Mr. Gai personally approached Comrade Chen Yi, the mayor of Shanghai at the time, and said, "Why didn't Xin Fengxia come to Shanghai to perform "Liu Qiao'er"? Mr. Chen also gave advice to our leaders, and Mr. Gai said: "The Shanghai audience knows "Liu Qiao'er", and even I can sing it. It's stupid not to act out a money-making play. ”
Mr. Gai was approachable, and talked to me about the family and said: "I am an old friend with your husband Wu Zuguang, that was in 1946, Zu Guang wrote an article for me about the young Gai called Tian, he is a talent!" I said, "When I came to Shanghai when I was a child, you still called me by my nickname, and my sister was Yang Jinxiang." Mr. Gai's eyes widened and he said in amazement, "Ah! Are you Xiaofeng? For many years, Lan Ting has no news..." Master Gai, who was standing on his side, said: "Nan Gai, North Li, South Gai is called Heaven, North out of Li Lan Ting, you are Jin Xiang's cousin, I really can't imagine, good horn!" We are a family, not an outsider. ”
Cover called heaven
The backstage conditions were so bad that Mr. Gai asked me to come to his house and I said, "Can't go, it's all a group activity." "Mr. Gai asked someone to bring me a cold mat, prickly heat powder, and invited me to a meal. Mr. Gai gave me two pieces of hangzhou textile silk clothing before I left, and Zu Guang gave me one piece.
Xin Fengxia and Wu Zuguang
In 1958, Zu Guang and I were both labeled as rightists. I remember that Mr. Gai came to Beijing to perform, and our theater invited him to give a lecture. In the rehearsal hall, the leader and Mr. Gai met, because of my political situation at that time, of course, I could not show my face, sat in the back and did not come forward, but Mr. Gai knew in his heart, he specially asked loudly: "When you arrive at the theater, why don't you see the critic Xin Fengxia coming!" Liu Qiao'er is known to the whole country, why didn't she come to see me? As soon as Mr. Gai asked, the leader called out, "Fengxia! Fengxia, come. I had to walk over, and Mr. Gai said to me very kindly: "Liu Qiao'er, who commented on the drama, is liked by everyone, of course I am not happy if you do not come!" I am an old audience member of the commentary, but after watching the commentary, I will still sing a few words of "Liu Qiao'er", 'Qiao'er I pick mulberry leaves...", he said and hummed two sentences. Mr. Gai began to lecture, "I am an actor is to say drama, literary drama should be sung by martial arts, martial arts should be performed by literature, literary drama should be sung on fire, full of drama, word by word deep into the hearts of the audience; martial arts should call guns to speak, call knives to open, every move is the character's inner affection, and the soul of the performance character comes." Mr. Gai's example in the lecture is also very interesting, always saying "Liu Qiao'er" action singing voice, such as: Qiao'er send you, cross the bridge to fight birds, the line in his hand, is a horse whip, but also a water sleeve, use freely, and so on, and said that this is the skill and kung fu of opera.
Xin Fengxia starred in the film stills of "Liu Qiao'er"
The most interesting thing is that he also talked about the marriage of Zhao Xiaolan and Yang Yukun in 1957, and Mr. Gai sang a piece of "Liu Qiao'er" to congratulate them on their husband and wife, which was welcomed by many people... In this class, Mr. Gai deliberately talked about Liu Qiao'er and the relationship with Zu Guang, in fact, he sympathized with me, supported me, and gave me confidence. After the lecture, he knew that I was living in the collective dormitory of the theater, and he must go to my room to see, and then encouraged me to say: "Practice well, "Liu Qiao'er" is loved by the audience, you think about the audience when you are worried, write to Zu Guang to ask him well, say that Gai moumou asked him well..."
New Fengxia
A generation of Peking Opera martial arts master Zu Gai called Tian, acted on stage, creating countless glorious images. Being a person offstage is also praised as upright and backbone, striving for excellence in art, and taking life step by step. On the centenary of Gai's birth, I am grateful and miss this great artist!
(This article was published in the Chaohua edition of Jiefang Daily on December 4, 1988)