TAN Mui Kwang 陈美光 Performing Arts in Singapore (Music), Accession Number 002916


  • Oral History Centre
    Source
  • 20
    Total Reels
  • Loke Tai Tay
    Interviewer
  • 18:46:56
    Total Running Time
  • Mandarin
    Language


Copyright Notice

All rights to the recordings and transcripts on this website, including the rights to copy, publish, broadcast and perform, are reserved. Written permission is required for any use. If you have any queries, please contact nas@nlb.gov.sg


Metadata

  • 24 Feb 2005
    Recording Date
  • 00:53:17
    Running Time
  • MP3
    Format
  • Open Access
    Conditions Governing Access

Synopsis

00:00 - 27:39
Family background; early education. Japanese Occupation. Father injured; interviewee's experiences in Japanese barracks, working for Japanese businessman. Became hostess at Ge Tai. After war, interrogated by Malayan Communist Party (MCP). Father died; family in financial straits. Came to Singapore; became dance hostess at Happy World, while studying.  

27:40 - 53:17
Lucrative earnings.  About amorous customers, helpful benefactor. Winning song competition launched her career. First paycheck $400.  Toured with group, 1948.  Working in Ge Tai. $1 entrance fee, entertainment, performances. Show opened with entire cast singing together. Picked up acting skills.  Worked with Foong Chong Hon, Bai Yan.

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Metadata

  • 3 Mar 2005
    Recording Date
  • 00:55:02
    Running Time
  • MP3
    Format
  • Open Access
    Conditions Governing Access

Synopsis

00:00 - 28:12
Hawkers' ware in Muar before war. Learning Japanese songs from Japanese propaganda choir. Learning from Singapore singers. Outstanding instructor Madam Gomez. Difficulties in early stage days. Toured Malaya; good response. Frequently cast as old woman.

28:12 - 55:06
No stage settings. About Bai Feng playing with handkerchief when performing.  Singers' attire and hairstyle. Costumes self-paid. Tickets sold on normal day and festive occasions eg. Chinese New Year. Audience mostly students, teachers. Open-air stage; no emcees. About artiste Lin Li whose personality changed after vocal studies in London.  Views on vocalists’ career in Singapore.

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Metadata

  • 10 Mar 2005
    Recording Date
  • 00:55:33
    Running Time
  • MP3
    Format
  • Open Access
    Conditions Governing Access

Synopsis

00:00 - 28:07
Singing and translating foreign songs; artistes Shu Yun, Lin Li. Hua Yi Bao groomed by mother Liu Ling Ling. Interviewee sang, played piano at Happy World Cabaret. Duet with Ning Xing Ji. Enticed to New World's Shangri-La Ge Tai. Stories about artistes: Su Kua, Liu, Hua.

28:08 - 55:49
Architecture of Da Di Ge Tai, Happy World Cabaret. Performed at Shangri-la Ge Tai, 1951. Paramount Cabaret at Great World, 1952.  Names of stars. Free seating. Competitor Hua Yuan Ge Tai hired Hong Kong singers. Shareholders courted singers. Interviewee quit Paramount over shareholder's reprimand. Performed at Cathay Restaurant, 1952; songs she sang.

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Metadata

  • 10 Mar 2005
    Recording Date
  • 00:57:02
    Running Time
  • MP3
    Format
  • Open Access
    Conditions Governing Access

Synopsis

00:00 - 30:17
About Shu Yun's love life; finally left at altar by cheating starlet. Interviewee performed at Charming Garden. Worked at Air View Restaurant in day. Working environment. Fan mail and love letters; interviewee startled by fan in front of Air View Restaurant. Treated at Singapore General Hospital.

30:18 - 57:15
Celebrities’ photographs sold without permission. Facilities and band at Air View Hotel and Great Southern Hotel. Performed in Sarawak. Younger sister Mui Gek performed in Sarawak and Ge Tai. Interviewee married a fan, 1955. Difference between ge tais in Kuching and Singapore. Frequent meal treats by locals and friends.

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Metadata

  • 5 May 2005
    Recording Date
  • 00:56:54
    Running Time
  • MP3
    Format
  • Open Access
    Conditions Governing Access

Synopsis

00:00 - 28:24
Traveling to Kuching by ship. Accommodation and performances. Names of songs and artistes interviewee performed with. Compared stage size in Kuching and Singapore. Experiences in Sibu and Miri. Living conditions in Labuan and Northern Borneo. About performing stage. Villages mainly populated by Malays.

28:25 - 56:55
Performing tour in Malaysia. How she met her husband; how he wooed her at Charming Garden. About siblings and their jobs in Singapore. Interviewee’s mother gave couple her blessings. Described her wedding reception at Spring Court Restaurant, 1955. Church wedding ceremony. After marriage, couple stayed with interviewee’s mother at Joo Chiat. About neighbourhood.

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Metadata

  • 12 May 2005
    Recording Date
  • 00:56:55
    Running Time
  • MP3
    Format
  • Open Access
    Conditions Governing Access

Synopsis

00:00 - 29:51
Retired after marriage. Singing lesson from Lilian Ho and Madam Gomez. Why interviewee did not participate in Guan Xin Yi's play. Moved in with mother-in-law at Alexandra Road. Adjusting to in-laws. Giving  birth; son Li Yun. Continued with singing lessons. Left in-laws' house. Rented room in Geylang. About attempted burglary. Houses in Geylang; Malay tenants.

29:52 - 56:56
Rental rates in Geylang.  Life as housewife. Geylang neighbourhood. Husband went to work in China, 1958. Difficulties faced while husband away. Interviewee's mother against her visiting her husband. Husband's nervous breakdown from loneliness. Interviewee visited husband. How to avoid getting passport stamped in China, 1961.

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Metadata

  • 26 May 2005
    Recording Date
  • 00:57:10
    Running Time
  • MP3
    Format
  • Open Access
    Conditions Governing Access

Synopsis

00:00 - 27:25
Journey from Guangzhou to Shanghai. Husband's ill health. Moved to Overseas Chinese Hotel. What she did. Husband recovered. Investigated by government agents. Described hotel and theatre. Visited singer-friends. Two weeks in Shanghai. Seeing Beijing with local tour group.

27:26 - 57:13
Tour fees. Compared China tour guides of past and present. Foreign tourists, their impression of China. Husband's early days in Shanghai; suffered from depression. Returned to family in Fujian when depression worsened. Husband blamed interviewee. Until Deng Xiao Ping's appointment, many overseas Chinese stuck in China. Husband left for Hong Kong but no job. Interviewee sent him money. Husband splurged on luxuries.

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Metadata

  • 8 Jun 2005
    Recording Date
  • 00:57:10
    Running Time
  • MP3
    Format
  • Open Access
    Conditions Governing Access

Synopsis

00:00 - 28:53
Recalled two visits to Hong Kong. Husband refused to work; hooked on horse-racing. Interviewee stopped sending him money. Husband returned to work; lost much on gambling. How she repaid his debts. Husband returned to Singapore. Relationship between husband and son. Difficult relationship with husband. Why she sent husband back to Hong Kong. Husband died, 1999.

28:53 - 57:11
Son’s happy childhood with father. Both had bad temper. Friend Liang Ping invited interviewee to sing at Eastern Nightclub, Malacca, in 1960s. Rose Chan celebrated her divorce publicly. Interviewee's popularity in Kuala Lumpur. Invited to perform at Sultan's palace.

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Metadata

  • 22 Jun 2005
    Recording Date
  • 00:59:09
    Running Time
  • MP3
    Format
  • Open Access
    Conditions Governing Access

Synopsis

00:00 - 29:30
Patrons preferred folksongs. Different clientele at nightclub and ge tai. Eastern Nightclub; its ge tai band, architecture. Performed in Kuala Lumpur (KL) stadium; hectic schedule. Indonesian songwriter wrote her song for "Speak Malay" campaign. Years in KL. Mother's apartment in Joo Chiat. Katong in 1960s. Returned to Singapore. 1969. Performed at movie premiere. Performances in KL; money earned. Guitars in bands.

29:31 - 59:54
Ad-hoc performance. Interviewee's performance on television, 1964. About Kowloon Nightclub. Malaysian singer Li Yi; her death. Interviewee's drinking habit. Popular singers in KL, Singapore in 1960s. Death of Teresa Teng's boyfriend; how it affected her.

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Metadata

  • 29 Jun 2005
    Recording Date
  • 00:56:46
    Running Time
  • MP3
    Format
  • Open Access
    Conditions Governing Access

Synopsis

00:00 - 31:40
More on Jin Lu Hua Ge Tai;s competitor New World Cabaret. Well received by fans after 10-year absence. Ge tai adapted scenes from Huang Mei Diao movies. Interviewee performed scene from 'The Butterfly Lovers' with sister Tan Mui Gek. Roles interviewee and sister played. Her role and plot in 'A Maid From Heaven'. Mui Gek's Chinese folk songs.

31:41 - 57:24
Bai Yan's performances in musicals. How “Tao Hua Crosses The River"  was adapted; its songs and story . “Third Sister Liu” popular with audience. Synopsis of story. Different singing styles of interviewee and sister. Songs they sang in musicals and duets. Popular folk songs from China.

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