Learning Teochew Opera
One of My Interests

I like Teochew Opera very much. When I was about six years old, I would imitate those actors whom I had seen. My father was angry and stopped me to do that. About fifty years ago, many of the actors in the opera troupes were sold to the troupes by their poor parents. They were not well treated in the troupes.

After retiring in January 2002, I wished to learn Teochew Opera. I just wished to learn how to sing and not how to act.


I have attended the Teochew Opera class since March 2006. Our instructor is Mr. Goh Eng Hoe.

I could pick up what Mr. Goh taught in the class easily. I used to tape-record the lesson and play back at home.

On the first day of our class, it was on 2nd March 2006, Mr. Goh told us that we would have two nights' performance on 1st July and 2nd July. Although it could be a pressure for me, but it made me spend more time and effort to learn it at home.

Although my mother tongue is Teochew, I cannot speak good Teochew. I have to pay much attention in the pronunciation. After making clear how to pronounce the words, I have to learn the syllables of the words in different circumstances. Mr. Goh used to illustrate them patiently.


On the two nights' performances, the attendance was more than 90%. The Kreta Ayer People's Theatre (Chinatown) was packed with the joyful audiences.


01.07.2006 The First Night


The ushers

More than 96% packed

Curtain riser - 京城會(洪志慶 黃月嬌)

The 100-member Chorus

100-member Chorus - 江姐上山

Solo - 留得哥你長相依(洪金華)

Female chorus  李三娘

Female chorus  劉咬臍

Female chorus - 井邊會

One-act show - 龍井渡頭(羅蘭慶 莊文基 [謝炎成])

Solo performer - 要與梁兄雙化蝶(黃靜琴)

Guest Player 社稷為重家事輕 《終南魂》(陳國來)

Solo - 武則天自嘆(陳慈卿)

Special Guest 元宵佳景夢依稀《陳三五娘》(余麗莉)

One-act show-姐弟別《漢文皇后》(洪志慶 黃月嬌)

One-act show-姐弟別《漢文皇后》(洪志慶 黃月嬌)

Mr. Goh Eng Hoe 陞官發財在此時 《古琴案》

Curtain call





Photography: Mr. Peter Tan YM



Female chorus - 對明月心事向誰訴

Female chorus - 十娘泣訴

One-act show-青春不再恩義長存《二歲夫》(范小倩 莊文基)

One-act show-龍井渡頭(謝炎成 羅蘭慶 [莊文基])

春江圓月照沙灘

春江圓月照沙灘

Guest Player 社稷為重家事輕《終南魂》 (陳國來)

Guest Player 佯裝踏青出城關《錢塘風雲》 (林舜香)

恩塵怨霧盡掃開(許梅傑)

讓紅日永照古城頭 (陳潮文)

人生自古誰無死 (佘小英)

痛徹孺懷(陸英嬋)

Photography: Mr. Huang De Hong


02.07.2006 The Second Night


Back stage

Back stage

Waiting for the show

More than 92% attendance

Focusing on

Wonderful performance

Master of ceremonies 莊麗華  洪志慶

Curtain raiser - 京城會(莊文基 羅益卿)

The 100-member Chorus

《蝶戀花》之 古道別

霞姑 by 黃月嬌

The blind old woman by 洪金華

Mother by 陸英嬋

Soldiers by 林木強 黃楚儀

Tearful mother

Members of chorus weeping

Goodbye fellow villagers

Many audiences were moved to tears

Guest player 風啊風 《梅亭雪》(蔡瑞芳)

One-act show《蘇六娘》之投江(范小倩 林秀香 林惠賢)

Female chorus 一片春愁粘柳絮《春草闖堂》

Female chorus 候待來世做夫妻《洛神》

四郎自嘆《楊四郎探母》 by 莊文基

Group chorus 峰山疊疊《薛仁貴回窯》

Solo 心懸鴛侶《南唐遺事》 by 曾惜月

Guest player 霹靂一聲當頭響《十五貫》(黃振龍)

One-act show 強忍血淚斷恩愛《繡襦記》

羅蘭卿 羅益卿 楊綠芬 陳雅妹

珍重此身衛山河《辭郎洲》 by 辜美光 佘小英

Curtain call









Photography: Mr. Peter Tan YM



Solo 杯茶炷香奠芳魂 (張麗英)

Solo 獄中歌 (劉秋儂)

Guest Players 經堂別《吳漢殺妻》 (林慧朱)

經堂別《吳漢殺妻》 (林慧朱 劉惜琴)

Professional and amateur players

洞房會映雪《孟麗君》 (余麗莉 范小倩)

願將芳魂逐清流《王熙鳳》 (黃靜琴)

養育之恩不可忘《回書》 (李淑貞 陳鸞鳳)

Our instructor Mr. Goh Eng Hoe

且借美酒壯膽氣《王魁休妻》

Photography: Mr. Huang De Hong


Special thanks to Mr. Peter Tan YM and Mr. Huang De Hong for their photographs

Curtain call taken by Solomon


28.07.2006