Oliver Grange, host of the French International Channel of China International Television, and Zhang Yuanyuan and Wu Si of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre exchanged views. Xia Jin/Photo
"It turned out that Zi Yan was red all over the place, and it seemed that all of them were paid with the broken well. The beautiful scenery of the good day, will appreciate the pleasure of whose yard? ”...... In the aisle from the backstage to the stage of the Chang'an Grand Theater, the reporter was attracted by the beautiful and gentle singing voice. Through the backstage, around the two floor-to-ceiling curtains, the eyes suddenly lit up: two actresses in costumes are rehearsing in the center of the stage, warblers and swallows, graceful and colorful, and sweet and shy between hands and feet. Oliver Granger, a Frenchman watching from the sidelines, kept shouting, "It's so beautiful! This is the most beautiful art performance I have ever seen! ”
The opera excerpt being rehearsed is from the Kunqu opera representative song "Peony Pavilion And Youyuan", and the two actors are Zhang Yuanyuan and Wu Si of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre (hereinafter referred to as "Beikun"), who will perform this singing segment at the "Peace, Friendship and Love" Winter Olympics theme concert. Produced by circumscribed by circumscribed china's International Communication Development Center and directed by Xin Shaoying, a major program director of CCTV, the concert will be broadcast during the Spring Festival through French state television station TV5Monde and new media platforms at home and abroad. Oliver Granger, the host of the French International Channel of China International Television, was one of the hosts of the concert.
"It's a 'very sacred' mission." Zhang Yuanyuan told the reporter of China Youth Daily and China Youth Network that she was very excited to see Kunqu opera can be integrated with the Beijing Winter Olympics. She hopes that the traditional art of Kunqu opera will have the opportunity to integrate into more activities in the future, and she can also join it as a part of Kunqu opera.
Cao Ying, vice president of the Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre, introduced to reporters that Kunqu opera is the first project in the mainland to be selected into the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List (Roster), which has a history of more than 600 years and is an artistic treasure in traditional Chinese culture, including literature, history, dance, music, clothing, makeup and many other categories, and is a "master". Therefore, using Kunqu opera as a representative of traditional Chinese culture and art for international cultural exchanges is the most weighty.
Cao Ying said that "Peony Pavilion" is the highest achievement of Kunqu opera, and it is most appropriate to perform this repertoire in the Winter Olympics theme concert, "its artistic value can be used as a model of traditional culture and art." "This Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing, the next Olympic Games will be held in Paris, and it is very good that the two Olympic cities have this kind of online cultural exchange activity, and Beikun is very honored to participate in this event." Cao Ying said.
Cao Ying told reporters that in addition, Beikun will also hold the "Welcome to the Future" Kunqu concert at the Meilanfang Grand Theater on February 1-2. Zhang Yuanyuan not only performed traditional repertoire at this concert, but also performed the "Kun Song" "Que Ta Zhi Sleigh" made by Beikun especially for the Winter Olympics.
Zhang Yuanyuan told the China Youth Daily and China Youth Network reporter that "Kunge" is made by filling in the lyrics of "Sleigh" with the traditional Kunqu opera brand "Que Ta Zhi", and when singing, it is necessary to integrate the feeling of flying like a bird into the rhythm of Kunqu opera, singing a brisk feeling, and he is carefully pondering and deliberating on the small tones in it.
Borrowing the "east wind" of the Winter Olympics to show the charm of Kunqu opera to the world is a "very good time" for Beikun to promote kunqu art. At the same time, in order to let Kunqu culture "go out", Beikun has repeatedly "shown its skills" in large-scale international cultural exchange activities. In 2012, he appeared in the "Beijing Cultural Week" of the London Olympic Games with two major dramas, "Dream of the Red Chamber" and "Continuing Pipa"; in 2014, he performed "Peony Pavilion" in France to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France; in 2018, he performed the Kunqu opera "Jade Hairpin" at the Winter International Arts Festival in Sochi, Russia; and in 2019, he held a tour of the Kunqu opera "Peony Pavilion" in Belarus.
Promoting Kunqu art to young people and narrowing the distance between modern people and traditional culture is also the goal of Beikun's efforts. Cao Ying introduced to reporters that in order to let young people understand Kunqu opera and love Kunqu opera, Beikun has launched a series of "entering the campus" activities. For example, the Kunqu opera special performance of "National Art Entering the Campus" was held at the Central University of Finance and Economics, and the Kunqu classic origami opera was performed at the Affiliated Experimental Middle School of Beijing Normal University and held discussions with teachers and students. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the academy, Beikun also held a series of performance month activities for college students at Tsinghua University, Peking University, China Conservatory of Music, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing Second Chinese College of Foreign Studies, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Capital Normal University, University of International Business and Economics, etc., held Kunqu lectures, and disseminated Kunqu art. The most worth mentioning is that since 2002, Beikun has held a special performance of "Entering the Campus" at Peking University, and it has been a full 20 years now. "The Kunqu opera art popularization activities for college students carried out at Peking University have played a good demonstration role and promotion effect." Cao Ying said.
Cao Ying told reporters that in order to better disseminate Kunqu art to young people, Beikun also participated in the Beijing Municipal "GaoShanXiao" project and opened Kunqu classes in primary school classrooms. 5,657 children in 5 primary schools in 4 districts of Beijing learned Kunqu under the guidance of professional teachers in Beikun. "It's not just more than 5,000 children, it's more than 5,000 families." Cao Ying said, "These children will lead all family members to understand and learn Kunqu opera. ”
Traditional culture and art are inseparable from a good publicity platform. Cao Ying believes that "China Youth Daily" has great prestige and weight in the hearts of young people and occupies a very important position, so Beikun's joining "China Youth Daily" "Warm One Square" is of great benefit to the promotion of Kunqu culture and art. He hopes that with the help of the platform of "warm one square", Kunqu opera can stir up more beautiful waves in the hearts of young people.
"We love Kunqu opera because it is beautiful and elegant, full of artistic imagination. Life needs art, and without art, there is no beauty in life, and there is no fun. Cao Ying said.
China Youth Daily, China Youth Network reporter Xia Jin Source: China Youth Daily