△ Shi Yihong
reproduces the classic
The first person to sing "Ode to the Pear Blossom"
Shanghai Peking Opera Theater's new version of "The Princess of the Tang Dynasty" began with "Taizhen Gaiden" created by Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang, which is one of the new plays of the Mei School. most. In 2001, Mei Baojiu, a descendant of the Mei School of Art, took the lead in re-creating and reorganizing the opera, bringing together elites from various art categories to create a phenomenal Peking Opera work in the new century - the large-scale symphonic Peking Opera "The Princess of the Tang Dynasty".
"The pear blossoms bloom, and spring brings rain. The pear blossoms fall, and spring falls into the mud. This life is only for one person..." The song "Ode to Pear Blossoms" has been sung all over the country, and it can be said to be a popular song among opera lovers. This piece is from the large-scale symphonic Peking opera "The Imperial Concubine of the Tang Dynasty" and is the theme song of the play.
What few people know is that Shi Yihong was the first person to sing "Ode to Pear Blossom".
△ Li Jun
At that time, three pairs of raw actors played Yang Yuhuan and Li Longji. Shi Yihong and Li Jun were the first pair to appear. "I was very young at that time. I was only in my twenties. Of course, I played the young Concubine Yang. It was her youngest, most favored and most glorious time." Shi Yihong told the reporter of Modern Express.
Eighteen years after its premiere, the new version of "The Princess of the Tang Dynasty" continues the opera's success in 2009. Shi Yihong and Li Jun continue to play the leading roles and play the entire drama. Shi Yihong said: "The acting between two people will be more skillful, and the acting together will be closer. Over the years, whether it is artistic maturity or some life experiences, it has given us a lot of nutrients and a better understanding of the characters." "
Cross-border feedback
Peking Opera's new drama is full of highlights
In 1994, 22-year-old Shi Yihong won the Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award and the "Magnolia Drama Award" for his role as Hu Sanniang in the new drama "Hu Sanniang and Wang Ying" .
"I think actors are not static, they are just a kind of role. Arts are intertwined with each other. Being able to get in touch with other arts and learn from them, I think this is a good thing, and I have never rejected it." Within the scope of control, Shi Yihong kept crossing boundaries. Movies, TV series, variety shows...she will return her cross-border gains to her old profession of Peking Opera.
"Since you want to create a new character, you have to make it refreshing for the audience. You have to see an image that has never appeared on the Peking Opera stage. And as soon as this image comes out, the audience must believe that you are a foreign woman." 2008 , Shi Yihong adapted the foreign classic story "Notre Dame de Paris" into the Peking opera "The Bell Tower of Sorrow", using traditional Chinese opera to interpret this classic work, bringing unprecedented freshness to theater fans.
In order to play the heroine from the West in the play - a wandering dancer, Shi Yihong took the initiative to sign up for the dance competition program "Dancing Forest Conference", "It didn't take long, and actually only a few times did the dance teacher take us to train. , but in the process, I learned a lot, and I really integrated the dance elements of Peking Opera into the heroine." The Peking Opera "Bell Tower of Love" won the love and recognition of theater fans, and won the 6th China Second Prize at the Peking Opera Art Festival.
Peking Opera "New Dragon Gate Inn" is another new play written by Shi Yihong. "Everyone says that I have a lot of innovative plays and I am constantly innovating. In fact, I have very few innovative plays. From "The Bell Tower of Love" to "New Dragon Inn", it took twelve years for me to have one. A play that you can watch."
Sing more and act more
Really good new plays must be sung
"Inheritance is very important. You must first learn the old opera formulas and lay the foundation for yourself."When it comes to the development of traditional opera, Li Jun feels that Peking Opera is very strict, including hand, eye, body, step, singing, chanting, and fighting. Everything is very strict and standardized. You must learn these first and then show them to the audience. “During the presentation process, you have to constantly innovate and have new ideas. "
How can traditional opera reach young people? This has always been a problem that opera people are constantly trying to solve. Especially the popularity of the Yue opera "New Dragon Gate Inn" has triggered a lot of thinking. Regarding this problem, Shi Yihong also shared with reporters
In Shi Yihong’s view, although everyone likes innovation and is willing to innovate a new role, this cannot be done blindly. “You have to be determined to do it, and you have to do it seriously every time Well, to make the audience recognize your play, you need to be able to sing more, act more, and spread it more, just like "The Imperial Concubine of the Tang Dynasty." "
" It is not easy to inherit a new play. It does not mean that arranging a new play means innovation. "She told reporters that only when a new play is sung well can it be passed on and be considered a real innovation.
Modern Express/Modern+ Reporter Li Ming/Text by Zheng Rui/Photography
