#非遗里的戏曲#
Mei Lanfang, Chinese Peking Opera master, world cultural celebrity. Stanislavsky was a Soviet theater theorist, director, actor. Two artistic giants met in the Soviet Union in 1935. The dialogue and exchange between them is regarded by Chinese as a legendary cross-cultural history. Stanislavsky spoke highly of Mei Lanfang's performance and traditional Chinese drama, even calling it "the highest achievement of theater art in the world." This evaluation has been widely cited and disseminated by Chinese, becoming a cross-cultural myth and an important basis for Chinese to understand and evaluate their own traditional theater art.
But is this assessment really what Stanislavsky said? Has he really seen Mei Lanfang's performance? Does he really understand the performance of traditional Chinese drama? With some in-depth historical investigation, it may not be true, and the truth and complexity behind this cross-cultural phenomenon reminds us to be more critical and open to traditional theatre art and cross-cultural theatre today.
An amazing tour of Chinese theater in the Soviet Union
First, we have to go back to 1935, when Mei Lanfang, as the leader of the Chinese Peking Opera delegation, visited the Soviet Union. This is his third time performing abroad and his first time performing in Europe. He stayed in the USSR for more than two months and gave more than a dozen performances in Moscow, Leningrad, Kharkov, Kiev and other places. His roles include Yu Ji in "Farewell My Concubine", Yang Guifei in "Concubine Drunk", Li Xiangjun in "Yutangchun", Cheng Ying in "Orphan of Zhao", White Lady in "The Legend of the White Snake" and so on. He not only showed his superb singing skills, doing skills, skill frame, body and other skills, but also showed the Meipai art style he created, that is, the characteristics of mellow and fluent singing, delicate performance, and gorgeous and exquisite clothing.
Mei Lanfang performed in the Soviet Union
Mei Lanfang's performance in the Soviet Union was warmly welcomed and praised by the audience and the media. Many well-known Soviet figures came to see his performances and exchanged gifts with him. One of the most notable was his meeting with Stanislavsky. Stanislavsky was the most famous Soviet theorist and director of theater, as well as an actor. He created the famous Stanislavsky performance system, that is, based on psychological reality, through emotional memory, intentional actions, magic ifs and other methods, to train the actor's physical and mental coordination, to achieve natural and real performance effects. His theories and practices have had a profound impact on world theatre art.
Stanislavsky
On March 30, 1935, after a performance in Moscow, Mei Lanfang was invited to visit Stanislavsky. It was the only time they had seen each other, and the only time they had a conversation. According to Mei Lanfang's later recollection, they talked a lot about the art of theater, including the origin, development, genre, performance, education, and so on. They also complimented each other on each other's artistic achievements and contributions. Mei Lanfang said: "I said to him, I think he is a master of world theater art, and he said to me that he thinks I am a master of world theater art. ”
Stanislavsky's assessment of Mei Lanfang: truth and complexity
This meeting left a deep impression on Mei Lanfang. He wrote in 1953: "I think he was a very learned, talented, charismatic man. He was not only a great dramatist, but also a great man. He added: "I feel a sense of spiritual closeness between us. We are all people who have fought all our lives for the art of theater. We all share the same ideals and pursuits. ”
Stanislavsky and Mei Lanfang
What makes Mei Lanfang even more proud and honored is that Stanislavsky spoke highly of his performance and the performance of traditional Chinese drama. According to Mei Lanfang's recollection, Stanislavsky said: "Your performance of traditional Chinese drama is the highest achievement of theater art in the world. You not only have a rich variety of forms and techniques, but also have deep and authentic content and emotions. Your performances are both regular and free, both formal and connotative. ”
This evaluation is regarded as a cross-cultural myth by the Chinese people, and has also become an important basis for the Chinese people to understand and evaluate their own traditional theater art. But is this assessment really what Stanislavsky said? Has he really seen Mei Lanfang's performance? Does he really understand the performance of traditional Chinese drama?
First of all, we want to clarify the fact that Stanislavsky did not see Mei Lanfang's performance. This can be seen from the time of their meeting. On March 30, 1935, after a performance in Moscow, Mei Lanfang was invited to visit Stanislavsky. It was the only time they had seen each other, and the only time they had a conversation. Before that, Mei Lanfang had only performed two performances in Moscow: on the evening of March 26 and on the afternoon of March 28. And according to Stanislavsky's diary and letters, we can know that in these two days, he did not go to see Mei Lanfang's performance, but was busy with his work and life. On March 26, he received some guests at his home and wrote a letter to his wife. On March 28, he rehearsed Romeo and Juliet at the Moscow Art Theater and wrote a letter to his friend. Therefore, we can safely say that Stanislavsky did not see Mei Lanfang's performance with his own eyes.
Cross-Cultural Mythological Deconstruction: A Real and Complex Phenomenon
So, how did he speak highly of Mei Lanfang's performance and the performance of traditional Chinese drama? There are two possible explanations here. First, he evaluated Mei Lanfang's performance based on others' descriptions of traditional Chinese drama. Second, he evaluates according to his imagination of Chinese culture and theater.
The first explanation has some credibility. Because during Mei Lanfang's visit to the Soviet Union, many well-known Soviet figures and media reported and commented on his performances and performances of traditional Chinese dramas. Some of them may have been known or trusted by Stanislavsky. For example, the famous Soviet writer Maxim Gorky once watched Mei Lanfang's performance and wrote an article "Chinese Drama", which highly praised Mei Lanfang and traditional Chinese drama. Gorky said: "I have never seen a performance as flawless, delicate, charismatic, memorable as Mei Lanfang. He added: "Chinese drama is the oldest, most beautiful, most poetic and philosophical drama in the world. "Gorky and Stanislavsky were friends and colleagues. They communicate frequently. It is therefore possible that Stanislavsky was influenced by Gorky's evaluation of Mei Lanfang and traditional Chinese theater.
Gorky
The second explanation also has some plausibility. Because in that era, Westerners' knowledge and understanding of Chinese culture and theater was often based on some stereotypes and prejudices. They often regard China as a mysterious, ancient, and exotic country, and Chinese drama as a strange, gorgeous, and artistic form of expression. They often overlook the historical, social, political, and economic complexity and diversity of Chinese culture and theater. They tend to evaluate Chinese culture and drama with their own aesthetic standards and values, rather than Chinese their own aesthetic standards and values. Therefore, it is possible that Stanislavsky evaluated Mei Lanfang and traditional Chinese drama based on his own imagination of Chinese culture and theater.
Regardless of the interpretation, we can see that Stanislavsky's evaluation of Mei Lanfang and traditional Chinese drama is not based on real observation and understanding, but on some indirect information and subjective impressions. Therefore, we must not treat his assessment as an objective fact, but as a subjective opinion or even a cross-cultural myth.
So, what do we think of this cross-cultural myth today? Should we abandon Stanislavsky's assessment of Mei Lanfang and traditional Chinese theater? Should we re-evaluate the artistic value of Mei Lanfang and traditional Chinese theater?
Open and critical attitude
I believe that we need not abandon or re-evaluate. We just need to have a more open and critical attitude to this cross-cultural phenomenon. We must admit that Stanislavsky's evaluation of Mei Lanfang and traditional Chinese drama, although not an objective fact, is not a meaningless fiction. It reflects a kind of cross-cultural exchange and interaction, a cross-cultural identity and respect, a cross-cultural creation and influence. It also reflects a cross-cultural misunderstanding and prejudice, a cross-cultural conflict and contradiction, a cross-cultural change and development. It is a living cross-cultural myth, not a dead cross-cultural fact.
We would like to thank Mei Lanfang and Stanislavsky, who with their art and life, left us such a cross-cultural myth. They let us see the commonality and difference between different cultures of theater art, they let us see the inheritance and innovation of theater art between different eras, and they let us see the influence and influence of theater art among different groups of people. They also let us see that our understanding and evaluation of theater art is not unique or absolute, but pluralistic or relative. They let us see our love and passion for the art of theater, not isolated or closed, but open or inclusive.
Mei Lanfang took a group photo with foreign friends
During Mei Lanfang's visit to the Soviet Union, such a small story was also circulated. One day, while walking through the streets of Moscow, Mei Lanfang met a young boy selling newspapers. The little boy saw Mei Lanfang wearing gorgeous costumes and delicate jewelry, so he asked him curiously: "Who are you?" Where are you from? Mei Lanfang smiled and replied: "I am an actor, I am from China. The little boy said in surprise: "You are an actor? What do you play? Mei Lanfang said: "I play Peking Opera." The little boy asked, "What is Peking Opera?" Mei Lanfang said: "Peking Opera is the oldest, most beautiful, most poetic and philosophical drama in China. The little boy said, "Then can you sing me a verse?" Mei Lanfang said: "Okay, I'll sing you a piece of "Farewell My Concubine". ”
So, Mei Lanfang was on the street, using his high-pitched voice, singing a passage from "Farewell My Concubine". The little boy was fascinated by it, and he thought it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. He asked Mei Lanfang: "How did you sing such a voice?" Mei Lanfang said: "This is my years of practice and accumulation, this is my love and pursuit of theater art. The little boy said, "You are amazing, you are the person I admire the most." Mei Lanfang said: "Thank you, you are also very cute, you are my favorite person." They talked like that for a while, then said goodbye to each other and went their separate ways.
Mei Lanfang's overlord Farewell Concubine
The story may or may not be true. But it expresses a real meaning: theater art is a cross-cultural language, which is able to connect different people, different cultures, different times. It allows us to get to know each other, respect each other, and appreciate each other. It allows us to influence each other, create each other, and develop each other. It allows us to love each other, admire each other, and be friendly to each other.
If you like my article, please like, comment, retweet, bookmark. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please leave a message to let me know. I will continue to bring you more interesting, informative, illustrated and topical articles.