She is like a candle, burning herself to illuminate the future of children in mountainous areas; she is like charcoal fire, warming countless poor families with blazing love; she is like a lotus, the fragrance is far away and the beauty is clear, the pavilion is pure and green, and the lotus root is offered before it falls down, leaving behind A pure and beautiful life... Recently, the new modern Peking opera "Old Auntie" premiered at the Mei Lanfang Grand Theater in Beijing.
The play is based on the 4th National Moral Model and "The Most Beautiful Struggler" Gong Quanzhen. The famous playwright Chen Yongquan serves as the screenwriter, the famous opera director Yang Xiaoqing serves as the director, and the winner of the 24th Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award Wang Runjing plays Gong Quanzhen. Tian Lei, winner of the 2016 Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award, plays Gan Zuchang.
“Old Aunt” Gong Quanzhen is the wife of the founding general Gan Zuchang. When he was a teenager, Gong Quanzhen, under the call of faith, left his hometown of Yantai and traveled thousands of miles in search of light. In her youth, in response to the call of her motherland, she went to Xinjiang alone and devoted herself to the education of New China. When her husband Gan Zuchang decided to give up the glory of being a general and return to his fields to build his hometown with his fellow villagers, Gong Quanzhen followed him without hesitation despite his deep reluctance for his comrades and students. In Lianhua County, Pingxiang, Jiangxi, faced with various discomforts in an unfamiliar environment, she chose to persevere and devoted herself to rural education for decades; after retirement, she still walked non-stop and devoted herself to public welfare... Gong Quanzhen dedicated her life to writing great love. , has been named a national moral model, one of the top ten people who moved China, etc., and was received twice by General Secretary Xi Jinping, who affectionately called her "old aunt".
Wang Runjing, a famous Zhang School performer from the National Peking Opera Company, once played the role of Ke Xiang in the modern Peking Opera "Azalea Mountain" and has deep feelings for Pingxiang, Jiangxi. In this work, she created the character based on her understanding and respect for the "old aunt", and deliberately It highlights his noble character like a lotus flower, his sweet and far-reaching singing voice, and his soulful performance, which comprehensively demonstrates Gong Quanzhen's noble personality of being dedicated to the public, selfless and the spirit of a party member who puts the overall situation first and puts the people first. Tian Lei, deputy director of the National Peking Opera Company, gave a steady and powerful performance. He played the role of General Gan Zuchang, who was resolute and upright, caring about people's livelihood, and leading the villagers to open up wasteland and cultivate fields, demonstrating the unpretentious and unpretentious character of a generation of generals who are dedicated to the country.
"The creation of the modern Peking Opera "Old Auntie" can be said to be a cleansing of the soul and a tempering of the spirit." Yang Xiaoqing said that through this creation, he paid tribute to Gan Zuchang, Gong Quanzhen and all the role models who took national construction and people's happiness as their own responsibility. She said: "It is the duty and responsibility of literary and art workers to use stage art to interpret and praise the role models of the times. It is the value and mission of dramatists to use limited stage space to create an infinite spiritual world. I wish the old aunt is here The spirit lives on on one stage. "
"These stories are precious materials for my creation." Wang Runjing recalled the scene of meeting Gong Quanzhen in late September 2022, "Although the old man was lying in the ward, his eyes were still strong and his smile was friendly. She said she liked to listen to Peking Opera the most, and when I sang excerpts from "The Story of the Red Lantern" for her, she sang softly with me..." Moved into power, these precious memory fragments emerged one after another during Wang Runjing's creation and performance, becoming Wang Runjing's "I hope that through my performance, more people can feel the spiritual character of the old aunt and deliver positive energy to the audience." In August 2023, starring Wang Runjing personally paid tribute to Gong Quanzhen's struggling Nan Pi Primary and Middle School donated 100,000 yuan in student aid funds to practice the spirit of the old aunt with practical actions.
"I feel that this work brings the characters to life. Grandma Gong Quanzhen's gentle yet firm and simple temperament is interpreted particularly well. The story of General Gan Zuchang taking root in the countryside and serving the people is also very moving." "After reading this This is a drama, I want to go and see Pingxiang, Jiangxi, where our predecessors have struggled..." At the end of the performance, the audience praised it one after another. In the wonderful performance of the modern Peking Opera "Old Auntie", "Old Auntie" Gong Quanzhen's persistence in life, personal emotions and progress of the times are once again vividly demonstrated.
(Xinmin Evening News Beijing Correspondent Zhao Yue)
