After that, we attended a briefing session conducted by the
Jiedong County Government and followed by a welcome lunch.
Yesterday those members went to set up the Rong River Theatre
reported that there were the stage was inadequate for
performance. I was a little disappointed. I heard someone
mentioned that to get help from Mr. Chen Jiang Zhe of
Xiao Mei Hua Opera Group. That Group visited Singapore
with the Mayor of Jieyang County in August 2006.
The Group presented a performance at Kreta Ayer Theatre
and it was full-house.
I informed Murong, one of the artists of the Group, that
we would be in Jieyang two weeks before our departure.
She was doing a study in Shanghai and was busy in her
study. When she read my e-mail, we were already in Shantou.
Five of them were studying in Shanghai and did not return
during the Festival.
While we were taking our lunch, Lin Hong sent a message to
inform me that Chen Lian Zhong went to assist in setting the
stage ready for performance with his students. Mr. Chen
Lian Zhong is the principal of Jieyang City Arts College.
I was pleased with the message.
Before our departure, I contacted Lin Hong on our journey.
He informed me that Mr. Chen Lian Zhong would like to
meet our Opera Group. I could not promise him for the
meeting as our three-day-programme was arranged by the
various governments in Jieyang District. It was fate that
we had the opportunity to meet Mr. Chen Lian Zhong.
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Meeting with Jiedong |
County Government |
I had to carry out my duty at the back stage this evening.
Therefore I did not take part in the programme arranged by
the Dongshan District Government. When I took a rest in
the room, I received a call from the lobby. I was told
to go to the lobby. I thought our group leader was going
to make some announcements. When I went to the lobby,
I knew that the group was going to visit the Dongshan
Government. I said that I could not go because I had
to go to the theatre earlier this evening. When I went
back to the room, a waitress came and reminded me the same
event again. She later realised that I already explained
to her just now.
I took a nap and woke up at 5 p.m. I walked to the theatre.
I met Mr. Chen Jiang Zhe and Mr. Chen Lian Zhong at the
theatre. I later met Jiang Yong, but I did not see Lin Hong
and Xue Ze You.
The stage of the theatre was not as grand as the Hui Ru
Theatre in Shantou. We could not change the scene for
different acts.
Jiang Yong, Fan Xian Qian and Chen Jiang Zhe |
The principal Chen Lian Zhong |
We got the warm support from the Government Departments and
the local organisations for our performance of 'Stone Decocting'.
There were eight Government Departments and four organisations
sent us the bouquets.
On one side of the bouquet, it was written:
Wishing Jityang Huay Kwan Teochew Opera group a successful performance.
On the other side, it was written the name of the presenting party. They were:
中共揭阳市委
揭阳市人大常委会
中共揭阳市纪委
揭阳市文化广电新闻出版局
揭阳市人民政府
政协揭阳市委员会
揭阳市委宣传部
揭阳市外事侨务局
民间团体有：
揭阳市小梅花艺术中心
揭阳市小梅花潮剧团
潮汕众票友
潮音如水网络戏迷
Huang Jian Feng came around 7 p.m. He was supposed to
come to Jieyang on 13 November and gave a talk at
the Jieyang College. He invited me to share with the
students on the usage of Chinese in Singapore.
The talk was later postponed to a later date.
He had just completed his interview of the artists
at the Guangzhou Cantonese Opera festival and
rushed from Guangzhou to Jieyang this morning.
I came to know Jian Feng a few years ago. I read an
article in a website. He used the characters of the
Teochew Opera 'Su Liu Niang' to write a story of a chatroom.
It was an interesting article. I then read more of his
article in the website.
He wrote a Teochew Opera script earlier 2008 and presented
to our group. But it was not selected for our performance.
When we needed articles for our souvenir magazine last
year, I recommended one of his articles.
As he and one of his friends would like to have our souvenir
magazines for the past years, I collected one set each for them.
The magazines were rather heavy.
I asked him what he would like to have. He said that
he would like to have a merlion status.
I bought the most expensive glass merlion status for him.
That was the status I wished to have six years ago when I
went to the Safari with my Son Solomon.
When he asked me what gift I would like to have.
I told him that I would like to have the seeds of
peony. I knew that he would not be able to get them.
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Huang Jian Feng and Doris Chua |
The audiences could not bear to part |
We planned to have an interview with Teacher Hui Zhu.
When Jian Feng and I went to the back stage after the show,
Teacher Hui Zhu was too tired to be interviewed.
We then arranged the interview to be at the Jiexi County
Holiday Resorts tomorrow.
