Tsin Ting
Encyclopedia
Tsin Ting (born 1934 in Sichuan
, Republic of China
) is a Chinese singer and dubbing artist, who is perhaps best known as the Marni Nixon
of Hong Kong cinema
.
in 1949 with her brother after China came under communist rule. Left to fend for herself after her brother left for Taiwan
, she sang in nightclubs to earn some money. In 1953, she recorded a Cantonese song, "One Day When We Were Young", on one side of a 78 but refused to do the other after finding her command of the language not up to par.
In 1954, she auditioned for EMI Pathé when they were recruiting new talent but was told by composer Yao Min
who auditioned her that her vocals lacked power and energy. She was offered instead, a part in the chorus. In 1956, she was signed on as a solo artist after Miriam Wang, the chief executive, took notice of her. Her first record was two songs from the Shaw & Sons film Narcissus, where she dubbed for actress Shih Ying. Her self-taught ability to read music was an added bonus as this saved valuable studio time. Film studios soon began using her to dub their musical films.
During a recording session, director Li Han-hsiang (Li Hanxiang) heard her singing at the studio, dubbing a song for actress Yu Suqiu in the Shaw movie Lady in Distress (1957). Impressed with her voice, he had her dub for film star Lin Dai
in his next film Diau Charn. The film was a great success all over Southeast Asia and won several Asian Film Festival awards. Thereafter, when Li went on to film The Kingdom And The Beauty
, Tsin Ting was roped in to dub for Lin Dai once again.
Tsin Ting dubbed many of Shaw Brothers' Huangmei Opera
movies from the 1950s to the 1960s. The most notable was The Love Eterne
(1963), where she sang for lead actress Betty Loh Ti
(Lè Dì 樂蒂) in the role of Zhu Yingtai. The pathos and emotional impact of her singing, along with Loh Ti's excellent acting, moved viewers to tears. She left Shaw Studio as a contract singer in 1970 but continued recording albums on EMI in the 1970s, Wing Hung in the 1980s, and Polygram in the 1990s.
In 2000, Tsin Ting made a remarkable career resurgence with soldout concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum
with Liu Yun, Tsui Ping
and Wu Yingyin
; she repeated the feat two years later with Liu, Wu and Billie Tam. In 2006, she was the guest singer at a Donald Cheung concert singing a famous Bai Guang
classic and then duetting with Donald. This is available on DVD.
Huangmei Opera Movies
Contemporary Movies
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
, Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
) is a Chinese singer and dubbing artist, who is perhaps best known as the Marni Nixon
Marni Nixon
Marni Nixon is an American soprano and playback singer for featured actresses in movie musicals. She has also spent much of her career performing in concerts with major symphony orchestras around the world and in operas and musicals throughout the United States.-Biography:Born Margaret Nixon...
of Hong Kong cinema
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
.
Biography
Tsin Ting arrived in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1949 with her brother after China came under communist rule. Left to fend for herself after her brother left for Taiwan
Taiwan Province
Taiwan Province is one of the two administrative divisions referred to as provinces and is controlled by the Republic of China . The province covers approximately 73% of the territory controlled by the Republic of China...
, she sang in nightclubs to earn some money. In 1953, she recorded a Cantonese song, "One Day When We Were Young", on one side of a 78 but refused to do the other after finding her command of the language not up to par.
In 1954, she auditioned for EMI Pathé when they were recruiting new talent but was told by composer Yao Min
Yao Min
Yao Ming was a Chinese popular music songwriter and singer and brother of Yao Lee. He was arguably one of the most prolific songwriters of the shidaiqu era in 1930s and 1940s Shanghai through the 1950s and 1960s in Hong Kong....
who auditioned her that her vocals lacked power and energy. She was offered instead, a part in the chorus. In 1956, she was signed on as a solo artist after Miriam Wang, the chief executive, took notice of her. Her first record was two songs from the Shaw & Sons film Narcissus, where she dubbed for actress Shih Ying. Her self-taught ability to read music was an added bonus as this saved valuable studio time. Film studios soon began using her to dub their musical films.
During a recording session, director Li Han-hsiang (Li Hanxiang) heard her singing at the studio, dubbing a song for actress Yu Suqiu in the Shaw movie Lady in Distress (1957). Impressed with her voice, he had her dub for film star Lin Dai
Lin Dai
Linda Lin Dai was a Chinese actress of Hong Kong films made in Mandarin during 1950s–60s. She was a star actress in the Shaw Brothers Studio stable....
in his next film Diau Charn. The film was a great success all over Southeast Asia and won several Asian Film Festival awards. Thereafter, when Li went on to film The Kingdom And The Beauty
The Kingdom and the Beauty
The Kingdom and the Beauty is a 1959 Hong Kong musical-drama film directed by Li Han-hsiang. The film was set in Imperial China, directed by a Hong Kong based-Mainland Chinese director and produced by the famed Hong Kong Shaw Brothers film studio, there was minimal Singaporean input in the...
, Tsin Ting was roped in to dub for Lin Dai once again.
Tsin Ting dubbed many of Shaw Brothers' Huangmei Opera
Huangmei Opera
Huangmei opera or Huangmei tone originated as a form of rural folksong and dance that has been in existence for the last 200 years and possibly longer. The music is performed with a pitch that hits high and stays high for the duration of the song...
movies from the 1950s to the 1960s. The most notable was The Love Eterne
The Love Eterne
The Love Eterne is a 1963 Hong Kong musical film of the Huangmei opera genre directed by Li Han Hsiang. It is based on the Chinese classic story The Butterfly Lovers, which is sometimes referred to as the Romeo and Juliet of the Far East...
(1963), where she sang for lead actress Betty Loh Ti
Betty Loh Ti
Betty Loh Ti was a Chinese actress who was often described as the 'Chinese Classic Beauty'. In the 1960s, she was popular among both Chinese and Western filmgoers.- Biography :...
(Lè Dì 樂蒂) in the role of Zhu Yingtai. The pathos and emotional impact of her singing, along with Loh Ti's excellent acting, moved viewers to tears. She left Shaw Studio as a contract singer in 1970 but continued recording albums on EMI in the 1970s, Wing Hung in the 1980s, and Polygram in the 1990s.
In 2000, Tsin Ting made a remarkable career resurgence with soldout concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum
Hong Kong Coliseum
Hong Kong Coliseum is a multi-purpose indoor arena, in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.It was built by the Urban Council and inaugurated on 27 April 1983....
with Liu Yun, Tsui Ping
Tsui Ping
Tsui Ping has been a very popular Mandarin pop singer and "queen of expressive feelings" from 1950-1971...
and Wu Yingyin
Wu Yingyin
Wu Yingyin was a Chinese singer. By the 1940s, she became one of the seven great singing stars.-Biography:...
; she repeated the feat two years later with Liu, Wu and Billie Tam. In 2006, she was the guest singer at a Donald Cheung concert singing a famous Bai Guang
Bai Guang
Bai Guang was a famous movie star and singer. By the 1940s, she became one of the Seven great singing stars.-Biography:...
classic and then duetting with Donald. This is available on DVD.
Selected filmography
Shaw Brothers (Hong Kong) LimitedHuangmei Opera Movies
- Diau Charn - 1958
- The Kingdom and the Beauty - 1959
- Return of the Phoenix -1962
- The Story of Sue San - 1962
- The Adulteress - 1962
- The Love EterneThe Love EterneThe Love Eterne is a 1963 Hong Kong musical film of the Huangmei opera genre directed by Li Han Hsiang. It is based on the Chinese classic story The Butterfly Lovers, which is sometimes referred to as the Romeo and Juliet of the Far East...
- 1963 - Three Sinners - 1962
- The Amorous Lotus Pan - 1963
- The Comedy of Mismatches - 1963
- The Female Prince - 1963
- The Butterfly Chalice - 1963
- A Maid From Heaven - 1963
- The Lotus Lamp - 1963
- Beyond the Great Wall - 1964
- The MermaidThe MermaidThe Mermaid is a 1964 Hong Kong movie of the Huangmei Opera genre.- Synopsis :Zhang Zhen's family had fallen on hard times but remembering the bethrothal agreement between his father and the prime minister, Master Chin, he set off for his fiance's home...
- 1964 - The West Chamber - 1964
- The Midnight Murder -1964
- The Perfumed Arrow - 1966
- The Pearl Phoenix - 1967
- Forever and Ever - 1968
- The Mirror and the Lichee - 1968
- The Three Smiles - 1969
Contemporary Movies
- The Magic Touch
- The Shepherd Girl
- Till the End of Time
- Song of Tomorrow
- Pink Tears
- 4 Sisters
- Poison Rose
- Swan Song
- Angel With the Iron Fists
- Hong Kong Nocturne
- Hong Kong Rhapsody
- The Dancing Millionairess
- Songfest
- My Dreamboat
- Moonlight Serenade
- Susanna
- The Warlord and the Actress
- The Millionaire Chase
- The Blue & Black