Guo Lanying: String together the history of New China with songs
She sang a large number of passionate songs such as "My Motherland", "Nanniwan", "August 15 Erming" and so on, which are popular among the population and have been sung for more than half a century; she has created many stage art images such as Xi'er in "White Haired Girl" and Xiaoqin in "Little Two Black Marriage", which are dazzling and will never fade in the hearts of generations of audiences. She is the singer Guo Lanying, who is loved by the broad masses of the people, and as one of the outstanding representatives and pioneers of the new Chinese national opera, she has unique representative works in every period of China's revolution, construction and reform.
Guo Lanying recently took a photo. Bright pictures
In the 2020 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, the 90-year-old Guo Lanying slowly walked out from a group of juniors, stood still, opened his mouth, and the agitated singing not only infected the audience, but also instantly triggered a hot discussion on the Internet. Many post-90s and post-00s netizens left comments on social platforms: "As soon as Teacher Guo opened his mouth, his grandparents shed tears, and I was also excited to cry." ”
A song "My Motherland", spanning more than half a century, can iron out the imprint of the times and the age gap, and evoke the resonance that people hide deep in their hearts. Guo Lanying, who has passed the age of backing, said emotionally: "This song represents my heart, without the motherland, there would be no Guo Lanying." ”
Guo Lanying was born in Pingyao, Shanxi, because of his poor family, he was forced to learn drama from the age of 4, and experienced pain and tempering that ordinary people could not imagine, but he practiced a boy's skill: Qingyi, Hua dan, dao Ma Dan said on the top, singing and doing proofing. Guo Lanying's memory is particularly good, many singing sections can be learned, she began to perform on stage around the age of 10, and became famous in Zhangjiakou at the age of 14, known as "Mei Lanfang in Jin Opera".
From singing before liberation to after liberation, in the various historical periods of revolution, construction and reform, Guo Lanying's unique classic works have been left. From old opera to new opera, Guo Lanying has successfully created many dazzling stage art images, and many of her songs have crossed time and space and become immortal classics. She is an outstanding representative of the new Chinese national opera and has achieved countless singing legends. In 2019, Guo Lanying was awarded the national honorary title of "People's Artist".
Guo Lanying, who has suffered a lot, seems to be more and more grateful for the kindness and friendship in human nature, and has a great view of material fame and fortune, but he is worthy of his heart. In the face of the national honorary title of "People's Artist", Guo Lanying frankly said that his heart was full of pride, but more than that, he was grateful: "This is an affirmation of our thousands of literary and art workers, literature and art and the fate of the country are closely linked, the country is good, we are good." ”
Guo Lanying, who suffered countless hardships in the old society, has a heartfelt love for the party and the motherland: "I have followed the party all my life, and I am a literary and artistic worker cultivated by the party." I'm too small personally. Without the Communist Party, where would there be Guo Lanying? Everything I have is given by the Party and the people. ”
In her artistic career of more than 80 years, Guo Lanying has made pioneering contributions to the establishment of China's national opera performance system and the development of national singing art, and her songs connect the audio history of New China. Guo Lanying has always demanded of himself as a party member and a revolutionary: "Be honest, diligent, and earnest, and do more practical things, not only thinking of yourself, but also thinking of the people." "Guo Lanying has always been singing for the people and serving the people.
"In the past, I was at the bottom of society, without the dignity of being a human being, and suffered humiliation and suffering. Today, under the cultivation of the party, it sings for the people, is loved by the people, and enjoys many honors given by the party and the people. To this day, Guo Lanying still inspires young singers with her personal experience on many occasions to be close to the people and sing for the people.
Guo Lanying's favorite thing that she has not acted enough in her life is "The White Haired Girl": ""The White Haired Girl" changed my life, took me to the revolutionary road, and completely changed my understanding of art. "The White-Haired Girl is quite complete in art, and it is a "real play." The revolutionary and militant nature of the script awakened Guo Lanying's simple revolutionary consciousness.
Bidding farewell to the old drama class, throwing away the expensive old line, and taking a bag, Guo Lanying chased after the North China United Congress Literary and Labor Troupe that had just withdrawn from Zhangjiakou amid gunfire. "I made up my mind to stop being a 'cash cow' for the drama team and to be a new literary and artistic warrior who raised his eyebrows." She said.
The biggest change is Guo Lanying's artistic concept. When I was a child acting, I didn't know what it was for. Often beaten and scolded in the drama class, and outside to be angry with the hooligans, Guo Lanying once felt that it was enough not to be beaten and to earn money to support her parents. When she arrived at the literary troupe, she gradually realized the role of literature and art. Acting is never for the sake of "winning the best before people", but for the people to sing and serve the people. Since then, whether it's singing a short song or getting on stage and twisting a few steps, she's gone all out.
Guo Lanying often said to young actors: "Take all my skills!" "I really teach, I hope they really learn, with real artistic achievements to face the audience."
From the stage to the podium, the difference in one word, the bitterness of which only Guo Lanying himself can understand. She remembered that at a National People's Congress, Premier Zhou asked her: "Lan Ying, you can still sing and act now, what will you do when you are old in the future?" Ever thought about it? Later, Guo Lanying suddenly realized: "The premier hopes that we will succeed someone to expand and carry forward the national artistic cause!" ”
After retiring from the stage in 1982, Guo Lanying plunged into the teaching and inheritance of national opera. In 1986, with the support of her old partner, she gave up her excellent life in Beijing and her fame of large and small sizes, and took all her savings to Xian Xinghai's hometown - Panyu, Guangdong Province, to establish the "Guangzhou Chinese National Folk Art Professional School" (later changed to "Guo Lanying Art School"), which has trained a group of outstanding students for the art world for more than 30 years.
On the overgrown Flying Goose Ridge, the old couple lived in a grass hut, built a donkey stove, and led volunteers to move stones, build stone slabs, pave roads... Through many efforts, the original dilapidated farm yard was transformed into a new teaching building. Guo Lanying also teaches the vocal music department while serving as the principal, and every morning she takes the students to practice together, and any student who is lazy can't hide her eyes.
In school, Guo Lanying talked the most about: songs, singing is the people's lives; the people, is an inexhaustible art. She insisted that the graduates should spend 3 months to perform in the countryside.
"Bite the words and spit out the words, and every word must be 'nibbled' on!" At the teaching scene, she always wanted to take out all the learning she had learned in her life in a short course, so that the younger generations could take it all, "I want to take out the last energy, dedicate it to the new opera that I love all my life, sum up my own artistic practice experience, pass it on to future generations, and complete the tasks entrusted to me by Premier Zhou." ”
At the end of the interview, Guo Lanying ignored the reporter's repeated refusals and insisted on getting up and delivering the reporter to the door. "She has experienced too many changes in her life, but no matter when, her love and respect for the audience and the masses from the bottom of her heart has never changed", listening to the words of Guo Lanying's niece Guo Shizhen, looking at Guo Lanying, who slowly waved the reporter away, the reporter's heart could not be calmed for a long time.
(Reporters Lei Aixia, Wu Chunyan, Wang Zhongyao)
Short review: An inexhaustible song
Unable to sing "plain and indifferent", disdainful of "disease-free moaning", not pursuing "people before the elite", her singing voice has always been full and strong, generous and sincere. Some say it was due to her "platinum- voice," but you and I both know it has to do with her deep love.
From the old society to the new China, behind her personal ups and downs is a magnificent history. What is written in the depths of history is the spiritual bloodline of the nation; what is written in the details of history is the joys and sorrows of the people. She immersed her deep love for the country and the people in every note and buried it in every melody. And this love is a song she can never sing.
Therefore, no matter when and where you and I are, we can outline the "a big river" in her songs, empathize with the poetry of "wind blowing rice flowers", share a kind of homesickness in the review of history, and create a national memory.
Her singing voice spans dozens of spring and autumn, always telling the same story - the story of the people; her opera "Pioneering" is innovative, always responding to the same proposition - "the national is the world". The feeling of family and country that she sang and the meaning of "trumpet" contained in her song will always stir every Chinese son and daughter to forge ahead unremittingly.
Sing for the people, "a big river" will never dry up; for the dream to fly, the strivers will always be young!
(Author: Wang Dan)
Video Production——
Chief Planner: Wang Huimin
Director system: Zhao Jianguo
Producer: Bi Yucai, Deng Kai
Coordinator: Yin Hong, Li Chunli, Wang Zimo
Reporter: Lei Aixia Wu Chunyan Wang Zhongyao
Director: Zhang Xueyu Gao Shang (Intern)
Voiced by: Wang Qian
Producer: Zhang Xueyu Gao Shang (Intern)
Editor-in-charge: Wang Yuanfang
Editor: Zhu Xiaofan Xing Yanyan