The Art of Fong Yim-fun and the History of the Fong Style in Cantonese Opera and Theater
摘要
Fong Yim-fun began her stage career in 1938 under the tutelage of Pak Kit-cho, a female-impersonating male actor. She started her journey performing minor female roles. Driven by her rigorous and serious approach to Cantonese opera, she ultimately ascended to the throne of the Queen of Dan Roles. After World War II, she performed in Legend of the White Snake in Guangzhou, singing the theme song “Night Mourning at Pagoda Leifeng” in the scene “Mourning at the Pagoda.” In this performance, she sang a segment of the Fanxian erhuang (a type of aria) in her own singing style, laying the foundation for a new style. She later refined this style, establishing the Fong Style as a new school. The Fong Style remains popular in the Cantonese opera community and the theatrical world, and it is used by many established singers, including Lee Bo-ying and Tsui Miu-chi, who exemplify this “eternally renowned” singing art. This chapter examines the unique aspects of the Fong Style. The chapter also discusses the development of Chinese opera culture from the 1930s to the 1970s, including the social environment, the playwrights and accompanists, and the audience demand, revealing how they contributed to a certain chemistry in Fong’s performances and the development of her school. The development of the Fong Style in the theatrical world is also examined.