In the original drama "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway", written and directed by Tian Qinxin, which is being staged at the National Theater Theater, the stage charm of the leading actor Xin Baiqing has once again been highly recognized. He plays a generation of great writer Su Dongpo, who is free and relaxed, with both affectionate and graceful feelings, free and easy pride, both ancient charm and contemporary taste, showing the arrogance and melancholy of a poet, the ambition and ups and downs of a politician, the upright and honest temperament of a literati, and the sincere heart of a scholar for his family and country. This is also the sixth stage cooperation between Xin Baiqing and Tian Qinxin, allowing people to see that the two artists, who have always been full of passion and pursuit for the theater stage, have grown together side by side.
Tian Qinxin and Xin Baiqing in the rehearsal hall of "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway" (photo by Wang Haochen) Sad Autumn Nostalgic Character Xin Baiqing, who loved the drama stage in 1973, grew up under the roots of Beijing's imperial city, and has had a compassionate and sad autumn nostalgic character since he was a child. He said that when he was a child, when he went to his grandmother's house in the suburbs, he would sit on the high platform of the canal and look at the fields in the distance, sad at the setting sun. I don't know what it is, but I enjoy it. This character should be innate, not acquired. Therefore, Xin Baiqing admitted that he fell in love with Zhu Yuanyuan at first sight when he was in college, precisely because he was moved by Zhu Yuanyuan's sunny and cheerful personality. "It was true that she was able to bring me out of my melancholy and make me less closed or pessimistic. So I think I'm so lucky to have met her, otherwise I might have gotten depressed!"
In 2001, Xin Baiqing and Zhu Yuanyuan during the rehearsal break of "Hurricane" (photo by Li Yan)
Xin Baiqing originally wanted to become a professional high jumper, but later entered the 93-level acting class of the Central Academy of Drama and found the direction of his life's career. When I was in school, the head teacher once took the students to dinner and asked, "Where do you want to go after graduation?" Xin Baiqing blurted out: "As long as I am asked to perform a drama, I will be satisfied." At that time, the students and even the teachers were very surprised, because in those days, the cost of a drama performance was only 200 yuan, which meant a poor life. But after graduation, Xin Baiqing really followed his heart and entered the Central Experimental Theater, one of the predecessors of the National Theater of China, and became a professional drama actor.
In 2001, 27-year-old Xin Baiqing played a leading role on the drama stage for the first time, starring in the patriotic lyricist Tian Han in the drama "Hurricane" directed by Tian Qinxin. This is a multi-level play, and there are a lot of play-within-a-scenes, which is very challenging for the actors, and they need to develop all their abilities. From the ambition of his youth to the dying voice of old age, Xin Baiqing clearly presents Tian Han and the different characters in his plays in different periods in front of the audience, connecting Tian Han's rich emotions and creative experience throughout his life. The success of "Hurricane" made him recognized by everyone, and also strengthened his belief that he would continue on the drama stage: "I was very miserable during that time, but after the performance, I obviously felt that I had a particularly strong change, as if I had completed a transformation. After that, I am not afraid to act in any drama, I have a way, and I have the bottom in my heart. ”
Stills from "Hurricane" (photo by Li Yan)
Try different roles and get recognition from all walks of life Because Xin Baiqing's temperament is elegant and very bookish, many of the characters looking for him are intellectual, decent, kind, and noble characters, "After the same type is labeled, the space for outward exploration is getting smaller and smaller, and it is less and less to encounter characters that make my eyes shine, and it is boring to keep repeating them." So I had a stage where I was shooting less and less films, and I went back to the theater to act in dramas, because the characters on the stage were more costumed, presumptive and playful, and I tried a lot of different types of roles, and I was very happy. ”
Stills from "Red Rose and White Rose" (photo by Li Yan)
In order not to let the repetitive type of character image restrict his performance space, he played the amorous and selfish Tong Zhenbao in the drama "Red Rose and White Rose" directed by Tian Qinxin, and played the temperamental monk Fahai who is cold on the outside and hot on the inside in "Green Snake".
Stills from "Green Snake" (photo by Li Yan)
In "Four Worlds in the Same Hall", he created the villain Guan Xiaohe, a villain who admires power and vanity. From the corners of his eyes and eyebrows to his walking and talking, he delicately portrays the obscenity and embarrassment of a philistine villain who lives beautifully on the surface, but is actually despised by everyone. He himself felt so satisfied that he even won the "bump prize" as soon as he appeared. With this negative role, Xin Baiqing won the 8th Drama Golden Lion Award and the 10th China Arts Festival Outstanding Performance Award.
Stills from "Four Worlds in the Same Hall" (photo by Li Yan)
In the drama "Gu Wenchang", Xin Baiqing used Henan dialect and Henan opera singing segments to enrich the character of Gu Wenchang, a Henan cadre, making the image of the people's servant who led the people of Dongshan, Fujian to change the barren appearance of his hometown real and full, and he also won the highest award in Chinese theater "Plum Blossom Award".
Not only is his performance on the drama stage becoming more and more perfect, but Xin Baiqing's performance in film and television works has also left a deep impression on both his collaborators and the audience. In the movie "The Legend of the Demon Cat" directed by Chen Kaige, Xin Baiqing played Li Bai, and he amazed the audience after only 4 minutes. He is half drunk and half immortal, debauched and uninhibited, and when he spits out his embroidered mouth, he is half of the Tang Dynasty, and he vividly shows the unruly and unruly temperament of the poet and the powerful. And he was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 32nd Chinese Film Golden Rooster Awards for his 4-minute magnificent brilliance.
Chen Kaige highly praised his acting skills: "He is a real actor." Eat deeply and vomit very little. He has some subtle movement design, which can only be seen by connoisseurs who really know how to perform. Tian Zhuangzhuang, the fifth-generation director who invited him to star in the movie "Spring in a Small Town", also praised Xin Baiqing and said: "He is the most comfortable one among so many actors I have auditioned." ”
Li Lu, the director of "The World", found Xin Baiqing because of his elegant temperament, and he also shaped Zhou Bingyi's image of love and righteousness deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. In the movie "The Long Confession", Xin Baiqing plays the brother of the male protagonist and the first love of the female protagonist, with an accurate sense of proportion, Lichun's efforts to maintain the rash and chic bluff of his youth are just right, vividly portraying the helplessness and worldliness of the character in the face of real life, adding a few bright colors to the sad background of the film. He won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 35th China Film Golden Rooster Awards, and director Zhang Lu said when accepting the award for him: "Xin Baiqing is a person who is not in a hurry, gentle and frugal. His uneasiness is actually imperceptibly integrated into his performance. "Pursue inner peace and like to be indifferent However, there was a stage when Xin Baiqing kept taking on the scene, almost no time to rest, put on makeup as soon as he woke up every day, went to the scene to film immediately after makeup, and finished work very late. "Although the role was very interesting and I enjoyed playing it, the workload was too much, and I began to think: What the hell am I doing? That's when I encountered the 'three questions of the soul': Who am I, where do I come from, and where am I going?" In order to solve these puzzles, he read a lot of books and talked to many people, and got answers from them: "I believe that peace of mind is happiness." When calm, people will be peaceful and determined, and this concentration will bring self-confidence and indifference. My understanding of 'indifference' is that I am sober and judgmental, and I like this state. ”
Xin Baiqing went to play Wang Yangming because he wanted to get the guidance of the sages. At that time, when he was over forty years old, not only did he not "not be confused", but he felt even more confused. "I seem to be the opposite of others, I spent my youthful years happily and blindly, and after the age of 40 I was confused. Maybe it's because I want to find meaning in life so much. At this time, the documentary "Wang Yangming" found him. "For me, playing Wang Yangming is a very important point in my life. In order to shoot the documentary "Wang Yangming", Xin Baiqing revisited the places where Wang Yangming had walked, and also provided him with a new perspective and way of thinking. "I think Wang Yangming has lived his ideal life in this life. From a secular point of view, perhaps his students felt that the teacher was born at the wrong time. But at the end of his life, the student asked, "Teacher, do you have anything else to say?" Wang Yangming said: This heart is bright, and what can I say? For a saint, the unsatisfactory situation on the secular level can be resolved. After acting in the documentary "Wang Yangming", Tian Qinxin served as the artistic director of the CCTV cultural program "China in the Classics" and asked Xin Baiqing to play Wang Yangming again. "These experiences, in the dark, are also a relief for my anxiety in life. ”
Today's Xin Baiqing, his personality is more peaceful, and his acting skills are becoming more and more proficient, returning to the rehearsal theater of the National Theater, he feels that he has returned to "his own territory", and he is very happy every day: "Fame and fortune may be a moment, it is good that a play is popular, it is recognized by so many people, and I enjoy it, but it will soon pass." I'm doing a drama now, and I'm rehearsing every day in the rehearsal room, and this simple pleasure is so rare. The older I get, the more complex the events, social environment, and relationships I face, and the more I can go back to my theater and be with the directors and actors I like, I feel like I'm coming home, and it's a very familiar sense of happiness and security. ”
Xin Baiqing in the rehearsal room of "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway" (photo by Wang Haochen)
This is also the reason why Xin Baiqing especially admires Su Shi. "Among our ancients, there are very few people who can live an open-minded life like Su Dongpo, and if you read his poems, you will know that he is not an ordinary person. 'Bamboo cane and mango shoes are lighter than horses', what kind of life situation and mind can write such poems? Looking at Su Dongpo's pursuit of food, he will create new dishes in one place, and the fun of his own life is in it. "Su Dongpo is an interesting soul In most people's minds, Su Shi is a great writer. However, in Xin Baiqing's view, "It is too one-sided to say that he is a great writer! He is an interesting soul!" Xin Baiqing said with a smile: "If you read his poems, you will know that he is not an ordinary person! He loves life so much, knows how to live, and is willing to enjoy a life of joy in a difficult place." Xin Baiqing, who has played many great literati, believes: "There are similarities among Chinese literati, such as Li Bai, Wang Yangming, and Su Dongpo, all of whom have been degraded. In this state of extreme despair, Wang Yangming was enlightened, while Li Bai had many contradictions and entanglements; although Su Dongpo did not have such an obvious moment of enlightenment, he put every bit of his perception of life in every adversity, just like participating in Zen and enlightenment, and I think this is also the most obvious difference between him and other great writers. ”
Stills from "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway" (photo by Fang Fei)
However, he also said frankly: "Su Shi is my idol." But I never thought about playing him before, and I didn't dare to play him. At the beginning of the creation of "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway", Tian Qinxin asked Xin Baiqing several times before he said: "If you direct, I will act." Tian Qinxin replied to him: "If you act, I will direct." As a result, the cooperation was finalized.
For Tian Qinxin, who is both a screenwriter and a director, "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway" can be described as "tailor-made" for Xin Baiqing, but in Xin Baiqing's view, although it is cooperating with the most tacit director and playing his own idol, it is still a new challenge. "Because Su Shi has a very bold and practical side, which is what I lack. It's no problem for me to play elegant, affectionate, witty and funny, but Su Dongpo's transparent, skilled, bold and free personality is the homework I need to face. So Xin Baiqing feels that being able to play such a character is a particularly good opportunity for him, "It can not only enrich and improve my acting skills, but also help me understand life." ”
Stills from "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway" (photo by Fang Fei)
In "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway", Su Shi is positioned as "a civil servant in the Northern Song Dynasty". Xin Baiqing believes that Su Shi went to the local government to become an official, because he was tired of the intrigues in the court, criticized and wrote, and took the initiative to ask for release, "He really wants to go to the local place to do something practical for the people, he not only solved a lot of difficulties for the people at that time, but also benefited future generations." Thousands of years later, we still enjoy the West Lake and Su Causeway he built, so he is indeed worthy of our love and worship. In Xin Baiqing's heart, there is no contradiction between Su Dongpo, who is an official, and Su Dongpo, who is a poet: "You look at the poems he wrote, it is precisely because he is an official of his parents, standing at different heights, and knowing the suffering of the people, that he has the compassion and arrogance of the world and the people, so he can write such poems." Tian Qinxin was very satisfied with Xin Baiqing's performance: "Baiqing is very suitable for playing the ancients, because he is a very cultural actor. He can understand the spirit of Chinese drama that I want, his control is very strong, he is well versed in the temperament of the relationship between viewing and performing in Chinese performing arts, and he has really reached a level in the overall control and proportion, especially for the treatment between opening and closing, sadness and joy, which makes me sometimes surprised. ”
Stills from "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway" (photo by Fang Fei)
The play is full of emotions and a happy marriage outside the play, "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway" shows the family, friendship and love in Su Dongpo's life, especially the relationship between him and his three partners, which also corresponds to different periods of his life. In this regard, Xin Baiqing said: "At any time, emotion is always the background and support of the drama characters, and the pillar of the source of drama energy and strength. ”
Stills from "Spring Dawn at Su Causeway" (photo by Fang Fei)
Although the characters he plays in the play always have to face complex and bumpy emotional experiences, Xin Baiqing in life has a simple, happy and very fulfilling emotional life. He and his wife, Zhu Yuanyuan, who is also an alumnus of Chinese opera and a colleague of the National Theatre, have gone from their first love on campus, to entering the palace of marriage, and then to becoming parents, and now they have been together for 30 years.
Xin Baiqing, who attaches great importance to the family, has an overflowing affection for his wife and children. He once gave up a lot of film appointments in order to accompany his family, especially when Jiang Wei, the director of the TV series "Latent", originally wanted to invite Xin Baiqing and Zhu Yuanyuan to co-star, but just in time for Zhu Yuanyuan to become pregnant, he said that Xin Baiqing could go alone, but Xin Baiqing still decided to take care of his wife at home. Later, "Latent" became popular, and some people asked them if they regretted it? Xin Baiqing smiled faintly and said: "I think Yuanyuan has a very good saying, she said that if the two of us go to act, maybe the other person's play will not be so popular." One play, one luck, so different actors play it, and the fortune is different. ”
Xin Baiqing and Zhu Yuanyuan at the Wuzhen Theater Festival (photo by Li Yan)
After having children, Xin Baiqing and Zhu Yuanyuan put a lot of energy into accompanying their daughter's growth, and refused many opportunities for film and television invitations. Some people regret that he has been tepid, and Xin Baiqing is very calm about this: "I just want to live a pure, simple life." It's more important to be a comfortable person. For him, work is just a part of life. "When people mature, they will understand that there are so many things in life that need to be given wholeheartedly, and family, parents, lovers, and friends must be treated with true feelings. If a person is completely hollowed out by their work, life is missing. Xin Baiqing believes that a comfortable living state is "I can act well, and at the same time, I am not burdened by fame." So after thinking about it, I feel that I am living an ideal life at the moment, "I can go out to eat without makeup now, I can take my wife and children to walk around the street casually, if there is a drama broadcast recently, I will occasionally be recognized, when there is no drama broadcast, everyone doesn't care much about you, I enjoy this life, quite happy." ”
Asked Xin Baiqing's indifferent and detached personality and mentality, is it somewhat similar to Su Dongpo? But he said: "Su Shi is really wise, he has had such ups and downs in his life, degraded again and again, and his wife and relatives have passed away, but he has always known what he is doing, and he is willing to enjoy what he is doing, and he is an enlightened person." There are very few open-minded people like Su Dongpo, and ordinary people can't reach his realm. ”
END
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Text and editor of this issue: Wang Run
Producer of this issue: Zhou Nanyan