On April 12, local time, the famous Kunqu performance artist Hua Wenyi died in his sleep in Los Angeles, USA, at the age of 81. Her daughter said, "Mother went to sleep at seven o'clock in the morning, there is no illness in heaven, may she go all the way." ”
Hua Wenyi, born in 1941. She is the first graduate of shanghai opera school, and has been taught by Zhu Chuanming and other "chuan" character artists and famous teachers such as Yu Zhenfei and Yan Huizhu since she was a child.
Hua Wenyi looks beautiful, graceful figure, elegant posture, gorgeous voice, performance is subtle and explosive, emotionally rich but does not lose the identity of the bridesmaid, she pursues the natural style, the program does not fall into her own performance, for the Kunqu opera stage to create a long, timeless beautiful image.
Especially in "Wall Head Horse", she and the "golden partner" Yue Meiti reproduced the classic images of art masters Yu Zhenfei and Yan Huizhu.
Two "White Ladies"
In 1961, Hua Wenyi went to Hong Kong with the troupe to perform, when he performed a play "The Legend of the White Snake", Chinese dramatist Liu Housheng suggested that "swimming in the lake", "stealing grass", "Golden Mountain Temple" and "broken bridge" were four folds, and there were four "White Niangniang", such as Beijing and Kun, which were more distinctive. Hua Wenyi performed Bai Suzhen in Peking Opera at "Youhu Lake". On the stage, her temperament and appearance are very similar to Mei Lanfang when she was young, and she immediately conquered the audience, known as "Little Mei Lanfang", and The Master Of Beijing and Kunming Yu Zhenfei also called Hua Wenyi "a rare boudoir in fifty years". And Liu Housheng praised her as "the daughter of Kun opera".
In 1978, the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe was established, and Hua Wenyi became the head of the troupe. At the first Chinese Drama Festival held in Beijing, Hua Wenyi sang "Swimming in the Lake" again, but this time "White Niangniang" sang back Kunqu opera. In just one fold, the technique was shocking, and it still makes fans who have watched that performance reminisce. That year, not only Hua Wenyi performed in Beijing, but also Cai Zhengren, Wang Zhiquan, Liu Yilong and so on. Wang Zhiquan as Xiaoqing is also the first cameo to play Hua Dan.
At the performance at the Beijing National Cultural Palace, Hua Wenyi arranged Tian Han's script, and since the script was not written according to the Kunqu qu tablet, it took some effort to compose and rehearse the music. "The willow silk on the Su Causeway gently pulls the boat, and the peach and plum blossoms in the trembling wind are like a timid spring cold", the voice of the white lady played by Hua Wenyi is moving. After the performance, Liu Housheng smiled and said to Hua Wenyi: "Your 'swimming lake' is a good mat for those young actors!" ”
Absolutely beautiful
It is said that singing plays should become a role, in addition to their own efforts, they also need to be rewarded by God. Yue Meiti, who is not only a classmate, but also a partner, and a close friend, recalls the days when she studied drama together when she was a child, and always said: "Hua Wenyi's talent is not generally good. "From her size, voice, stature to appearance, she is born to sing boudoir material. Before the singing of Xiao, Yue Meiti and Hua Wenyi had been at the same table for many years, and when it came to her, Yue Meiti always had one word - true.
Be frank and treat people sincerely. The truth of Hua Wenyi is brought to the play, which is a natural performance without the slightest deliberateness and contrivance. Someone once commented that Hua Wenyi's play is good in being appropriate, a smile, an eye, a change of hands, all just right. Playing Du Liniang is Du Liniang, playing Chen Miaochang is Chen Miaochang.
Jade into a tool
Yue Meiti said: "Sincerity and directness make Hua Wenyi's plays have no craftsmanship, but she was once dissatisfied with herself, and felt that the performance was slightly rough and not meticulous enough. Therefore, a few good friends gave her advice, not all said that you are like Xiao Mei Lanfang, how meticulous Master Mei's performance is, it is better to learn more about Mei Pai's performance. ”
Hua Wenyi, who was tenacious and did not accept defeat, found Wei Lianfang, a disciple of Mei Pai who was teaching at the Shanghai Opera School at the time, and found a famous teacher in Hangzhou to study, from the fingers to the body, little by little polishing the performance. In 1986, she played Chen Miaochang in the Kun opera "The Tale of the Jade Hairpin" and won the "Plum Blossom Award", the highest artistic award of the National Dramatists Association. Even Yue Meiti and other students could clearly feel, "During that time, Hua Wenyi's drama had a leap forward, and it was different. ”
Another breakthrough in art is that Hua Wenyi integrates Kunqu opera performances into drama performances. In 1988, the Guangzhou Repertory Theatre adapted the novel "Dream of Visiting the Garden" by writer Bai Xianyong into a drama. Among them, the heroine Mrs. Qian is a singer, who was married to a noble lady for a long time, but unfortunately lost her husband and lost her position, which is a complex character. The plot requires "Lady Qian" to sing a few Kunqu songs. Bai Xianyong invited Hua Wenyi to join, and this attempt also became a touch of brilliance in his artistic career. Bai Xianyong watched Hua Wenyi's performance and commented: "Kunqu opera actors acting in dramas is cross-cutting. She (Hua Wenyi) understands everything at once, integrates the taste, stature and gestures of Kunqu opera into the drama with ease, and is a very intelligent person. ”
Say good and sing "Jade Hairpin" again
Over the years, Hua Wenyi was frequently invited to return to his alma mater, the Shanghai Opera School, to pass on his art to the students of the "Kun Fifth Class". Yue Meiti said: "In the last ten years or so of Hua Wenyi, she received many students, she is the most hornless shelf, who wants to learn as long as the body and voice and other conditions meet, she has poured all her heart and soul." ”
In the following years, although Hua Wenyi and Yue Meiti were far away from each other, the WeChat contact was never interrupted. Only in the past three months, Yue Meiti sent greeting messages, but rarely received a reply from her friend, and she has always been worried about Hua Wenyi. Later, through her daughter, she learned that Hua Wenyi was transferred to the nursing center, because of the drug effect, sometimes it would be a little confused, unlike the previous reply.
The news came suddenly, which made Yue Meiti stunned for a long time, thinking of reading together, practicing hard every day, performing on the same stage, and having bitter and sweet days, which made her sad: "If it weren't for her illness, as early as five years ago, we would have agreed to sing "Jade Hairpin" again." (Xinmin Evening News reporter Zhu Yuan)