In 1961, when Wang Ganchang learned that the organization wanted to arrange for him to build an atomic bomb, he replied without hesitation: "I am willing to pledge myself to the country!"
For more than 60 years, a group of "two bombs and one star" founding fathers who look up at the sky have quietly dedicated themselves to the depths of the Gobi for the sake of national interests. More than 60 years later, a group of writers and artists who looked up to the figures of the "two bombs and one star" fathers created a magnificent and majestic symphonic poem "I Wish to Promise the Country with My Body" full of national feelings, paying tribute to the "two bombs and one star" of the Republic!
Buried for 20 years, the emotional relay
If tears are a kind of wealth, then "I Am Willing to Give MySelf to the Country" is a rich work, from behind the scenes to the front of the stage, it has made the actors and audiences cry countless times.
"I Wish to Pledge the Country with My Body" is based on the stories of the founding fathers of the "Two Bombs and One Star", drawing on the contextual vocabulary of symphony and poetry, and telling the moving story of the "Two Bombs and One Star" heroic group who used sweat, youth, blood and even life to build a security barrier for New China.
20 years ago, screenwriter and director Teng He came into contact with the deeds of the founder of the "two bombs and one star" in his work, and excavated a large number of little-known stories of Chinese scientists. In the past 20 years, the stories of scientists have been deeply rooted in Tenghe's heart, and the spirit of "two bombs and one star" has always inspired him.
△ Tenghe tells the story of the founder of "two bombs and one star"
In March 2019, this "seed" buried in the bottom of Tenghe's heart was activated, "as a literary and art worker, I have the responsibility to let those touching stories be known by more people."
Immediately, he issued an invitation to the lyricist Keming and his friend Su Rena to co-create this work, and the three of them hit it off, and the spark of "I Wish to Pledge myself to the country" was ignited.
Tenghe is the chief planner, Keming is the main writer, and Surina is the art director. There was no funding, and several creators participated in it with zero remuneration.
After the division of labor, 3 people sent invitations to friends in the circle. The invited literary and art workers were deeply moved by the script and said that they would not pay any money and would participate in the rehearsal to overcome difficulties.
From the first mobilization in March 2019 to the premiere in August 2019, in just 5 months, the stories of the "two bombs and one star" founding fathers took to the stage from the paper and entered the hearts of the audience.
The "seed" in Tenghe's heart grew into a big tree.
A sincere tribute hidden in the sound of poetry
Tenghe said that when planning this play, the creators innovatively proposed the performance form of "symphonic poetry painting", combining poetry recitation, song, symphony and video pictures, and trying to deepen the three-dimensionality of the story with the magnificent momentum of the symphony, setting off the thickness and vicissitudes of this story.
With admiration for the founding fathers, KeMing devoted himself to creation, repeatedly considering every word and every line of poetry.
△ Keming directs the actors in rehearsals
In this work, there are warm and beautiful love stories and struggle stories of Qian Sanqiang and He Zehui, there are chapters agreed upon by Deng Jiaxian and Yang Zhenning in the century, and there are also touching plots of ordinary car soldier kings sacrificing themselves to protect rockets. One by one, the story behind the mushroom cloud rising to the sky, the image of the "two bombs and one star" foundry "I am willing to pledge the country", presented on the stage.
"I did it in tears." Kemin said.
Composer Zhang Xinhua completed 5 symphonic tracks in 20 days, and the creation of each one was completed in one go.
"When I saw the lines, I was caught." Zhang Xinhua recalled that once he began to compose at 5 o'clock in the morning, completely immersed in the storyline, and after the completion of a song, it was already 5 pm.
Since its premiere in August 2019, the creators have been immersed in the story and repeatedly moved. In 2021, they decided to re-arrange "I Wish to Pledge MySelf to the Country" again. This rehearsal improved and optimized the script, added a rarely known precious video screen, and integrated more diversified and advanced forms on the stage.
On the evening of January 17, the re-rehearsal premiere of "I Wish to Pledge myself to the Country" was held at the Inner Mongolia Art Theater.
On stage, the actors performed with emotion and passion. Offstage, the audience applauded and burst into tears.
A spiritual heritage that is deeply hidden in the heart
"The work is magnificent, the sense of art is extremely strong, there is no slogan, but it is deeply moving", "The deeds of scientists who dedicate themselves to the motherland should be vigorously publicized", "Symphony, poetry, and large screen pictures are organically combined, and the intestines are swept away"... The rehearsal premiere, the audience's praise far exceeded the expectations of the main creators.
Looking back at the road, Ke Ming often sighed to Tenghe, "How did we come here?" They all know that what supports them is the spirit of "two bombs and one star", which is the strength of the founding fathers to pledge their country by example.
The witnesses of "Two Bombs and One Star" have provided rich material for "I Wish to Pledge myself to the Country", and each story is deeply moving, and can be sung and wept. In creation, Tenghe and Keming often struggle with the trade-offs of the story, "Every paragraph wants to be written, and every paragraph is worth writing." Keming said that "I am willing to pledge myself to the country" is just a beginning, and there are still many stories to tell in the future of "two bombs and one star". The spirit of "two bombs and one satellite" must be carried forward, and as literary and art workers, we have a long way to go.
△ Zhang Xinhua in rehearsal
Zhang Xinhua, who could not "come out" as soon as he walked into the story, planned to change the symphonic part of the work into a complete symphonic suite.
Advocating heroes will produce heroes, and striving to be heroes can produce heroes - the foundation and sustenance of "I am willing to promise the country with my body" lies in this.
Source: Xinhua Net