To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the original national opera "March of the Volunteers" jointly produced by the Shanghai Opera House and the Shanghai Xuhui District Culture and Tourism Bureau will be an important part of the 2024 National Center for the Performing Arts Opera Festival in July. From the 5th to the 6th, it will meet the Beijing audience for the first time. On June 25, the main creator of the opera appeared at the National Center for the Performing Arts to introduce the creation and arrangement process of this opera.
was used as the theme song of the movie "Children of the Storm" in 1935, became the national anthem of the People's Republic of China in 1949, and was officially determined as the national anthem of the People's Republic of China at the second session of the 10th National People's Congress in 2004. "The Volunteer Army" "March" has an unusual and legendary experience. The original national opera "March of the Volunteers" reproduces the creation process of the national anthem and creates a group portrait of left-wing literary and artistic workers represented by progressive young people such as Tian Han, Nie Er, Xia Yan, Situ Huimin, Xu Xingzhi, and Wang Renmei. The work is based on the documentary literary work "Get Up - A Record of the Filmmaking Process of "Children of the Storm" and the Creation of "March of the Volunteers". It takes being close to historical reality and paying attention to the characteristics of the times as the main line of work, and strives to create a fine national opera.
"This opera artistically reproduces the creation process of "March of the Volunteers" in the context of the great era and background, and in the musical narrative structure of the opera. We are based on real history, artistic expression, 'Big Events'" "No matter what is trivial, don't be constrained by trivial matters." This is our creative philosophy. "During the creation of the script, screenwriter You Weizhi strived to create vivid characters with personality and impact while highlighting the ideological connotation and significance of the times. Touching events. She said, "Although this opera has a red theme, whether we choose the material or determine the characters, we want to reflect the youthful atmosphere in the magnificent history of that year. I believe that after watching this opera, whether it is about the birth of "March of the Volunteers" "
In the creation of the opera "March of the Volunteers", composer Meng Weidong took into account the characteristics of the theme, genre characteristics, and performance lineup, taking into account historical authenticity and performance. The balance between artistic creativity. "The theme music of the opera "March of the Volunteers" is the national anthem "March of the Volunteers", which has its inherent solemnity and seriousness and should not be changed or changed at will. In addition, "March of the Volunteers" as an episode of the movie was born in the 1930s Shanghai also provided innate inspiration and material for the music creation of the opera "March of the Volunteers". "Meng Weidong said, "I respect those great names, and I hope that the music of the opera "March of the Volunteers" can live up to the efforts of our predecessors. It also allows people today to remember the brilliance and glory created by that generation." Based on this, Meng Weidong attaches great importance to the combination of the sound and softness of the music and the "shades" of the orchestration when defining the tone of the opera music. To express the contrast between "tension" and "relaxation" of the plot. At the same time, several core characters in the play have core singing parts in specific dramatic scenes, which fully reflect the characters' image and personality.
Director Liao Xianghong did sufficient desk work before entering the rehearsal hall, carefully analyzing the characteristics of the characters under the historical background. She said that this opera "must have the reality of life, history and art", and the actors must "use singing, lines and body language comprehensively to convey the rich, delicate and deep emotions of the characters". She hopes to organically integrate the music of the opera with the visual elements of the stage to create a "turbulent time and space" that combines virtual and real, open and close, flexible and smooth transitions, and present the "turbulent era" that gave birth to "March of the Volunteers".
According to statistics, from the end of last year to the National Day this year, the opera "March of the Volunteers" has been scheduled for 39 performances, not only in professional theaters, but also in schools and communities, and across the country. At the same time, literary and artistic party courses based on the play have been held in the National Anthem Exhibition Hall, the Memorial Hall of the Fourth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and universities, primary schools, children's palace and other spaces, continuing to enhance the red cultural identity and the spillover effect of literary and artistic works.This time, the opera "March of the Volunteers" performed at the National Center for the Performing Arts will be conducted by Xu Zhong, director of the Shanghai Opera House.
"In December last year, we premiered at the Shanghai Grand Theater. After half a year of hard work, we were on the stage of the National Center for the Performing Arts. This is a very proud thing for all our creators." Shanghai Opera House Party Committee Secretary and Executive Vice President Zhao Lei said, "March of the Volunteers was born in Shanghai. We have the responsibility and obligation to put this work that is sung in the hearts of every Chinese on the stage. We use opera and music to let Every audience who can enter the theater can feel the creation process of this song at that time. This is not an easy thing. It is precisely the creation and arrangement of the original national opera "March of the Volunteers" that adheres to the people-centered creative orientation. The Shanghai Opera House continues its red gene, inherits and carries forward the fine traditions of Chinese opera, and creates a new era of national opera with a Shanghai style. We hope that the actors will love to sing and the audience will love to listen to the works we create. The importance and mission of this original national opera”
Photography/Cao Jiamiao
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Tian Wanting
editor/Gong Lifang
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