In the summer of 1982, the Yue Opera industry in Zhejiang Province ushered in a meaningful selection activity. Under the scorching sun, more than 400 young people with dreams gathered together, their eyes flashing with their love for Yue Opera and their vision for the future.
The atmosphere at the selection site was warm, and the contestants either sang gracefully and movingly, or had beautiful and agile figures, showing their strengths. The judges strictly checked and carefully selected, and finally 40 outstanding candidates stood out.
These 40 outstanding young people form the Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe, and they will shoulder the important task of inheriting and developing the art of Yue Opera. Among this group of energetic rookies, there are five girls who are particularly eye-catching: Mao Weitao, He Saifei, Dong Kedi, He Ying, and Fang Xuewen.
They are either delicate and smart, or heroic, each with its own merits. Mao Weitao has a well-proportioned figure and good facial features, making him an excellent candidate for a small student; He Saifei is Chu Chu and moving, and Danjiao is full of temperament; Dong Kedi is calm and atmospheric, suitable for old students; He Ying is lively and lovely, full of youth; Fang Xuewen is gentle and elegant, with a unique temperament.
At that time, no one would have thought that these five young girls would become the famous "Five Golden Flowers of Yue Opera" in the future. They stood on the stage with their eyes full of anticipation for the future and love for art.
This moment seems to indicate that the art of Yue Opera is about to usher in a new era. The establishment of Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Troupe not only injected fresh blood into Yue Opera, but also provided a stage for these young people to display their talents.
Here, they will hone their skills and gain experience that will set them up for future success. This summer is destined to be an extraordinary summer, which has witnessed the rise of new stars in Yue Opera and opened the prelude to the bright blooming of the "Five Golden Flowers".
In order to give these rookies a stage to show their talents, Gu Xidong, a leading figure in the Yue Opera industry in Zhejiang Province, poured his heart and soul into creating a new play "Five Women's Birthday". This work is not only a inheritance of traditional Yue Opera, but also a bold attempt at innovation.
When the script was released, the five girls were eager to try their hand at it, and they worked hard to shape their roles during rehearsals. On the day of the premiere of the play, the theater was packed. The moment the curtain opened, the audience held their breath.
Zou Shilong played by Mao Weitao is heroic, showing his niche style in his gestures; He Saifei's green clouds are moving, and his smile is intoxicating; Dong Kedi's Yang Jikang is calm and atmospheric, showing the unique charm of the old student; He Ying's Yang Sanchun is lively and cute, adding a touch of youth to the stage; Fang Xuewen's Zou Yinglong is gentle and elegant, with an outstanding temperament.
The wonderful performance of the five girls immediately captured the hearts of the audience, and the applause lasted for a long time. After the performance, the audience was still unsatisfied and praised the charm of this new play. "Five Women's Birthday Greetings" quickly became a topic of conversation and caused quite a stir in the Yue Opera industry.
This successful premiere not only proved the strength of the five newcomers, but also opened up a new path for the innovative development of Yue Opera. Seeing the success of the stage play, the leaders of the troupe came up with a bold idea: why not bring it to the big screen and let more people enjoy this masterpiece? So, in 1984, the film version of "Five Women's Birthday" officially started filming.
The five girls gathered again, and they showed a more delicate performance in front of the camera than on the stage. Back then, the movie "Five Women's Birthday" immediately caused a sensation as soon as it was broadcast. The audience was amazed by the unique charm of Yue Opera art on the screen, and was also impressed by the superb acting skills of the five leading actors.
This film not only won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Opera Film, but more importantly, it made the title of "Five Golden Flowers of Yue Opera" officially born and widely circulated. From the stage to the screen, "Five Women's Birthday" has completed a gorgeous transformation.
This is not only a turning point in the careers of the five girls, but also an important milestone in the history of the development of Yue Opera art. It proves that the combination of traditional opera and modern film and television has great potential, and opens up new channels for the dissemination of Yue opera.
Among the "Five Golden Flowers", He Saifei's development trajectory is the most distinctive. With her outstanding performance as Cuiyun in "Five Women's Birthday", she not only won the love of the audience, but also won the Changchun Film Studio's "Little Hundred Flowers" Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Film.
This award became a stepping stone for her to enter the film and television industry, laying the foundation for her future acting career. In 1990, 28-year-old He Saifei ushered in a turning point in his life.
When the famous director Zhang Yimou was preparing for the new film "The Red Lantern Hangs High", he had a discerning eye and invited He Saifei to play the role of the third aunt Tai Meishan. Although he has no professional film and television acting experience, He Saifei has created an impressive image of Mei Shan with his solid opera skills and deep understanding of the role.
Her performance was delicate and nuanced, showing Mei Shan's complex emotions vividly, and won unanimous praise from the audience and industry insiders. Since then, He Saifei's film and television road has been smooth sailing.
She has cooperated with well-known directors such as Li Shaohong and Chen Kaige to create one vivid screen image after another. In the TV series "Mansion Gate", she played Yang Jiuhong, a woman in the green house, which is still fresh in the audience's memory.
He Saifei used her unique voice and delicate performance to inject soul into this role, showing Yang Jiuhong's strength, intelligence and tenderness to the fullest. With the development of his acting career, He Saifei's strength has been more and more recognized.
She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Hundred Flowers Award for her wonderful performance in "Behind Enemy Lines", which further proved her status in the film and television industry. In recent years, He Saifei is still active in the film and television industry, and has always paid attention to the development of Yue Opera.
In a program, she bluntly pointed out the dilemma faced by the inheritance of Yue Opera: "I have always said that I want to inherit it, but there is no stage, no drama, no money, how to inherit it."
These words sparked extensive discussions from all walks of life, and also reflected He Saifei's deep feelings and sense of responsibility for the art of Yue Opera. In 2023, He Saifei will usher in another peak in his acting career.
She won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actress with the opera movie "Chasing the Moon", and was successfully crowned. This award is not only an affirmation of her efforts in the film and television industry over the years, but also a tribute to her for never forgetting her original intention of opera.
From the stage of Yue Opera to the big screen of film and television, He Saifei has successfully achieved a leap in art form with his own efforts and talents, and has become a well-deserved "drama bone". He Saifei's success is not only a personal victory, but also a model of the combination of Yue Opera art and modern film and television.
Her experience proves that the skills of traditional opera can bring unique charm to film and television performances, and the success of the film and television industry can feed back the art of opera and promote its development and dissemination.
Unlike He Saifei, Mao Weitao chose to stick to the Yue Opera stage. With her excellent appearance and superb acting skills, she quickly became the mainstay of the Yue Opera industry.
Mao Weitao has a well-proportioned figure, good facial features, and shows the demeanor of "jade-faced Langjun" in his gestures, making him an excellent candidate for a young student. When playing Zou Shilong in "Five Women's Birthday", Mao Weitao showed extraordinary talent.
Her performance is heroic and compelling, and she vividly portrays Zou Shilong's character characteristics. Later, she played Jia Baoyu in "Dream of Red Mansions", which allowed the audience to see her ability to shape the role.
She perfectly interpreted Jia Baoyu's grace and inner sensitivity and delicacy, and won unanimous praise from the audience. Mao Weitao's love and dedication to Yue Opera are admirable.
She studied hard every day and devoted herself to the role. In her heart, she has always had a dream, that is, to sing Yue Opera well, perform Yue Opera well, carry forward Yue Opera, and let Yue Opera be passed on from generation to generation.
This dedication and love have enabled her to constantly break through herself and create good results on the stage of Yue Opera. At the age of 23, Mao Weitao won the first place in the second Plum Blossom Award for Chinese Theatre, which is a great honor for a young Yue Opera actor.
What's even more amazing is that at the age of 32, she won the 11th Plum Blossom Award again, becoming a rare winner of "two plum blossoms" in the history of Yue Opera. Such an achievement fully proves Mao Weitao's status and strength in the Yue Opera industry.
In "Kong Yiji", Mao Weitao changed her previous image and successfully played a down-and-out scholar, showing her multi-faceted acting skills. She vividly expressed Kong Yiji's embarrassment, self-esteem and helplessness, allowing the audience to see a three-dimensional and real Kong Yiji.
This role won her a Wenhua Award and a Magnolia Award, further cementing her position in the Yue Opera industry. Today's Mao Weitao not only shines on the stage himself, but also devotes himself to cultivating newcomers.
She carefully mentors young actors, including the recently popular "Jade Face Langjun" Chen Lijun. Under the guidance of Mao Weitao, Chen Lijun's every eye movement is just right, showing the unique charm of Yue Opera Xiaosheng.
Mao Weitao's efforts have made great contributions to the inheritance and development of Yue Opera. Under her influence, more and more young people began to pay attention to and learn Yue Opera, injecting new vitality into this ancient art.
She has proved with her practical actions that as long as there is love and perseverance, traditional art can be revitalized in modern society. Compared with He Saifei and Mao Weitao, the development trajectory of the other three "Golden Flowers" is much more low-key, but their respective choices also reflect different life values and understanding of art.
Dong Kedi, like Mao Weitao, chose to stick to the Yue Opera stage. As a veteran actor, although she plays more supporting roles, she can impress the audience every time she appears.
In "Five Women's Birthday", she played Yang Jikang calmly and atmosphericly, showing the unique charm of the old character. Over the years, Dong Kedi has always insisted on performing on the stage of Yue Opera, and has contributed to the inheritance of Yue Opera in her own way.
Her persistence and dedication reflect the dedication and love of an opera artist to traditional culture. He Ying and Fang Xuewen's life trajectories have taken a big turn.
At a certain stage of their career development, they all chose to go abroad and temporarily bid farewell to the familiar Yue Opera stage. During their time abroad, they didn't even work in it.
This choice may be for personal reasons, or it may be another exploration of life. Recently, however, Ho Ying has returned to the Yue Opera stage. When she put on her costume again and stood on the stage, the audience was pleasantly surprised.
He Ying, who played the lively and lovely Yang Sanchun in "Five Women's Birthday", now once again shows her love for Yue Opera. This return is not only an insistence on personal dreams, but also a tribute to the art of Yue Opera.
The choice of each of the five golden flowers shows the diversity of artistic life. Whether they are persevering, leaving or returning, they are interpreting their understanding and love for Yue Opera in their own way.
The different life trajectories of "Five Golden Flowers of Yue Opera" reflect the challenges and opportunities faced by traditional opera in modern society. Their stories are not only personal choices, but also a microcosm of the development of the entire Yue Opera industry.
After his success in the film and television industry, He Saifei still did not forget to call for attention to the inheritance of Yue Opera, which reflects the artist's sense of responsibility. She bluntly said in a show: "I have always said that I want to inherit it, but there is no stage, no play, no money, how to pass it on."
These words express the practical dilemma of the development of Yue Opera. Mao Weitao's perseverance and cultivation of newcomers have sown the seeds of hope for the future of Yue Opera. She carefully guides young actors such as Chen Lijun, so that there will be successors to the art of Yue Opera.
Dong Kedi's silent cultivation and He Ying's return both interpret the different ways of loving this art. The future of Yue Opera needs more people's attention and support. As He Saifei said, without a stage and financial support, there is no way to talk about inheritance.
But as long as there are people like "Five Golden Flowers" who love Yue Opera, this art will definitely be passed down from generation to generation and bloom with new brilliance. In the collision of tradition and modernity, Yue Opera is looking for a new balance to adapt to the changes of the times.