On the evening of December 12th, the Jiangsu opera masterpiece college tour Huai Opera "Zhao Wuniang" entered Nanjing Railway Vocational and Technical College, and the artists from the Provincial Huai Opera Troupe performed this Huai Opera classic repertoire touching and shocking with their excellent singing and reading, and also triggered a heated discussion among the students.
Before the performance began, Chen Cheng and Chen Mingkuang took the stage for a guided tour.
The student audience came to the stage to interact
Sitting in front of the makeup mirror, the famous Huai Opera artist Chen Cheng calmly put on makeup, wrapped his head, and put on films. For sending dramas to colleges and universities, she seems to be extremely serious and happy. "Our troupe has been participating in the college tour of opera masterpieces since 2018, and in the past few years, the representative repertoire of the troupe "Small Town", "Small Town", "Xianglin Sister-in-law" and "Zhao Wuniang" have successively entered the campus to meet with college students, and the attitude of the school and students towards opera has also changed from indifference at the beginning to the current special pursuit. ”
As a leader of contemporary Huai Opera, Chen Cheng has been active on new media platforms for many years, committed to the popularization of opera, and has gained a large number of young fans. In 2017, she tested the waters of new media opera live broadcast, and so far the Douyin account "Huai Opera Chen Cheng" has released 902 short video works, with a total of 193,000 fans. And her cover of "The Goddess Splitting Views" in the Huai Opera dialect of Station B won 3 million on-demand views, becoming a phenomenal work on the online platform in 2022. With her efforts to promote, the Provincial Huai Opera Troupe has young audiences following everywhere it goes.
"We always talk about inheritance now, and I think that the inheritance of opera is not only the inheritance of the repertoire and the inheritance of the actors, but also the inheritance of the audience. Because we perform on stage for the audience, not only for the awards, but also for the experts. Chen Cheng felt that there were many different gains from the performance of opera on campus, and she was delighted by the comments, exchanges, and interest transmission of the young students after watching the opera. "Our award-winning new playwrights should also work towards the goal of keeping the old dramas and spreading them far, and while being recognized by experts, they can also be recognized by contemporary young audiences. Only when young people have a strong interest in this genre can the vitality of the genre be vigorous. ”
"Zhao Wu Niang" is one of the representative works of the Huai Opera Chen School, which was adapted by Mr. Chen Delin, the founder of the Huai Opera Chen School, and his wife, the famous performing artist Huang Suping, based on the Southern Opera "The Pipa Story". The famous passages in the play, such as "Study Club", "Farewell", "Sighing Moon and Thinking of Relatives", are popular and popular. Zhao Wuniang's "Bitter Man" and Cai Bojiao's "Ten Worships" and other classic singing segments are highly sought after. The Provincial Huai Opera Troupe's version of "Zhao Wuniang" retains the original classic singing segments, streamlines them, takes their essence, retains the charm of the Huai opera, sings new old plays, and often performs new ones.
The play tells the story of Cai Bojiao, a talented son of Chen Liujun, who went to Beijing High School due to his poor family background, and was forced to enter the Prime Minister's Mansion and did not return for three years. When there was a drought in her hometown and her parents starved to death, Cai's wife Zhao Wuniang fulfilled her filial piety, picked up soil as a grave, and searched for her husband for thousands of miles. Miss Xiangfu Niu Guixiang understood the righteousness and finally reunited Cai and Zhao husband and wife.
The progressive plot, the nuanced performances, and the passionate singing, especially the 180 sentences of "The Bitter Man Sitting in the Study and Tears Like Rain" sang like a cry, which made the audience deeply into the play. Two and a half hours passed quietly before they knew it, and the students were still immersed in the legendary encounter between Zhao Wuniang and Cai Bojiao. The lights were lit and the repertoire ended, and everyone said that this performance was so exciting, it had the power to shake the soul.
Su Haoxiang, a student majoring in modern communication at Southern Railway University, wrote in a drama review article: "This is the first time I have met Mr. Chen Cheng, and I feel that opera people have a spirit, their eyes are bright and good, and their teeth are white. It is unforgettable and destined to be impressive. Whether it's the protagonist or the supporting role, everyone is translucent, as if there is light. A play is never a one-man show of the protagonist, Mr. Chen Mingkuang, Mr. An Penghui, Mr. Tang Xiaoyun ...... 'A single flower is not spring, a hundred flowers bloom in spring', which is probably an appropriate description. When that voice came with a local accent, I knew that we were all the way, together. ”
Urban Rail No. 2304 Geng Haoyu was an art student in high school as a director of drama, film and television literature, and had a certain study of drama, and previously met Mr. Chen Cheng through the second creation of "The Goddess Splitting Views", this time he walked into the school theater to watch the play, he was deeply moved by the story of Huai Opera "Zhao Wuniang", "This is a very in-depth work, it describes a woman's tenacity and perseverance under the pressure of family, society and history with delicate and nuanced brushstrokes, showing the best side of human nature." This made me deeply feel the breadth and profundity of Chinese culture and the greatness of the human spirit. No matter how great the difficulties and challenges in life, as long as you have a sincere heart, with tenacity and perseverance, you will be able to overcome the difficulties and find a path that belongs to you. ”
Su Yurui, a student from Interior Design 2301, said: "The plot and characters shown in the Huai opera "Zhao Wuniang" gave me a sense of immersion. The actors not only interpret the characters on stage, but also bring the audience into the plot through their voices, bodies and facial expressions. When watching, I seemed to have experienced Zhao Wuniang's hardships and determination, and Yu Baoqiang's performance was even more amazing. This immersive feeling made me realize that theatre as an art form has a powerful appeal and expressive power, and is able to touch people's innermost emotions. I also began to realize that whether in the workplace or in Xi, I can better communicate and communicate with others by expressing myself appropriately and showing my abilities. ”
Although "Zhao Wuniang" is a traditional drama adapted from the legend of the Yuan Dynasty, the traditional values such as kindness, righteousness, filial piety, and true love conveyed in the play have deeply touched the hearts of contemporary college students.
Liu Ye, a student of urban rail vehicle 2202, said bluntly: "The play "Zhao Wuniang" is profound and touching, Zhao Wuniang in the story shows her perseverance and sincerity to her family, and at the same time, it also allows people to see the kindness and righteousness of Niu Guixiang. ”
Geng Haoyu saw the charm of traditional Chinese culture from "Zhao Wuniang". In this story, whether it is the traditional virtues such as respecting the old and loving the young, filial piety and respect for the elders, or the deep love shown by Cai Zhao and his wife when they meet again at the end, these are all very important parts of traditional Chinese culture. These virtues are not only the essence of traditional Chinese culture, but also the common spiritual wealth of mankind. ”
"The vivid storyline of "Zhao Wu Niang" shows the values of humanity such as passion, patience and perseverance. The character of Zhao Wuniang has a rough life and has experienced the hardships of life, but she still has an indomitable spirit, and her selfless love and pursuit of justice she shows are moving. This realistic depiction of human nature, as well as the realistic performances of the actors, made me wonder: in real life, can we also stick to our original intentions and persistently pursue what we think is right?" asked Su Yurui rhetorically.
Su Haoxiang commented: "The values represented by "Zhao Wuniang" are destined to have their historical limitations, but they also carry the unique traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, and the simple and honest virtues of the ancient people. Mr. Lu Xun taught us to 'go to the dross, take the essence', Zhao Wuniang is diligent and self-reliant, perseverance, filial piety, hard-working and hard-working, these virtues are all we should learn Xi. Embarking on the road of finding a husband alone, carrying a poor picture, and singing on the pipa, under the ancient feudal thought, he is undoubtedly brave and independent. In the play, Cai Bojiao studied hard for ten years in the cold window, intending to gain fame, which was the epitome of the scholars of that era. It's a kind of utilitarianism, and at that time, I was not in a position to criticize it, but nowadays, non-utilitarianism can make people go further, and make people accept their fate and failure. The more I read, the more I can admit my ignorance, and the more I realize my insignificance. Reading is not for showing off, but for cultivating one's own wisdom. ”
As for the personalities and fates of the characters in the play such as Zhao Wuniang, Cai Bojiao, and Miss Niu, and even the adaptation of the script, the students also have their own unique opinions and observations.
Wang Yixuan, a student with the urban rail pass number 2304, felt very sad after watching the whole play: "Niu Guixiang and Zhao Wuniang in the play are unlucky, Niu Guixiang married a person who didn't love her and had a family because of Prime Minister Niu Cheng's arranged marriage, Niu Guixiang was very kind, she took Zhao Wuniang back, and let Zhao Wuniang and Cai Bojiao get back together, so what, in the social background at that time, how should she and Zhao Wuniang get along?"
Su Haoxiang said: "The place that poked my heart in the play should be Zhao Wuniang's meeting of Niu Guixiang in the Buddhist temple, what kind of coincidence can make the two meet." I also joked with my classmates that Zhao Wuniang must have met Bai Juyi, so Bai Juyi wrote the famous "Pipa Xing", the same tragic fate, the same dress. When Zhao Wuniang narrated Cai Bojiao's name, it was the climax of this scene. Coincidence, surprise, and uneasiness filled Niu Guixiang's heart. As the plot progresses, Wu Niang's narration gradually becomes faster, and the music gradually becomes exciting. It was as if the fast-talking banter made me feel excited, trembling, an indescribable rhythm filling my blood, flowing into my veins, pouring into my brain. Music and singing are combined, and the two become one, inseparable from each other. The plot also pushed the boat to a climax. The perfect resonance of the stage, lines, and music, this way of expression has appeared many times, and with a unique charm of Chinese drama, I have sunk. Niu Guixiang fulfilled her duties as a wife in the marriage contract, cared about Cai Bojiao, and chose to fulfill Wuniang after knowing the truth, and forgave Cai Bojiao, which moved me even more. ”
Zhang Xue, a student from interior design D2201, believes that the Huai opera "Zhao Wuniang" first changed the plot of "three non-disobedience", deleted the influence of patriarchy and monarchy on this tragedy, and more reflected the tragedy caused by personal character. Secondly, Zhao Wuniang and Cai Boda's attitude towards fame and fame has changed, and the protagonist's attitude of quick success is not advisable. However, what remains unchanged in Huai Opera "Zhao Wu Niang" is the grasp of the main character Zhao Wu Niang, portraying a gentle, virtuous, strong and brave lower-class working woman, so this drama has been widely circulated as a traditional repertoire of Huai Opera, and it is endless.
The wonderful performance of Huai Opera "Zhao Wu Niang" on campus not only allowed students to see a classic opera, but also made them reflect on how traditional opera is better than pop culture, and how to inherit and carry forward the traditional opera art in the current era.
Liu Ye believes that the traditional art of opera has a unique charm, showing the essence and aesthetic pursuit of traditional culture through elements such as music, singing, performance and stage effects. It often uses symbolic techniques to convey emotions and storylines to impress the audience.
In Geng Haoyu's view, the biggest difference between opera art and other pop arts is beauty. As Cheng Dieyi said in "Farewell My Concubine", drama is beautiful, if it is not beautiful, it is not a drama. Under the guidance of such an aesthetic purpose, the stage art of opera has evolved into a unique form—the combination of virtual and real. Artists do not regard opera as a blind imitation of life, but to express the free life of the art creator, that is, the life expressed by art, the life transformed by the artist, and the result of the artist's intention dissolved on the basis of the reality of life. Reality-oriented, virtual-based, virtual and real combination, give the audience more space for imagination, so that the audience is immersed in the scene when watching, and the imagination is linked. Qu Gao may not be unknown to anyone, he has his own bosom friend and clear words, and the work of Huai Opera "Zhao Wuniang" also makes us more proud and cherish our cultural traditions. ”
Su Yurui said that the Huai opera "Zhao Wuniang" brought him thinking about traditional culture. "As an important part of traditional Chinese culture, drama carries a rich historical and cultural heritage. Watching this play, I have a deeper understanding of the ancient form of performance of Huai Opera. At the same time, I can't help but think about the inheritance and development of traditional culture in modern society. In today's fast-paced life, whether we can still find time to appreciate and learn Xi traditional culture, and how to combine tradition and modernity to make it more in line with the needs of the times, these are the directions that I need to further study and think about. ”
Su Haoxiang earnestly wrote down such a paragraph: Traditional opera art has its historical background and exquisiteness, and it is different from popular art after all. In contrast, pop art is like cool water flowing through your body, and the touch of a moment will be transmitted to your cerebral cortex, but traditional opera art is different, like caressing the skin and penetrating into your bone marrow, from the blood to the brain, the blood vessels up and down the body, from the pores to the skin, slowly, slowly changing you, and slowly fitting with it. There are more than four or five sets of clothes for the characters in the play. The changes in Zhang Guangcai's clothes before and after the locust plague, the changes in Cai Bojiao's clothes before and after he became famous, and the changes in Wu Niang's clothes before and after the locust plague and before and after the filial piety, these details are incomparable to some pop arts, and there are special comedy elements in the play, especially in the dialogue design between Zhang Guangcai and Li Wang, "The core of the drama is tragedy" It is O'Henry's "tears with laughter" that puts the reality naked in front of the audience, which makes people feel sad and distressed. The drama always seems to be slow, the action is slow, but I don't want to be that kind of soft lying down, his movements are slow, but strong and powerful, and there is a combination of movement and static, and his speed is more like a difficult action under a slow camera, with charm. A three-hour performance will slowly let you understand the charm of opera. The actors' performances took me away from the stage, I was not an audience, I was just watching, watching a cross-section of history, it was not a performance, but just the wheels of history rolling forward. From the perspective of a bystander, I felt their crying, their suffering, their smile and smile, and I was completely immersed in it. It was only at the end of the curtain call that I was able to pull myself out, and I felt that it was an actor on stage, a "person living in the contemporary era".
The staff of the Provincial Huai Opera Troupe said that in fact, they have always liked to listen to the comments and feelings of young audiences on the play. The troupe once created a small theater Huai opera "Cracked Silk" with the theme of love, and in the post-performance talk, many post-00s young audiences put forward their views, which simply amazed the crew. And this time, after seeing such intense and profound discussions and comments from the students of Nanjing Railway Vocational and Technical College, they also felt that it was worth the trip to tour the university.
This is also the first time that the reporter has heard such in-depth thinking and discussion from college students since the reporter interviewed the "Jiangsu Opera Masterpieces into Campus Activities". Huai Opera "Zhao Wuniang" brings so much imagination and thinking space to young audiences, perhaps this is the charm of traditional classic dramas. As the saying goes, "there are a thousand Hamlets in the eyes of a thousand people", a real good play should probably be "seen horizontally as a peak on the side of the ridge, with different heights and heights", from which each viewer can find their own reflection and see different lives.
Xinhua Daily Intersection reporter Gao Liping
Image courtesy of Nanjing Railway Vocational and Technical College