薛覺先

简介

Xue Juexian (1904–1956), born in Shunde, Guangdong province, was a legendary Cantonese opera performer and one of the "Four Great Heavenly Kings" of Cantonese opera. Raised in an opera family, his elder sister, third sister and younger brother were all opera actors. He studied at St. Paul's College in Hong Kong at age 13 but left school at 15, later apprenticing at a leather shop before studying under his brother-in-law at 18. He joined the "Renshou Nian" troupe in 1923 and by age 20 had become the lead performer. In 1925 he founded a film company in Shanghai, producing the silent film "Langdie" (The Wandering Butterfly), where he met his wife Tang Xueqing. Inspired by Kunqu and Peking opera, he returned to Hong Kong in 1927 and formed the "Jue Xiansheng" troupe in 1929, which included stars like Sin Ma Si Chen and Chen Jin Tang. His 1933 film "Baijinlong" (The Platinum Dragon) was a major success across Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou. After the Hong Kong government approved mixed-gender performances in October 1933, his troupe became the first to feature female performers. The rivalry between Xue and Ma Si Tseng defined the 1930s–1940s era known as "Xue-Ma Contention." He introduced sweeping reforms to Cantonese opera, abolishing the old contract system, enforcing written scripts, and creating a new vocal style blending Peking opera with modern melodies. He settled in Guangzhou in 1954, serving as director of the Guangzhou Cantonese Opera Troupe's art committee, and died of cerebral hemorrhage in 1956 at age 52.