Photo: Shanghai opera master Xu Shuihua Courtesy of Shanghai Shanghai Theater
At 5:00 a.m. Beijing time this morning, Shanghai opera master Xu Shuihua died in Australia at the age of 85.
Xu Shuehua was born in 1936 in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. She has loved Shanghai opera since childhood, and studied under the famous Shanghai opera performance artist Ding Shi'e. In 1950, he entered the Shanghai Opera Troupe of Shangyi and joined the People's Shanghai Opera Troupe in 1953. She has always been hardworking and diligent, and her basic skills are quite solid, which has been praised by previous artists.
Xu Weihua is good at playing the role of a young girl, and her expression is Bi Xiao, which can quite reflect the character of the character. She played Xiao Zhenzi in the Shanghai opera movie "Spark of Stars", with a pin and a dull eye, shaping the image of a bonded worker under cruel torture into an unforgettable way. In the play, her "wall duet" with Xiao Aiqin and Shen Renwei opened the precedent of Shanghai opera trio, which is still performed on the stage today.
Pictured: "Abida Returns to Her Mother's Home" Shi Xiaoying (left) as the female tiger, Xu Shuehua as Abida Shanghai Shanghai Theater courtesy of the picture
The Abida in "Abida Returns to Her Mother's House" is a representative role of Xu Shuaihua, and she plays Abida without making too much fuss about the appearance and action, but pays attention to inner performance. Her silent, frightened, frightened and frightened look brought Abida to life. Abi Da, played by Xu Weihua, the female tiger played by Shi Xiaoying, and the aunt played by Ding Shi'e became the "three absolutes" on the Stage of Shanghai Opera. In the play, Xu Weihua's classic singing section "Hand Playing Cotton and Thinking Of Suffering" shows the sad mood of the child bride being bullied very touchingly, and is deeply loved by the Audience of Shanghai Opera.
In addition, she also played the roles of Xiao Ling, a hygienist in "Ludang Tinder", Li Xiaoxia in "Save Her", and Yang Sanjie in "Yang Sanjie's Complaint", all of which left a deep impression on the audience. Her performance is simple and delicate, sincere and full of feelings, singing is passionate, the tone is clear and sweet, the cavity is round, the charm is strong, the words are clear, and it has the characteristics of smooth and pleasant, and the voice is rich.
Xu Shuihua's singing of "Embroidery Lotus Bag Ten Embroidery" is particularly outstanding. This was originally a traditional singing section of Shanghai opera, and Xu Shuehua modified it according to his own voice conditions. With the joint efforts of her husband and the famous pianist Zhu Jiesheng, the singing voice of "Embroidery Lotus Bag Ten Embroidery" integrates flower faces, transpositions, high cavities and tongue twisters, the rhythm is fresh and bright, the speed is compact, the layers are clear, especially the flexible use of some lining words, so that the whole singing section is unrestrained, beautiful and euphemistic, very beautiful. In the early 1960s, she sang the song specifically for Chairman Mao.
Photo: Shanghai Shanghai Theater 60th Anniversary Celebration Performance Xu Shuehua singing "Ludang Tinder • Reed Sanatorium" Courtesy of Shanghai Shanghai Theatre
After retiring, Xu Shuehua went to Australia to settle down and live, still concerned about the cause of Shanghai opera. She has returned to China many times to participate in various activities such as "Shanghai Opera Returning to Her Mother's Home", "Three Trips to the Countryside", "Shanghai Opera Art Festival" held by Shanghai Shanghai Theatre.
(Xinmin Evening News reporter Zhao Yue)