THE WEST, WESTERN MUSIC & THE CHINESE COMMUNITY IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY SINGAPORE / A Talk by Phan Ming Yen

THE WEST, WESTERN MUSIC &

THE CHINESE COMMUNITY

IN EARLY 20TH CENTURY SINGAPORE

A Talk by Phan Ming Yen

Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre

Saturday (30 November 2024)

Today, we take for granted the sheer variety of Western classical music performed in Singapore by a multitude of artistic groups, both professional and amateur. However, this wonderful state of affairs had to have its origins. No, we are not referring to the "cultural desert" of 1970s Singapore, as decried by Dr Goh Keng Swee, before he famously set things right by founding the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in 1978. In this very interesting talk by former Straits Times music critic and The Arts Magazine editor, the polymath Phan Ming Yen goes way back in time where his story actually starts.

Based on old newspapers, articles and archival material, Ming Yen has painted a very vivid and not too flattering picture of colonial Singapore from the 1890s. Those were the days when Brits like William Graeme St Clair and Edward Salzmann, with important connections to the establishment and press, held sway. 

They were responsible for introducing Western classical music to the natives, quaintly referred to as Asiatics, to counter the hideous noise of the daily grind and "rudimentary Chinese music", to enrich and educate the unwashed. These came in the form of the Singapore Philharmonic Society and its children's concerts, and other activities. For his troubles, the old pipe organ of Victoria Memorial Hall was named the St Clair organ.

Racist or not?
Supremacist to say the least!

Ming Yen plays some "rudimentary" Chinese music.

The very photograph which sparked
Ming Yen's interest in this subject.

The locals were receptive, in particular the Straits-born Chinese, who were mostly English-educated, upwardly mobile and increasingly gentrified. This movement led to the first orchestra formed by non-Europeans, the Chia Keng Tai Orchestra which performed in society events, public concerts and in 1939, accompanied the Wuhan Songsters in its anti-Japanese fundraising efforts. A central figure was violinist Tay Lian Teck, also a member of the Municipal Commission of Singapore, who died in 1942 while fleeing the Japanese by ship.

Remembering Tay Lian Teck

This tapestry of histories from old Singapore is relevant because it eventually shaped the society we live in today and how we enjoy our music. Ming Yen closed his riveting 90-minute-talk with a quote from Goh Keng Swee, revealing within his mind what would eventually lead to the founding of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in 1978. We are where we are today because we stand on the shoulders of giants. 

A meeting of old friends and historians.

AN EVENING AT THE TEOCHEW OPERA / Er Woo Amateur Musical & Cultural Association

To be honest, I know next to nothing about Teochew opera. I remember being brought to the Teochew street opera in Georgetown, Penang at the age of seven by my grand-aunt (a Teochew lady herself). It was quite a spectacle and I was intrigued not so much by the stage action but by the musicians who played behind the scenes. I returned that favour by bringing her to the Singapore Chinese Orchestra's very own concert of Teochew opera highlights. Then I realised that some of the words sung in the concert were the few words I possessed in my very limited spoken Teochew (despite being one quarter Teochew myself).

So it was a most pleasant surprise for me to be invited on 21 December 2022 to a concert of Teochew opera presented by Singapore's Er Woo Amateur Musical and Dramatic Association, which was commemorating its 110th anniversary in this concert. (Their founding year being 1912, the year of the Titanic and one year before Le Sacre du Printemps). My host was Mr E.C.Goh, a free-lance editor who lives in London and a regular denizen of concert hall stage doors all around the world.

This concert opened my eyes and ears to an artform that is almost totally (and shamefully) foreign to me. It is a world removed from the Western opera favourites of Puccini, Verdi and Bizet which I am familiar with, and even the attendees at this concert occupied almost an alternate universe from mine. The colourful booklet was completely in Chinese, and I imagined myself to be in Swatow rather than Singapore.

Thankfully, the entire concert was accompanied by English surtitles, professionally rendered and operated which certainly helped in the understanding of the stage action. The four stories are probably familiar to those who appreciate Chinese history and lore, but as I am a total novice, I had to be guided, but it was a truly revelatory experience.

This is what a classical
Teochew beauty looks like.

There were stories of Imperial palace intrigues, a long-lost husband who returns as an important courtier, virtuous wives, a corrupt border officer who gets his comeuppance, and a secret son who is a pretender to the throne. Stories like these are popular in Chinese plays, which essentially what the acts were. The word hii (Teochew for show) was used by the emcee as one would to refer to a play, television show or movie. 

Possibly the inspiration for
Dick Lee's Mad Chinaman.

The music was probably through-composed, with neither set-pieces like arias, duets or ensembles encountered in Western opera. The actors sung in a manner of sprech-gesang as if directly making their points or just narrating a story. All the singers used amplification and they did not need to exert themselves too much, while the instrumental accompaniment was pre-recorded.

What can I say about the costumes and sets, other than these were visually stunning, complemented by authentically painted faces. In many ways, this was a major highlight (for me) of this production by a so-called amateur group. There was nothing amateurish about Er Woo's presentation, which I am told rivals even the best of professional groups in China. Chinese opera is an artform under threat of extinction, and we should be thankful that Er Woo even exists in the 21st century. And long may its members (the youngest being 16 years old) continue to fly the flag of genuine Teochew culture.

There was a standing ovation for all the performers involved, and how do the Teochews audibly express their approval? Instead of bravo or bis, there were shouts of "Ho-aah, ho-aah"! That, I understand, is as good as it gets.

All photos by PianoManiac, as here was a concert where photography was actively encouraged, and who could blame them? Members of the audience were also invited to get on stage to take photographs with the performers. Imagine that happening in La Scala, Covent Garden or the Met. 

CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL OPERA DEBUTS IN SINGAPORE

The Cambridge International Opera made its Singapore debut, performing at Singapore's newest concert venue, the Far East Auditorium of the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre on Wednesday 5 April 2017. The newly formed opera company featured five young singers who have studied and graduated from various colleges in Cambridge and the United Kingdom, and have been active in the college choral and vocal scene.

Its concert, part of an Asian tour which included also Hong Kong and Bangkok, featured a wonderful range of popular arias, duets and ensemble scenes from the great operas. These were mostly in Italian and French, with an odd aria sung in English. It was an enjoyable and entertaining evening, not unlike New Opera Singapore's concerts featuring young artists, but without the farcical comique plots and over-acting. Some of these singers could become big names in the international opera circuit in the future, but this was a promising start.

Counter-tenor Tim Morgan had one of
the most impressive voices, starring in
Handel's Ombra mai fu (Serse) and an aria
from Israel in Egypt. 

Tenor Rob Humphries sang some bel canto favourites
like Donizetti's Una furtiva lagrima (L'elisir d'amore)
 and Cilea's Federico's Lament (L'arlesiana) 

Humphries is joined by baritone Lawrence Halksworth
in what else - Bizet's Au found du temple saint
from The Pearl Fishers.

Morgan and soprano Billie Robson
in Pur ti miro from Monteverdi's
L'incoronazione di Poppea.

Mezzo-soprano Simone Ibbett-Brown
is a name to look out for. She sang popular arias
from Samson et Dalila, Carmen and La Favorita.

Halksworth gets an audience in
Come un'ape from Rossini's La Cenerentola

The British Airways theme song,
the Flower Duet from Delibes' Lakme
sung by two Brits!

A scene from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro.

Billie Robson, who is also the Artistic Director
of CIO, is devoted to her art as she sings
Puccini's Vissi d'arte (Tosca).

The quartet from Verdi's Rigoletto.

The other half of the Verdian quartet (Rigoletto).

As an encore, Tim Morgan reprised
Handel's Largo, now sounding even better!

The full cast with pianist John Wright (2nd from right).

  

Cambridge International Opera was presented by the Hong Kong based impresario Christine N Concerts.