的「罪子腔」。王超群的穆桂英依照傳統，紮腳演出，更令觀眾嘆為觀止。

 

今年的藝術節首晚演出粵劇例戲，讓傳統得以重現，是觀眾的褔氣，也重新活化接近失傳的藝術。

 
 
This year’s Hong Kong Art Festival is opened with Cantonese Opera Treasures, an evening of rarely performed Set Pieces that fascinate audiences. Radio Television Hong Kong has made recording of these performances and present them to television viewers.

Renowned Cantonese Opera artists YuenSiu-fai and Law Kar-ying will be our presenters and lead us into the treasure trove.

 

In the early years, Cantonese operas troupes performed in celebrations of major festivals and religious occasions. The custom was for the troupe to perform special Set Pieces to open a new engagement. The Set Pieces performed for the first day included: The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court, The Eight Immortals Bestowing Longevity, Blessing by the God of Fortune and A Fairy Delivers Her Son to the Mortal Father. Following tradition, a regular repertoire work will be performed after the traditional Set Pieces. The regular repertoire for Art Festival Opening performance is Luk-long Reprimands His Son.

 

The set Pieces have retained the original form of music, singing and performance routine used in early Cantonese operas. Most of the Set Pieces are large- scale presentation, they feature the full cast and all characters have their own special routines. This is a special way for the troupe to show off their strength.

At one point, the music and action of The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court was thought to have been lost. In 1998, Yuen Siu-fai, Sun Kim-long and others decided to resurrect The Imperial Emperor of Heaven Holding Court. They traveled to Guangdong and Malaysia to   interview senior artists and collect information. With the help of senior artists Sun-Kam Shang-Ching and Yau Sing-po, they reconstructed this important Cantonese opera Set Piece eleven years ago.

 

Blessing by the God of Fortune is performed by Law Kar-ying. The characteristic of this piece is its use of a mask, which the performer wears while dancing on stage. Even though masks are used in Chinese operas, Blessing by the God of Fortune is the only piece in Cantonese Opera where a mask is used.

 

This is a rare occasion where this large scale Set Pieces is performed. Even if you are not a Cantonese opera lover, this is an evening not to be missed.