On December 8, 2020, the famous director Tian Qinxin was appointed as the president of the National Drama Theatre of China, becoming the first female director of the National Drama Theatre of China in its 19-year history. Now, she has been in office for more than a month, and she is immersed in a variety of busy and trivial tasks.
When interviewed by reporters, it was already more than 11 o'clock in the evening, but she still looked energetic in red casual clothes, and she was cleaning up the clutter in the office while greeting reporters, until everything was in order, making a pot of good tea, sitting down and talking.
Let more people see the new style of drama
Reporter: It's been more than a month since you became the dean, what work have you done?
Tian Qinxin: This month, every day I have been learning about the situation of various departments, such as finance and budget, which I was not familiar with before. After I took office, it was more important to understand the situation of the logistics staff, and if there were people and families in particular difficulty, to find ways to help them. As the director of this play, I couldn't come to the scene because of the epidemic prevention and control, so I bought roses for everyone, as well as my own handwritten greeting cards, and expressed my heart in a WeChat way. The theater also sent New Year's greetings to the Actors Center and the Creative Department, hoping that artists and various departments could feel the warmth of the theater. The National Drama Theatre is an art academy troupe, and I hope to better bring the artistic atmosphere up. As a national art academy troupe, the most important thing is to make a play, but to take it slowly, it is impossible to eat a fat man in one bite.
Reporter: In recent years, whether from the external image or work, everyone can feel that you have changed a lot. So I would like to know about your mental journey over the years, what experiences, which moments, have a particularly profound and great impact on you?
Tian Qinxin: In May 2017, when I was directing the youth version of "Wild Ride" in Shanghai, I was hospitalized for an acute pancreatitis attack, and I was in the intensive care unit of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital for 44 days, did not eat for 22 days, and only relied on liquid food and nutrient solution, and lost 10 kilograms. Experiencing such a life and death test made me have a new understanding of life, so when I was discharged from the hospital and walked on the solid earth again, I felt cherished in my heart. I used to dress more neutrally, but after I was discharged from the hospital, I didn't know why, so I wanted to perm my hair, wear a skirt, and change my appearance.
Reporter: You are a well-known director in the theater circle, but for ordinary audiences across the country, you know you more through the CCTV program "China in the Story", and you also let everyone see a new style of drama.
Tian Qinxin: When I first took on this task, I began to do it story after story. The theme of the first season of "China in the Story" is to pay tribute to the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. We have sorted out the excellent classic literary and artistic works of the past 70 years, and remade "The Eternal Radio Wave", "Ordinary World", "Lin Hai Snow Field" and so on. The first season of the show was recognized by everyone, and the main creators of the crew were very encouraged, because our efforts were to tell the story of China, the story of the Chinese, and the story of the Chinese Communists. The second season of "China in the Story" mainly tells the story of New China, the story of heroic model characters who have contributed to the country, and has done "Poverty Alleviation Road", "Heroes and Children", "Zhong Nanshan", "National Anthem", "Lei Feng" and so on. Although some star actors are used, each story starts with the characters. Thanks to the cooperation between the National Drama Theatre of China, CCTV Comprehensive Channel and CCTV Creative Media, I have an opportunity to intensively contact contemporary realistic works.
To do the Chinese drama of "shouzheng innovation"
Reporter: Why did you choose to do drama in the first place? At that time, you had not yet entered the National Drama Theatre, and it should be a very difficult state to make a play.
Tian Qinxin: After I graduated, I went to Shenzhen, far away from Beijing. Beijingers sometimes don't cherish it when they are in Beijing, because our cultural life is indeed very rich. When I was in Beijing, I often rode my bicycle to see plays in Liujiu City and went to art galleries to see exhibitions, which were the norm. Going to Shenzhen is just very much to go outside to see. But after arriving in Shenzhen, I suddenly felt that I had no drama to watch. In those two years, I only entered the theater twice, once to see the New Year's concert of the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, and once to watch the "Tianxian Match" of the Anhui Huangmei Opera Troupe. That's when I suddenly wanted drama. I didn't know that I loved drama, and when I left it, I felt that I loved it. So I decided to go back to Beijing because I was going to do the drama.
Reporter: After so many years and so many works, what is your own view of drama?
Tian Qinxin: When I do drama, I basically do the main drama, and I am telling Chinese stories. I insist on four words, that is, "shouzheng innovation". I think that China's view of drama is the "beauty of neutralization" influenced by Confucian culture, the "transcendent void" influenced by Taoist culture, the "exaggeration of wonder" influenced by Chusao culture, and the "theory of artistic conception" influenced by Zen culture, which together constitute the artistic spirit of the whole of China. If we do not understand the spiritual inheritance of Chinese culture and the beauty of the aesthetic spirit of Chinese art, then even if we learn more Western things, there is no way to establish our own concept of acting, and we cannot inherit our culture. Therefore, I think this point is a top priority: we must build a socialist modern country, we must realize the dream of a cultural power, Chinese literature and art must become the world's leaders, and we need the cultural self-confidence of all artists.
This kind of cultural self-confidence comes from the fact that we should be aware of the intelligent and interesting artistic spirit of the five-thousand-year civilization, the superb kung fu, and the philosophical spirit of the ancient powers of the East. Its literary thinking, art theory, context, inheritance, spirit and essence all need us to understand and get close. In this way, our row of urban dramas is very Chinese; the row of realistic theme works is also a living Chinese; and the row of ancient plays also has the spiritual temperament of Chinese culture.
Explore the art of establishing Chinese theater directing
Reporter: At that time, you were willing to give up everything to make a play, but now that you are the dean, it may affect your creation as an artist.
Tian Qinxin: I'm still thinking about this today, and I'm going to really be the head of the academy now. I have always been a director, and I may direct plays in the years to come, but now I am more inclined to work for the theater, so that more young directors have more opportunities to take on the responsibility of Chinese national drama, to think about what kind of works to come up with and communicate with the world, and what kind of works to lead domestic drama. I hope to be able to discuss with you the art of watch directing at the National Drama Theatre of China, and to discuss what the National Drama Theatre of China should do.
Reporter: As the dean, what are your plans for the future creation of the National Drama Theatre?
Tian Qinxin: This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, and we have three new creations, "The Age of Heroes", a work showing public security cadres and policemen, "The Red Starting Point", which reflects a major theme of the Communist Party of China, and a new play adapted from a novel, "The Last Radio Wave"; in addition, the repertoire includes the anti-epidemic theme "People First", the poverty alleviation theme "New Young People in the Village", the heroic model character theme "Gu Wenchang", and the "Night in Three Bays" about party building.
At the same time, theaters should study the art of Chinese drama table directors and establish the acting style of the National Drama Theatre; they should restore writers' dramas, understand the IP of network literature, and excavate more good works; they should rationally use the resources of star artists in the theater so that more audiences can see the superb stage performances of the performing artists; they should strengthen the construction of the National Drama Theater's creative team and hope that more choreographic and directing artists will emerge; and there are also excellent directors and outstanding artists in society who can come to the theater to direct plays. Continue to cooperate with CCTV and the National Drama Theatre to spread the influence of the National Drama Theatre. The National Drama Theatre of China will also step up friendship with national drama groups and social individuals, cooperate with online platforms, and strengthen the research of "online stage broadcasting" and the launch of drama products, hoping to produce better social influence.
Text/Beijing Evening News reporter Wang Run
Editor/Cui Wei