On the evening of January 1, the final song of the national opera "Yimeng Mountain" "Forever Daddy" was lingering, and the 2022 Shandong New Year Symphony Concert came to an end. In the concert hall of the Shandong Provincial Capital Grand Theater, more than 1,000 live audiences applauded.
For the performance organizer Shandong Song and Dance Theater, this is both a successful ending and a new beginning. "From the selection of the repertoire, to the selection of the orchestra conductor, to the joint practice for several consecutive weeks, we have been preparing for nearly a year." Xu Bo, deputy director of the Shandong Song and Dance Theater Symphony Orchestra, said that it was unimaginable to run a concert with such care five or six years ago.
At that time, although there were New Year's concerts, they were more like routine events at the end of the year and the beginning of the year, and the box office was only more than 10,000 yuan. "This year's concert ticket price is up to 380 yuan, which is a small increase compared with previous years, but it is basically a second empty." Seats reserved for the choir in the past also had to be included in the ticket sales. Xu Bo said that this change has benefited from Shandong's reform of state-owned literary and art academies.
Concerts like this are just a glimpse of the effectiveness of the reforms. Zhang Jiqiang, secretary of the party committee and president of the Shandong Song and Dance Theater, believes that forging high-quality plays and cultivating outstanding talents is the key to the reform of state-owned literary and art academies. For example, the national opera "Yimeng Mountain", created and arranged by the Shandong Song and Dance Theater, won the "Five One Project" award of the 15th Spiritual Civilization Construction, and is the opening play of the outstanding stage art works celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. The lead actors won the 30th Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award, and three actors won the 30th Shanghai Magnolia Theater Performing Arts Award.
On December 30, 2021, the Shandong Song and Dance Theater Symphony Orchestra is rehearsing for the New Year Symphony Concert. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xiao Haichuan
The reform changes are not only in the Shandong Song and Dance Theater. Compared with previous works, the New Year's Eve drama carefully prepared by Shandong Provincial Drama Theatre has a bit of a pioneering drama flavor, which not only introduces the popular "script killing" element, but also uses the small theater environment to create an "immersive" and "interactive" atmosphere. Fans also bring their own New Year's gifts to the drama actors.
On the evening of January 1, 2022, after the performance, some cast members and audiences of Shandong Provincial Drama Theatre celebrated the New Year. Photo courtesy of Shandong Provincial Drama Theatre
"In 2021, we have performed more than 260 times, and also created 4 new plays such as "Pursuit", "Dark Night Light" and "Milk Lady", and rearranged the classic play "Confucius"." Dong Xuan, president of Shandong Provincial Drama Theatre, has entered the 31st year of art. Because of innovation, she said, art is undefeated.
No. 115 Jiefang Road, Jinan City, where the Shandong Provincial Drama Theatre is located, is becoming a punch card for urban cultural Internet celebrities. As long as the performance conditions are met, there are dramas staged here every Friday to Sunday, children's dramas, small dramas, classic dramas, etc., attracting people to feel the charm of drama.
On December 30, 2021, Shandong Provincial Drama Theatre conducted an annual professional skills assessment and evaluation. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xiao Haichuan
Wang Lei, director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Shandong Province, said that Shandong has deeply promoted the reform of state-owned literary and art academies and troupes, reformed and innovated in terms of salary distribution, performance appraisal, and repertoire creation, and the recruitment channels for professional and technical personnel have become more smooth, and a group of outstanding young talents have picked the beams and become the protagonists, and the reform has changed its vigor and efficiency.
"We used to be confused about how to survive the tide of the market. Today, we are more determined to move forward. Dong Xuan said that he believes that in the near future, there will be more light from excellent literary and artistic works in the brilliant lights that illuminate the night sky.
Reporter: Xiao Haichuan
Editors: Leng Yanyan, Chen Dongshu