Know each other far and near, thousands of miles are still neighbors.
The curtain opened, and Tetsutaro Shimizu, a group leader over 70 years old, and his wife Ryoko Morishita (known as the "Pearl of the Orient") appeared with the members of the group.
Shimizu bowed at ninety degrees and gave a speech in person:
For thousands of years, China has taught Japan countless valuable experiences and wisdom. The most painful moments for human beings are precisely the most precious moments. Because at this time, human beings will evoke infinite power.
Not discouraged, not slackening, not afraid, not giving up, persevering, bravely moving forward, stubbornly fighting against the invisible enemy, will surely usher in the final victory!
After that, the Matsuyama Ballet sang the "March of the Volunteers" with Chinese, and finally all the members shouted together with Chinese:
"I love China! We love China! Come on Wuhan! Come on China! Come on humans! ”
The video was filmed on February 9 at the Shinjuku Cultural Center in Tokyo. On the same day, Matsuyama Ballet performed in Tokyo, and the director of the group, Tetsutaro Shimizu, said, "We took advantage of the gap before the opening and spent about twenty minutes recording before the audience entered. Our original idea was to tell the people of Wuhan that we are watching them and that the whole world is watching them. ”
This is a completely "temporary" decision, for example, the group dance before the singing of the Chinese national anthem is completely spontaneously performed by the actors according to their emotions. And the passage of singing the Chinese national anthem does not need to be rehearsed, "Our actors have been practicing this song all the time, so it is natural to sing it." ”
In addition to Chinese, who knows the origin of the "Volunteer March" the most, Matsuyama Ballet definitely occupies a place.
"We know very well that it was composed during the War of Resistance Against Japan, so I feel that singing this song is particularly in line with our current mood, which represents a kind of 'introspection' and the mood of moving towards the future." Tetsutaro Shimizu said that it is very natural for Chinese to sing the Chinese national anthem, "Japanese people singing this song will first leave a strong impression on the Japanese, but also leave a strong impression on people all over the world, and China is in a difficult moment of fighting the epidemic, it will be known to more people." ”
In addition, Matsuyama Ballet collected nearly 20,000 medical masks through various channels and sent them to the Chinese Embassy in Japan on February 14, "through which they were transported back to China, and then distributed to the places where they were most needed." ”
01
When it comes to Matsuyama Ballet, we also have to mention their classic ballet "The White-Haired Girl". This authentic Chinese story is the beginning of their connection with China.
In 1952, Japanese parliamentarians Takara Fumi, Sail Foot, and Miyaya Keisuke visited China and became the first Japanese guests to visit after the founding of New China.
During his visit to China, Fan Zuji came across the movie "White-Haired Girl" and was deeply moved. He proposed to Premier Zhou Enlai that he must bring this film back and introduce it to the Japanese people so that they can better understand New China.
Therefore, Premier Zhou Enlai presented him with a videotape of the movie "The White-Haired Girl".
Poster for the premiere of the Chinese film "The White-Haired Girl" in Japan
It was also that year that Masao Shimizu, the founder of matsuyama Ballet, the father of Tetsutaro Shimizu, saw the Chinese film "The White-Haired Girl" for the first time. After the movie screening, the tearful Masao Shimizu found his wife and tried to recommend the movie to her.
His wife, Shuko Matsuyama, was a rising star in the Japanese ballet world at the time, and the two of them hit it off and adapted "The White-Haired Girl" into a ballet.
On February 12, 1955, the ballet "The White-Haired Girl" was finally staged at the Hibiya Hall in Tokyo.
Masao Shimizu and Shuko Matsuyama
Masao Shimizu recalled that at that time, theaters in Tokyo were in short supply, and many groups or artists who wanted to get a performance venue had to use the method of paying first and then drawing lots to obtain the schedule of the theater. In order to perform, Shimizu mortgaged his property and land, and mobilized several members of the troupe to line up with money to draw lots, so that two signs were drawn.
When it premiered in Tokyo, Japan, with its strong "appeal", the audience was moved to tears and gave a standing ovation. Later, Masao Shimizu wrote in his memoirs: "The day of the premiere was very cold, but the scene was full, not even a replacement seat. ”
Stills from "The White-Haired Girl"
In the same year, Premier Zhou Enlai received Shuko Matsuyama.
At the banquet, Premier Zhou introduced two "Xi'er" actors, Wang Kun, who starred in the opera "White Haired Girl" and Tian Hua, who starred in the movie "White Haired Girl", to Shuzi Matsuyama.
The Matsuyama Ballet overcame many difficulties to make "The White-Haired Girl" premiere in Beijing, which was a great success. After that, the stage toured Chongqing, Wuhan, Shanghai and other places.
In the book, Shimizu Masao recalls: "The shanghai performance was held in a cultural theater that can accommodate more than 13,000 people, and it was the first time for our ballet company to perform in front of so many audiences. The applause of more than 10,000 people resounded throughout the huge theater, and this spectacular scene was unparalleled in the world. ”
02
Masao Shimizu and Shuko Matsuyama's love of ballet art and their insistence on faith deeply influenced their son Tetsutaro Shimizu and daughter-in-law Yoko Morishita.
Yoko Morishita was born in Japan in 1948. He began to study ballet at the age of three, showing great talent, and completed the whole scene of "Swan Lake" at the age of 15.
At the age of 26, she won the gold medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition, known as the "Olympics" of the ballet world, and became a rare Asian face in the ballet industry at that time.
On September 20, 1964, Yoko Morishita appeared on the cover of Japan's "Friends of the Girl" magazine
At the age of 22, after Yoko Morishita first saw Matsuyama Ballet's "The White-Haired Girl", she had the idea of learning dance with Shuko Matsuyama. In 1971, Yoko Morishita officially joined the Matsuyama Ballet under the tutelage of Shuko Matsuyama.
That same year, during matsuyama ballet's visit to China, Matsuyama Shuko handed over the stage to Yoko Morishita. Thus, the second generation of "Xi'er" was born.
The 1st Shirage Woman Matsuyama Yoko (left) Japanese 2nd Shirage Woman Yoko Morishita
This jump is more than 40 years.
After a performance in China in 1971, Premier Zhou Enlai watched the performance and went on stage to shake hands with Yoko Morishita and presented her with a set of costumes, which made Yoko Morishita very moved.
Since then, every time she performs "White Haired Girl", she will wear this costume. His husband said, "Yoko wears absolutely no other clothes or any other wig except this dress, except this wig. She cherished this dress very much, and if it broke somewhere, she sewed it up one by one. ”
03
Why choose to jump the Chinese theme "White Haired Girl"?
Tetsutaro Shimizu has said many times: "For an authentic Japanese like me, the interpretation of "The White-Haired Girl" means Japan's atonement for the sins of the Chinese people and the people of Asia. ”
Tetsutaro Shimizu and Yoko Morishita play Oharu and Ki'er
Today, behind the rehearsal hall of the Matsuyama Ballet, the chinese and Japanese national flags are still hung high, and a portrait hangs in the middle of the national flag, which is Premier Zhou Enlai.
Art knows no borders, and the afflictions see the truth.
No one is qualified to forgive history on behalf of China's martyrs, but in the face of disaster, we must also thank all the people in the world who have reached out to help, even if it is just a "thank you".