In the spring of 1956, the Beijing Film Studio accepted the task of shooting Mr. Cheng Yanqiu's stage art film and asked me to work as the director of this film, and we agreed with Mr. Cheng Yanqiu to shoot one of his famous tragedies, "Tears of the Barren Mountain".
In order to shoot this film, the comrades of the art committee of the Beijing Film Studio had a heated discussion. Everyone believes that Mr. Cheng Yanqiu's genius and skill in singing, dancing, and making opera are treasures in the performing arts of Peking Opera, and we should and must express Mr. Cheng's multi-faceted artistic achievements as much as possible through this film.
We carefully analyzed and studied the script of "Tears of the Wild Mountain" and felt that the original work of this script was relatively brief, which provided us with the possibility of enriching and enriching this script. According to this reason, we discussed the consent of Mr. Cheng Yanqiu, added a considerable amount of field to the basis of the original play, added quite a lot of lyrics and confessions, and I took on the work of rewriting.
Cheng Yanqiu film "Tears of the Desolate Mountain"
Writing the script of Peking Opera, for the first time in me, is equivalent to recruits on the battlefield, and it is naturally very difficult to write, not to mention that the time is very short, and there are many things added.
For example, the whole scene of "Huizhu Weaving Cloth", the "Two Six" of "Baishou" turned to "Flowing Water", the large section of singing words from "Shaking Board" to "Allegro" of "Taking Clothes and Tax Deduction", the thirty-two sentences of "Shake Board" and "Allegro" of "Mother-in-law Asking The Whereabouts of Her Grandchildren" and the heavy "Sandwich White", "Huizhu Nervous Disorder Rushed into the Barren Mountain" Of Large Section "Monologue"... These are all scenes that the original drama did not have. Due to the addition of these scenes, not only Mr. Cheng's unique singing voice has a rich and outstanding performance here, but his beautiful dance figure has also played an amazing artistic height here.
From the rewriting of the script to Mr. Cheng Yanqiu's peace of mind and body, it took only twenty days in total. In March 1956, a rehearsal performance was held in the auditorium of the North Film Actors Troupe, and the brilliance of Mr. Cheng Yanqiu's performing arts left us with an impression that we can never forget. I think anyone who saw the show that day would agree with me.
Cheng Yanqiu's "Tears of the Desolate Mountain"
Mr. Cheng Yanqiu has long said that he decided to "retire" and stop performing on stage. This play is of great commemorative significance to our Peking Opera performing arts master, Mr. Cheng Yanqiu. Although we often ask Mr. Cheng not to stop his stage performance, because people who have watched this performance will feel that Mr. Cheng is "spring and autumn in full bloom", the vitality of his stage is still in the stage of fullness and fullness, and his performing arts are in full swing.
After the filming of "Tears of the Barren Mountains" was completed in June last year, Mr. Cheng Yanqiu urged me several times to sort out and publish this rewritten script, and several troupes also hoped to get this book for rehearsal. Because I was busy with many other things, I had to re-proofread it until now, and printed it out for the opportunity to seek criticism and correction and as a reference script for the rehearsal of "Cheng Opera".
Finally, it should be noted that the original authors of this script are Mr. Jin Zhongsun and Mr. Cheng Yanqiu. Mr. Cheng Yanqiu performed this play for the first time in 1930. At that time, Chiang Kai-shek surrendered to imperialism, causing successive years of civil war and causing infinite suffering to the Chinese people.
Jin Zhongsun
This drama borrows the historical facts of the war and chaos at the end of the Ming Dynasty to demean the actual situation at that time, and it echoes the thoughts and feelings of the people who were displaced under the fires of war for many years. Watching the performance of this play today, there is also a huge exciting power!
April 1957
(Tears of the Desolate Mountain)