Recently, the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles held the 29th issue of the dialogue, with the theme of "Big Pattern in a Small Space—A Trendy New Space for Performing Arts", inviting cultural industry researchers, managers of literary and art troupes, and front-line creators. Discuss the current status and development trends of Beijing’s new performing arts space. Why is the new space of
so popular?
Last year, more than 300 performing arts spaces held commercial performances in Beijing. Among them, Dongcheng, Xicheng, and Chaoyang took the lead in launching pilot projects for new performing arts spaces, and successively launched 25 new performing arts spaces such as Pigment Hall, 77 Theater, and Stars Theater Village, providing audiences with a viewing experience different from traditional theaters. Performing arts spaces such as the Jixiang Grand Theater and the Zhengyici Theater have gained new vitality by integrating traditional cultural performances such as Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera. Why does
the new performing arts space receive increasing attention and attention? Wang Dong, director of the Beijing Children's Art Theater, believes that this is due to the development of new media and artificial intelligence, and the penetration of human-computer interaction into life, so that people today are no longer satisfied with the sense of presence and ritual in traditional theaters, but need more immersion.
Zhang Zhaoxia, a professor at Beijing Dance Academy, believes that in the new space of performing arts, the subversion of the relationship between spectators and performers will make the audience the protagonist of the performance and even influence the development of the plot. This is in line with young people's diversification of the art market and art products. Looking forward to providing a new communication channel between serious art and popular cultural consumption.
Hu Na, associate professor at the Chinese Academy of Opera, believes that in addition to artistic value, performing arts in the new space also have more diverse social values. “The new space is not only the consumption of culture, but will also have a fundamental impact on the development of the entire literary and artistic undertaking. ."
"Old Art" How to Leverage?
When traditional arts such as opera face accelerating changes in audience tastes and appreciation habits, how should they adapt to the times and demonstrate unique artistic characteristics to attract audiences? Cui Di, director of the Beijing Opera Troupe, said that in 2018, the Beijing Opera Troupe tried to make "Teahouse" an immersive show and performed it at the Chinese Opera Culture Week. "At that time, I wanted to try to change the relationship between spectators and performers, so that actors and audiences can act and watch together regardless of whether they are on stage or off stage. In recent years, we have continued to think about it and tried it. "Lin Zexu in Beijing" is in Sanjin Courtyard "Performing in the scene."
Cui Di said, "The Yue Opera "New Dragon Gate Inn" gives us a lot to think about. Opera works must adhere to the artistic standards of opera, and never lose the original characteristics of the opera to create new spaces and new things. Only by experimenting with communication methods can you get out of the circle. "Faced with the changes in communication methods brought about by new media, she believes that this is a good method that opera must use, "But this good thing also needs a process of trial and error. "Is the artistry of
compromised?
The combination of performing arts and new spaces has caused many people to worry about the "purity of art" and believe that the pursuit of commercial box office will damage the artistry of creation.
In this regard, Zhang Xiao, the director of immersive and environmental drama works such as "True Detective Zhao Goose" and "Miss Julie", shared his creative experience. He said that creators must first be responsible for the audience; secondly, they must be responsible for the producer and make a loss-making show for investors. Then there will be no next one and the creation cannot be sustained. "We try our best to combine our creative interests and preferences to make things that the audience will not hate. What we like may be liked by people like us."
Zhang Xiao believes that performing arts works in the new space are different from traditional ones. Theater works can also provide space for discussion. "It is completely possible to use an entertaining play to make the audience think about the meaning of our lives after watching it." How does
avoid being new for the sake of being new?
As a new performance form, there are also some challenges and even misunderstandings in the development of new performing arts spaces. While pursuing the new and trendy, how can creators avoid impetuousness, avoid excessive and inappropriate use of technological means, and retain the uniqueness of the space? Wang Dong believes that the reverse value of technology can be understood this way: in this era, the more we pursue technology, the more fireworks and close contact we need. This is the unique value of the new performing arts space.The new performing arts space requires the uniqueness of the combination of works and space, which cannot be easily copied by others. "When we create a new performing arts space, we should consider the audience from the four dimensions of time, place, scene, and psychology, so that we can truly engage the audience." Immerse yourself in the concept we created."
Zhang Xiao said that the homogeneity of immersive performances and spatial experimental dramas is indeed serious now, and everyone is inevitably chasing trendy things. "My own idea is to arrange as many themes as possible that are close to our lives and can connect with the ideas of young people. Even if the theme is far away in time and space, we must find its practical significance."
Text/Reporter of this newspaper Coordinator Yu Jing/Liu Jianghua
