回憶之旅

小瓊：有時，最有趣的發現會出現在最意想不到的地方。最近我回到香港參加第47 屆香港國際電影節，非常高興能與中國表演藝術歷史中的一些片段面對面。它還證明了，無論是過去還是現在，文化作為一座橋梁的重要性，它都能建立人們之間的理解。

小薇：所以，這一切都是從一部新的紀錄片《尚未完場》開始的？這部紀錄片關注了香港島上一家面臨拆遷困境的劇院建筑。我聽說文物保護者們最終在2020 年取得勝利，為它延續了歷史！

小瓊：上海也有著許多美麗的歷史建筑—— 想想外灘，或者法租界里保存完好的一排排房子。在20 世紀70 年代和80 年代，香港的許多舊建筑被摩天大樓取代，這種趨勢至今仍在延續。

小薇：香港是在近50 年里才發展成為國際大都市。由于第二次世界大戰后的人口激增，20 世紀50 年代時大量上海移民遷入香港。香港北角甚至被稱為“小上海”。

小瓊：《尚未完場》是一部由祁凱達和徐岱靈拍攝的紀錄片，講述了位于北角英皇道的璇宮戲院，該劇院由英國經理歐德禮于1952 年建成。歐德禮是一位超級音樂愛好者，他和他的家人在香港生活了幾十年。這家劇院白天放映電影，晚上進行音樂演出。曾出現在舞臺上的著名音樂家， 包括小提琴家艾薩克·斯特恩和鋼琴家路易斯·肯特納和所羅門等。另外，我還有一個重大發現， 一個由中國表演藝術家組成的劇團曾在1956 年6 月底到7 月初在璇宮戲院演出過。除了舞蹈演員、京劇藝術家，還有中國著名的花腔女高音歌唱家周小燕！據記載，她演唱了《康定情歌》《四季歌》等膾炙人口的藝術歌曲。

小薇：我在報紙上看到報道說，每場演出的門票都被搶購一空。街區周圍排起了購票的長龍。

小瓊：甚至香港的第一家商業電臺——麗的呼聲電臺也轉播了那次演出，留下了周小燕先生巔峰時期美妙嗓音的珍貴歷史錄音。

小薇：我在網上看到報道說璇宮戲院真的不賺錢。后來，歐德禮將這座建筑賣給了另一家公司。1959 年，該劇院以皇都戲院的名稱開始重新運營。

Joan： Sometimes the most interesting discoveries pop up in the most unexpected places. I was back in Hong Kong to attend the 47th Hong Kong International Film Festival and was so delighted to come face to face with a snippet of Chinese performing arts history. It also proved the importance of culture as a bridge to build people-to-people understanding， both then and now.

Valery： So it all started with a new documentary film， To Be Continued ， about a theater in danger of demolition on Hong Kong island？ I hear preservationists eventually won the case in 2020！

Joan： Shanghai is also filled with beautiful historic buildings： just think of the Bund， or the rows of houses in the French Concession that are so well-preserved. During the 1970s and 1980s， many old buildings in Hong Kong were replaced by skyscrapers， and that trend continues today.

Valery： Hong Kong didnt develop as a metropolis until the past 50 years， with a population boom after the Second World War and a significant population of Shanghai emigrés moved into the area by the 1950s. North Point became known as Little Shanghai.

Joan： To Be Continued is a documentary by Haider Kikabhoy and Dora Chiu about the Empire Theatre on Kings Road in North Point， built in 1952 by the British impresario Harry Odell. Odell and his family had lived in Hong Kong for decades and he was a great music lover. This theater would show films during the day and present musical performances in the evening. Famous musicians who appeared on that stage included violinist Isaac Stern and pianists Louis Kentner and Solomon. The big discovery was that in 1956， a troupe of Chinese performing artists performed at the Empire Theatre in late June and early July. Apart from dancers， Peking opera， there was also Madame Zhou Xiaoyan performing art songs！ According to the records， she sang such popular favorites as Kangding Love Song and Four Seasons Song .

Valery： I read in newspaper reports that every performance was sold out. There were lines around the block to buy tickets.

Joan： Even Hong Kongs Radio Redifussion （first commercial radio of Hong Kong） broadcast the performance， which left historic recordings of Madame Zhous amazing voice at her prime.

Valery： I read in reports online that the Empire Theatre really didnt make money. Odell sold the building to another company and by 1959， the site operated under the new name of the State Theatre.