嘉諾撒聖心書院韻軒粵劇組成立四十二週年誌慶
一九七四年，校長許純娟修女促成嘉諾撒聖心書院成為香港首間引入粵劇為課外活動的英文中學。在當時以英文歌曲為主流風氣的「番書院」中成立粵劇組，實屬創舉。
許修女與粵劇紅伶李寶瑩小姐是嘉諾撒聖方濟各書院的同窗，因緣際會，我們有幸得到李小姐和她當時的拍檔羅家英先生擔任我們的導師，而「韻軒粵劇組」也在這一年誕生了。粵劇組成立後，我們除了參加校內外的天才表演比賽，更曾在不同慈善、慶典活動中演出。直至一九九零年代初，粵劇組在眾多師姊妹畢業後才解散。
科技發展一日千里，二零一四年九月，二十多個就讀不同年代，包括在港及已移民海外的粵劇組同學透過社交媒體的聯繫重逢。在這一年多以來，我們設立群組交換資訊，更不時聚會，而羅先生及李小姐在時間許可下也有出席，期間我們發覺大家對粵劇的愛好熱誠，未有因歲月流逝而稍減。
我們經過深思熟慮，為紀念粵劇組成立四十二週年，決定締造一個集體回憶，於去年底開始籌辦一次公開演出，期望以全港首個書院粵劇組的身份，為延續傳承粵劇藝術略盡綿力。荷蒙現任聖心書院校長霍慧敏修女答應沿用舊日粵劇組名稱，我們落實「遊藝粵韻：嘉諾撒聖心書院韻軒粵劇組成立四十二週年誌慶」將於二零一六年十月二十九和三十日一連兩晚，假座香港紅磡高山劇場新翼作紀念演出。
韻軒粵劇組是次演出，初步敲定劇目除了大家耳熟能詳的經典名劇、兩位老師的開山戲寶之外，還有當年為同學新編或改編之折子戲。其中某些劇目更是當年首演的同學再次披掛上陣，在闊別舞台數十年後再度重演。
兩晚演出皆以《帝女花》之【香夭】作為序幕，此曲是粵劇組初試啼聲並在校內天才表演比賽中奪冠之作。其餘選演的劇目，包括改編自《水滸傳》之【石秀探莊】，《刺客列傳》之【易水送荊軻】，《南宋鴛鴦鏡》之【焙衣情】，宮幃喜劇【刁蠻宮主之迎鳳、洞房】，民間傳奇【白蛇傳之遊湖、斷橋】，新編小品【菊圃贈琴】，以及兩位老師的開山戲寶【狄青與雙陽宮主之遊園、追夫】等。
今次一連兩晚的演出，老師羅家英先生除了聯同京劇名宿劉洵老師重執教鞭，親自為我們排練之外，更將與韻軒同學一同演出【狄青與雙陽宮主之追夫】及【焙衣情】兩齣折子戲。
當年許修女把粵劇帶給我們，多年來羅先生、李小姐兩位良師的教誨指導，霍修女及嘉諾撒聖心書院校友會的鼎力支持，均令我們沒齒難忘，謹此致以衷心謝意！我們誠意希望各位校友屆時能撥冗觀賞我們的演出，為傳統的粵劇文化藝術打氣！
Celebration of 42nd anniversary of the Cantonese Opera Club,
Sacred Heart Canossian College
In 1974, with the introduction of Cantonese
opera as an extra-curricular activity by then Principal Sr. Maria Hsu, Sacred
Heart Canossian College (SHCC) became the first English secondary school in Hong Kong to promote Cantonese opera to its
students.
The SHCC Cantonese Opera Club was founded
in the same year. We members were
privileged to have maestros Ms. Lee Bo Ying (李寶瑩小姐), a schoolmate of Sr. Maria Hsu at St. Francis’ Canossian College, and
her partner Mr. Law Ka Ying (羅家英先生) as our teachers. Since then,
members of the Club participated in various school and inter-school
performances. The group disbanded in the
early 1990s when most of us graduated.
Blessed with present-day advanced
technology, over twenty members of the previous Cantonese Opera Club, local and
overseas, reunited via social media in September 2014. During the past year since our reunion, we
had dinner get-togethers, attended by Ms. Lee and Mr. Law whenever their
schedules allowed. We found that most of us remain passionate about the art of
Cantonese opera.
After serious consideration, we agreed to
arrange a public performance to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of our Club,
in the hope of continuing to contribute our efforts to the promotion of
Cantonese opera. We are grateful to have
the approval of the present Principal of SHCC, Sr. Veronica Fok, to use our
official name. The event is due to take
place at the New Wing of the Hong Kong Ko Shan Theatre on 29 and 30 October
2016.
The SHCC Cantonese Opera Club will be
performing numerous excerpts of traditional Cantonese opera that were first
performed and taught by our teachers. In
some, performers will be the same as those a few decades ago.
Programme of the event include excerpts
"Fragrant Sacrifice" of Princess
Changping (帝女花之香夭) - the wining piece during the Opera Club's debut in the school talent
quest - as prologue, "Shi Xiu Visiting the Village” of Water Margin (水滸傳之石秀探莊), "Farewell Jing Ke at Yi River" of The Assassins 】，(刺客列傳之易水送荊軻), "A Romantic Encounter" from Yuanyang Mirror of Southern Song (南宋鴛鴦鏡之焙衣情), Episodes "Welcome Princess" and "Princess
Wedding" of the The Sassy Princess (刁蠻宮主之迎鳳、洞房), Episodes "Encounter at the West Lake" and "The Broken
Bridge" of The White Snake Legend (白蛇傳之遊湖、斷橋), "Gift of Qin in the Chrysanthemum Garden" (菊圃贈琴), as well as Episodes "Strolling in the Garden and "Princess
Shuangyang Chases her Consort" (狄青與雙陽宮主之遊園、追夫) of Di Qing and Princess
Shuangyang that were first acted on stage by the two maestros.
For this performance which will take place
over two consecutive evenings, we have been practicing under the tutelage of
Mr. Law and the famous Beijing master Liu Xun (劉洵老師). It is our great honour that
Mr. Law will be performing with us in two excerpts, namely "Princess
Shuangyang Chases her Consort" and "A Romantic Encounter".
We are very grateful to Sr. Maria Hsu for
introducing us to Cantonese opera, our great teachers over the years Ms. Lee
and Mr. Law, and Principal Sr. Veronica Fok who together with the SHCC Alumnae Association offered us enormous
support. We look forward to meeting our
fellow alumnae in this forthcoming event.
Your encouragement to the art and culture of Cantonese opera is very
much appreciated.
Message from Chan Wiling Yvonne, Class of '81, Cantonese Opera Group, SHCC
Message from Chan Wiling Yvonne, Class of '81, Cantonese Opera Group, SHCC
