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.
撰曲：徐子郎
編劇：徐子郎
主唱：麥炳榮（飾君雄）
鳳凰女（飾紅鸞）
君雄：（斷頭起，小曲「胡地蠻歌」）
一葉輕舟去，人隔萬重山，
鳥南飛，鳥南返，
鳥兒比翼何日再歸還，哀我何孤單。
紅鸞：（小曲）
休涕淚，莫愁煩，
人生如朝露，何處無離散，
今宵人惜別，相會夢魂間，
我低語慰檀郎，輕拭流淚眼，
君莫嗟，君莫嘆，終有日，
春風吹渡玉門關。
