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| Biography |
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| | Pak Suet Sin was the daughter of a leading actor in Cantonese Opera, Mr. Pak Kui Wing. Since
she was the ninth child in the family, she was nicknamed 'the ninth lady'. She once apprenticed
under Cantonese Opera master Sit Kok Sin, and began her co-operation with Yam Kim Fai in
the forties of the last century, and the duo's seamless performance won the hearts and minds of
the audience who considered them the 'perfect couple'. In the mid fifties, they formed the Sin
Fung Ming Opera Troupe and became legends of the local operatic history with performances in
productions like 'Peony Pavilion', 'The Tragedy of the Emperor's Daughter', 'The Purple
Hairpin', and 'Reincarnation of Lady Plum Blossom'. Most of their operatic productions were
later made into films. Pak and Yam were a dedicated pair who often drew their inspirations from
traditional Cantonese operas but were nonetheless always ready to break new grounds in this
age-old art form. They were also known for their sincerity, modesty, and the ability to empower
people around them. The impetus they created contributed largely to the raising of the standard
of the local Cantonese Opera. Their students, with their support, formed the Chor Fung Ming
Cantonese Opera Troupe, so that Pak and Yam's virtuosity could be passed on from generation
to generation. Pak was honoured with the Life Achievement Award by the Hong Kong Film
Awards in 2001 and the Honorary Doctorate by the University of Hong Kong in 2004.
- Hong Kong Tourism Board |
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