Chen Xiaofeng.
Chen Xiaofeng was with his disciples before he died.
Zheng Shaoqiu (right) worships Chen Xiaofeng as his teacher.
Chen Xiaofeng and the Red Line female performed "Search Academy".
Mr. Chen Xiaofeng, a famous Cantonese opera performance artist, the founder of Cantonese opera "wind cavity" art, and the eternal honorary advisor of the Cantonese Opera Wind Cavity Art Research Association, died in Guangzhou at 23:19 on November 29, 2021 at the age of 98. Chen Lingyu, president of the Guangzhou Cantonese Opera Wind Cavity Art Research Association, said in an interview with Nandu that Chen Xiaofeng's memorial service will be held on December 10.
Chen Xiaofeng is highly accomplished in the art of Cantonese opera, and his representative works include "The Dying of Shanbo", "The Loyal Soul of Guangdong Sea", "Gate Six" and so on. He has won the Guangdong Provincial Professional Literary and Art Performance Award, the Guangdong Provincial Arts Festival Performance Award, the Guangdong Cantonese Opera Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actor Award, the Guangdong Provincial People's Government Cantonese Opera Art Outstanding Achievement Award, etc., and was awarded the "Second Guangdong Literature and Art Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2015.
First there is affection and then there is singing the original "wind cavity" genre
Chen Xiaofeng, formerly known as Chen Xiaofeng, nicknamed Ah Ying, a native of Dongguan, Guangdong, was born in a Cantonese opera family, his father was a famous screenwriter and film director Chen Tianzhong, who wrote scripts such as Ma Shizeng's play "Prince of Thieves" and "Cold-Faced Emperor", the founder of Cantonese opera "Horse Cavity". Chen Xiaofeng graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering of Guangdong University, and later worked as a primary student in the Hong Kong opera class, which was extremely popular.
Chen Xiaofeng's performances are broad, both literary and martial arts, handsome and dashing, and vivid; the singing voice is gentle and euphemistic, unrestrained and fluent, the voice is rich and beautiful, unique, and he created the famous "wind cavity" genre, enjoying the reputation of "Emperor Xiaosheng".
For the characteristics of the "wind cavity", Chen Xiaofeng once made the following summary: "the wind cavity" is mainly reflected in the mouth, when singing to control the timbre, spit words, bite words, shape the cavity, there must be a "word is heavier than the cavity" habit. The singing method of singing from weak to strong to weak requires the breath to be controlled freely, so the "wind cavity" is easy to learn and difficult to refine.
Despite this, Chen Xiaofeng has always insisted on "first having feelings, then singing skills", taking the feelings of the characters as the first, "In fact, I don't think I have any special cavity." I don't have any of the same singing voices, I believe in following a character, considering the feelings of the characters at that time. He believes that each character and character have different feelings at each stage, and when singing, they cannot be generalized, and different "cavities" must be used to cooperate in order to shape the characters vividly and richly layered.
Chen Xiaofeng's most outstanding masterpiece is "Shanbo Dying": "Tears are like rain outside the curtain, dripping to the dawn, lonely rooms are cold and cold, Shanbo is lonely, scathing is only sick, and a cavity of hatred and resentment cannot be solved..." The song fully shows the characteristics of the "wind cavity" with delicate feelings, lingering compassion, smoothness and change, and has been widely circulated since its inception, and is known as a classic golden song.
Hong Kong star Zheng Shaoqiu became a senior disciple
Chen Xiaofeng is the female partner of the famous Red Line of Cantonese opera, and the two have cooperated in classic plays on the Cantonese opera stage such as "Princess Diao Man", "Princess Zhaojun", "Qu Yuan" and so on.
In addition, Chen Xiaofeng is also the master of Hong Kong star Zheng Shaoqiu. In December 1979, Zheng Shaoqiu sang Chen Xiaofeng's first famous song "Shanbo Dying" for a fundraising event for the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals in Hong Kong, and then met Chen Xiaofeng. On June 2 of the following year, Zheng Shaoqiu, witnessed by his relatives and friends, worshiped his teacher and became Chen Xiaofeng's eldest disciple. In 2013, "Shanbo Dying" was selected as the "Top Ten Famous Songs of the Century" of Cantonese opera organized by the University of Chinese of Hong Kong and Radio Television Hong Kong, voted by colleagues in the Cantonese opera industry and audiences at home and abroad, and the organizer specially invited Zheng Shaoqiu to present the award to Master. In 2016, at the 7th Yangcheng International Cantonese Opera Festival "Peach Blossom Still Smiling Spring Breeze and Cantonese Opera Wind Cavity Art Research Association Establishment" evening, Zheng Shaoqiu took the stage to sing "Shanbo Dying" to help Master.
Promote the inheritance of Cantonese opera in the industry to honor the "big brother style"
Chen Xiaofeng is humble and sincere, virtuous and artistic, actively participates in a variety of charity activities, and never wants to be left behind. In addition, he also spares no effort in passing on art and supporting future generations. When he was in his 80s, Chen Xiaofeng made the "Excellent Cantonese Opera Cantonese Opera Art Grand View Chen Xiaofeng Album", which interpreted the classic works he had starred in. At the age of nearly 90, he still traveled to and from SuiGang to run for Cantonese opera, frequently appearing in various Cantonese opera activities and interviews, almost every invitation, every question must be answered, whether it is facing disciples or ordinary neighbors, he shares his artistic experience without reservation. This spirit of actively promoting the inheritance and development of Cantonese opera is respected by his peers, and he is also revered as "big brother style".
On August 28, 2017, the Guangzhou Cantonese Opera Wind Cavity Art Research Association was established. At the inauguration ceremony of the research association, Chen Xiaofeng said in his speech: "I would like to say three sentences, the first sentence is thanks, thank you for setting up this research association, so that I have the opportunity to discuss research with you, what is the characteristics of the 'wind cavity'?" The second sentence is hope - I hope that everyone will study the 'wind cavity', but also study and explore the singing voice of other genres. The third sentence is the requirement - the study of the 'wind chamber' is to develop the 'wind chamber' and surpass the 'wind chamber'! ”
Chen Lingyu, president of the Guangzhou Cantonese Opera Wind Cavity Art Research Association and a famous pipa singer, also said in an interview with Nandu reporter, "Master knows that when I worshiped his old man as a teacher, I did not want to change to singing 'wind cavity', but to integrate the essence of his singing voice into my pipa singing. "She introduced that at present, there are more than 200 members of the Research Association, and the work of inheriting and promoting the 'wind cavity' art of Cantonese opera will not be suspended due to the death of the master." In the future, we will uphold the original intention, take the members of the council as the backbone force, pay close attention to the implementation of the preparatory work of the branches in the province, and at the same time make full use of the Guangfu Cultural Association as an activity base to carry out various forms of inheritance of 'wind cavity' art, and contribute more to the promotion of Cantonese opera music. ”
Industry tribute
The "Wind Cavity" founded by Teacher Chen Xiaofeng has left us with a very rich artistic legacy, and his death is a major loss for the Cantonese opera community. Teacher Chen cared for me and loved me very much before he died. I was also greatly influenced by the art of the "wind chamber". I have performed "Hu Er Selling Boy" and "Shanbo Dying", and I have also participated in Chen Xiaofeng's art performances many times. I remember that after one performance, Teacher Chen specifically called me to tell me that the Hong Kong wind cavity research experts thought that the "Hu Er Selling Boy" I sang was very attentive and affectionate, and he was very appreciative, and I was very encouraged to listen to it. ——Ou Kaiming, a national first-class actor and winner of the Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award "Second Degree Plum"
The "wind cavity" sounds good, but it is easy to learn and difficult to master, such as ventilation tips. When Master was singing "Shanbo Dying" "Everyone has no chance to grow old together, the building platform is different and swallows twice", I have not figured out how Master is breathing, and then he asked the teacher father in person, he laughed and said that he actually secretly changed a small breath in the middle of the process of pulling the cavity, and then tirelessly demonstrated to me. After years of diligent study and hard work, I have also gained a small understanding in the study of "wind cavity" and singing skills. Now many connoisseurs and fans say that I sing more and more like "big brother style", which is a recognition of my years of studying art. ”
Master had no view on the pursuit of art, and warned the disciples to study and explore the singing voices of other schools while studying the "wind cavity", and to study the wind cavity in order to transcend the "wind cavity" and develop the "wind cavity".
——Chen Xiaofeng's disciple and Cantonese opera performance artist Lin Jiabao
Written by: Nandu reporter Zhou Peiwen intern Chen Yue The picture is provided by the Guangzhou Cantonese Opera Wind Cavity Art Research Association