Until the end of November, the winter desert is cold and the everything is preserved, but the cultural activity square of Liangjiaying Calligraphy and Painting Art Town in Baoding City, Hebei Province, is full of heat. On the people's stage, the actors from the Baoding Art Theater Hebei Zizi Troupe were beautifully dressed and sang "Traces of Teeth" vividly. Offstage, the people sat or stood and listened with relish. Zhang Guoyong, 67, who came from Baoding city to listen to the play, said: "In the past two years, there have been more and more plays in Baoding, which makes people feel that the fiery energy of 'drama nests' is back!" ”
The ancient city of Baoding, which forms a golden triangle with Beijing and Tianjin, has always been known as the "Gyeonggi Heavy Land" and "the Southern Gate of the Capital", and is a national historical and cultural city. Over the years, a deep and diverse culture has been accumulated here, among which the famous opera culture is particularly brilliant. In the Yuan Dynasty, miscellaneous dramatists such as Guan Hanqing, Wang Shifu, and Wu Hongdao appeared frequently. In the past two or three hundred years, more than 30 kinds of dramas such as Peking Opera, Commentary, Hebei Zizi, Baoding Old Tone, Gao Cavity, Beikun, Silk String, and Qin Cavity have been widely circulated here. Famous figures in the opera industry such as Li Chunlai, Tian Jiyun, Qi Rushan, etc., and well-known performing artists Gai Mingtian, Han Shichang, Cui Chengtian, Wang Guanying, Xin Qiuhua, etc., a large number of outstanding masters were conceived here. According to the statistics of 12 counties in Baoding in the 1980s, there were 735 amateur theater troupes in the city. Historically, Baoding's old tune has entered Beijing 18 times to perform for the central leadership and major national events, and baoding art school, known as the "Pearl of North China Art", has been on the stage of CCTV Spring Festival Gala for 12 consecutive years.
There are many types of opera, many troupes, many famous characters, many ticket holders, and many audiences, and the "hometown of opera" and "drama nest" have become the bright business cards of Baoding.
Later, affected by many factors, Baoding's opera inheritance road encountered many difficulties such as talent gaps, audience loss, and difficulties in the survival of the troupe. Since the Eighteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the state has begun to vigorously carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture and revitalize the art of opera. At the end of 2018, after the Baoding Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism was officially listed, with the support of the local government, it increased the support for opera culture. Nowadays, Baoding City combines the needs of the times to promote urban transformation and upgrading, and strives to create "cultural Baoding". The cultural undertakings of opera have also taken advantage of this to make the "opera nest" enter the "heart nest" of the common people.
Seeking change in the middle of the guard has a new look
Speaking of the cultural heritage and past glory of Baoding opera, Baoding opera artists can hardly hide their inner excitement. What is more surprising and admirable about them is that in addition to love and persistence, they are rooted in their hearts with the belief of non-stop, inheritance, hard work, and transcendence.
Liu Wheatui, the leader of the Hebei Wuzi Regiment who loved opera since he was a child and came from a class, caught up with the low tide of opera when he first joined the company. But for decades, although he has experienced countless difficulties and the fire in his heart has not been extinguished, especially in the past one or two years, he is more confident: "We are the first unit in Baoding to receive funding from the National Arts Fund, and now, as long as there are good projects, the state, provinces and cities have financial support." Without the worries of precariousness, everyone's desire to create is very strong, and they all hope to dig out more of Baoding's unique history and culture and push it to the opera stage. ”
Overall planning and guidance, financial support, and benign incentives have made Liu Wheat Sui and many literary and art workers in Baoding firmly believe that the best era of great prosperity and development of Baoding opera has arrived.
As a result, the Baoding Art Theater's subordinate Hebei Zizi Troupe, the Hebei Zizi Troupe, the Baoding Old Tune Troupe, the Baoding City Art Troupe, and the Baoding City Art Troupe, as well as the Baoding City Art Research Institute, the Baoding City Group Art Museum, the Baoding Art School, and other literary and art groups, all of which have a positive and energetic spiritual outlook, based on fertile soil, inherit classics, seek innovation and change, make solid strides, and strive to forge ahead in the new era of "setting off a new upsurge in Baoding culture and literature."
Broaden your horizons and create new ones
Only by deeply cultivating the local area can literature and art draw the source of inspiration and living water; only by highlighting the spirit of the times can it gain the universal resonance of the audience.
In accordance with the requirements of "creative transformation and innovative development" of excellent traditional culture put forward by the Nineteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, in the past year and more, while inheriting and developing traditional opera, the Literary and Art Circles in Baoding have continuously broadened their horizons and advanced with the times, creating, compiling, and performing a number of outstanding new works that are closely linked to history, the times, and the people, and integrate ideology, artistry, and ornamentation.
The scene of the performance of "Spring to Longquanzhuang"
The performance scene of "Yan Zhao Feng Bone Guan Hanqing"
The scene of the performance of "Flying to Seize Luding Bridge"
"Spring to Longquanzhuang", which is set against the background of Baoding Fuping County's decisive battle to overcome poverty, closely follows the pulse of the times and creates a new situation in the rehearsal of modern dramas in Baoding's old tune. Excavating Yanzhao culture and red culture, several times its manuscripts, Hebei Zizi created and arranged "Yanzhao Wind Bone Yang Jisheng" and "Baoding Red Second Division". Under the leadership of Zhang Tao, the leader of the Baoding City Art Troupe, actively explored original cultural tourism fusion songs and Allegro works with local characteristics, and created a large number of anti-epidemic opera singing segments during the epidemic. The opera dance "Flying to Seize Luding Bridge" created by Baoding Art School and the excerpt of Hebei Zizi's "Dou E'er Grievance" performed by Baoding Art School have become classics. The newly edited Baoding old-tuned historical drama "Yan Zhao Feng Bone Guan Hanqing" and the musical children's drama "Everyday Adventures" created by the Baoding Municipal Art Research Institute have made creative breakthroughs in singing, music design, content and ornamentation. The Qunwen fine music and painting group "Ask", the song "Spring Full Of Dragon Spring Pass", "Sai Qiu" and so on have received wide acclaim.
The innovation of these literary and artistic works is new in genre, music, choreography, costumes, singing voices, and also in the excellence of the script, and the words are carefully considered. For example, "Yan Zhao Feng Bone Yang Jisheng", a total of 8 editions, the last version of the addition of the original heart, diligence, thrift and other words, more in line with the current era.
"The reason why I chose Baoding to express the old tune of rural areas and talk about poverty alleviation is because she is a national intangible cultural property, and at the same time, she is also trying to make an artistic breakthrough in this ancient drama." Wang Qiong, screenwriter of "Spring to Longquanzhuang" and a young female writer in Baoding City, said.
As a young screenwriter, Zhai Yi, head of the Baoding Municipal Art Research Institute, said that it is necessary to take on the responsibility of digging deep into Baoding's history and culture, telling The story of Baoding, deeply creating literary and artistic works with local characteristics from a contemporary perspective, and contributing to the new climax of cultural and artistic masterpiece creation in Baoding.
In the tide of the times, Baoding literary and art workers no longer limit their eyes to a corner, but based on the local deep ploughing, closely follow the pulse of the times, highlight the local characteristics. Poverty alleviation, ecological environmental protection, history and culture, celebrity allusions, Xiong'an New Area, people's neighborhoods... Fresh, novel works, like spring flowers with dewdrops, bloom all over the city and countryside, full of vitality.
Strive to create fine products Highly new
Literary and artistic masterpieces embody a city's cultural creativity and level. "In the new era and new situation, our literary and artistic innovation must be guided by the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Party, undertake the mission of the new era, adhere to cultural self-confidence, continuously introduce fine products, and stimulate vitality in innovation and change." Li Hongqiang, deputy director of the Propaganda Department of the Baoding Municipal CPC Committee and secretary of the party leading group of the Baoding Municipal Bureau of Culture, Culture, Tourism, and Tourism, said.
In the past two years, through planning and guidance, the Baoding Municipal Bureau of Culture, Culture, Tourism and Tourism has guided the direction of stability and promoted the formation of professional theater troupes and folk theater troupes with their own advantages, characteristics, differentiated development and benign competition. They not only made a great breakthrough in the number of creations, but also organized the creation and arrangement of colorful artistic masterpieces, so that Baoding literature and art reached a new high.
"Yan Zhao Feng Bone Yang Jisheng" performance scene
The scene of the performance of "Everyday Adventures"
More than 10 works such as Hebei Zizi's "Yanzhao Feng Bone Yang Jisheng", Allegro's "Ode to the Five Warriors of Wolf's Tooth Mountain", Baoding's old tune "Yanzhao Fengbone Guan Hanqing", "Spring to Longquan Zhuang", drama "Finding the Way", musical children's drama "Everyday Adventure" and other more than 10 works have been supported by the National Arts Fund and The Stage Repertoire of Hebei Province, and many plays have won the "Literary and Art Revitalization Award" of Hebei Province and the national "Five One Project" award. "Spring to Longquanzhuang" was recommended to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to participate in the national network exhibition, "Pan Yang litigation", "Eight Precepts of Drama" and other plays have been invited to participate in the "Kunshan Hundred Opera Festival", Shijiazhuang "Five-Way Silk Strings" and "One Drama in January" and other performances for many times; the "Expedition" created during the epidemic period was recorded by the Hebei Provincial Drama Association into the anti-epidemic book "Remembering the Epidemic", the 26-episode series of commentaries "Legend of Baoding Iron Ball" won the first prize of Hebei Radio, Film and Television Program, and activities such as "Cultural Run Ancient City", "Color Weekend" and "Opera Color Weekend" have become Baoding cultural business cards.
Driven by high-quality works, Baoding City's literary and artistic "seven advances" to benefit the people's performance has ranked in the forefront of Hebei Province for three consecutive years; in the special literary and artistic performance organized by the Hebei Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the quality of Baoding's special programs and network hits have won the first place in the province, becoming the best result of Baoding City Group Art Museum and Literary and Art Academy Group for more than 20 years.
Broaden the path to spread the new
The dramas that can grow, enliven and change in the folk, and the works that can sink, sing, enter the masses, and face the market, can maintain long-term vitality. In order to thicken the mass foundation of opera and let Baoding's "opera nest" enter the "heart nest" of the people, Baoding City has opened up a wide path and spread a new way in the new era of rapid change.
The Baoding Municipal Bureau of Culture, Culture, Tourism and Tourism has creatively expanded the "seven advances" of literature and art into "ten advances", and performed more than 2,500 times a year to benefit the people; carefully planned the "Guan Hanqing Arts Festival" and "Guan Hanqing Huimin Exhibition and Performance Season" to let local theater troupes and the best local plays be displayed in elegant halls; in-depth integration of culture and tourism, and promoted outstanding literary and artistic works through the tourism development conference; actively organized public welfare training, cultivated ticket group and improved their overall level; strengthened cooperation with national media, and widely publicized by radio, television, newspapers and other media.
Hebei Yizi Troupe broadcast live online
At the same time, Baoding City has increased the exploration and utilization of network audio-visual forms such as "cloud creation", "cloud theater" and "cloud exhibition and broadcasting". During the COVID-19 epidemic, baoding's "battlefield flying song" original anti-epidemic works collection activity was performed more than 1,000 times through the online platform, benefiting more than 3 million audiences. Hebei Wuzi Troupe's first online live broadcast, two hours attracted nearly 10,000 netizens to watch online, the troupe leader Zang Xiaofeng said that the positive interaction between online and offline, so that the traditional art of opera continues to glow with new vitality. Liu Jinping, head of the Baoding Old Tune Theater Troupe, said that the form of performance on the "cloud" expands the boundaries of traditional culture and makes the opera performance move from one side to a larger stage.
Through a variety of paths of dissemination, the various troupes in Baoding City have rapidly increased their popularity and are often invited to perform in urban and rural areas, achieving a win-win situation in which the troupe increases its income and the masses benefit.
Inherit the roots of the future new
Talent is the foundation, wealth and lifeline of the drama. Inheriting and developing the roots, so that the drama genre is full of exuberant vitality, Baoding City has made great efforts to retain and introduce outstanding talents, cultivate young actors and new forces in the future.
In 2019, baoding old tune theater troupe completed the Baoding old tune "Pan Yang Litigation" youth performance talent training project funded by the National Arts Fund, and discovered and trained 20 trainees. In order to cultivate young actors, the Hebei Zizi group not only increased their opportunities to exercise on stage, but also invited retired old actors to specially invite Qiu Ruide, Yin Chanjuan and other national-level masters to guide and demonstrate on the spot.
As the only public art secondary school in Baoding City and the national children's opera small plum blossom training base, Baoding Art School has overcome various difficulties and carried out all-round and vigorous innovation in the overall construction of teaching team, infrastructure and teaching quality. According to President Qi Wenying, the school has established a distance teaching agreement with the National Peking Opera House and the China Academy of Performing Arts, and has also specially hired famous artists such as Wang Yinghui of Hebei Province, Zhang Haoyang of Peking Opera, Sun Luyang of Critic Opera, Du Zhenzhong, an old tuner in Baoding, and Zhou Wei, a cross-talk actor and host, as artistic consultants. Nowadays, the reputation of "national opera martial arts to see Baoding" is gradually recovering.
In the 2020 Baoding Art School "First Lesson of School", an artistic consultant appointment letter was issued to Wang Yinghui, a famous artist of Hebei Wuzi, Zhang Haoyang, a famous Peking Opera artist, and Sun Luyang, a famous critic of opera.
Inheritance also needs more opera lovers. After retiring, Du Zhenzhong, who served as the head of the old tune troupe for more than 20 years, sent the old tune to schools, communities, villages, military camps and networks through singing repertoire, spreading drama genres, and bringing new people, and brought students to the CCTV Opera Channel, Baoding Spring Festival Gala and other big stages. In response to the call of "opera culture into the campus", Baoding Art School carried out 36 activities in 2019. The Guangyu Hebei Yizi Art Research Institute has trained more than 600 opera students free of charge, and the "2019 Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Opera Ticket Competition" hosted by the Guangyu Hebei Yizi Art Research Institute has attracted the active participation of five major drama genres and 1105 ticket holders. Based on the popularization of art and the benefit of culture, Baoding Qunyi Museum has continuously promoted new breakthroughs in public cultural services in Baoding, and new highlights have emerged in an endless stream. According to the curator Wang Jian, since 2019, Qunyi Museum has carried out more than 100 public welfare mass cultural activities, more than 100 public welfare trainings, more than 100 cultural performances to benefit the people, cultural "seven advances" and theme activities; Yang Lihong, the first prize winner of the 7th "Peace Cup" Chinese Peking Opera Fan Invitational Competition and the third generation of Xunpai Peking Opera, has worked hard to pass on, help and generation, and has made every effort to deliver more "fresh blood" to the cause of Peking Opera.
"Three or five walks all over the world, six or seven million soldiers." Xiqu culture has a long history, and the charm of xiqu has been flourishing for a long time. On the big stage, Baoding old tunes, Hebei Zizi, Peking Opera, historical drama, modern drama, children's drama... Through history, the afterglow is lingering; in the new era, a group of people who love drama have hearts and dreams, use their emotions to tell good stories and create a new future. The inheritance, innovation and development of the opera industry are playing the march of prosperity and revitalization of Baoding culture (Meng Zhaojing)