"Mr. Dongguo and the Wolf", I think many people remember this fable that they once learned in elementary school textbooks. It tells the story of Mr. Dongguo's "love" on the evil wolf, and thus he is in danger of doom.
Recently, among the plays being rehearsed by the Sichuan Opera Art Center in Zigong City, Sichuan Province, is "Zhongshan Wolf", that is, the fable story of "Mr. Dongguo and the Wolf".
"We call these dramas 'Sichuan opera textbook dramas.'" Liu Kaikui, the artistic director of the center, said in an interview with Red Star News that the fables and stories that everyone is familiar with are presented to the audience in the form of Sichuan opera, with the purpose of hoping to attract the attention of more young people.
『Heart Knot』
Many young people do not know what Sichuan opera is
This becomes a knot in the heart of a non-hereditary inheritor
Liu Kaikui is the deputy director, artistic director and national first-class actor of Zigong Sichuan Opera Art Center, and also the inheritor of the Ziyang River Sect of Zigong City Sichuan Opera, an intangible cultural heritage.
Liu Kaikui recalled that many years ago, he performed in remote rural areas. Many young people do not know what Sichuan opera is, nor do they know what Sichuan opera is, which makes him feel very unhappy, and over time it has become a knot in his heart.
How to let Sichuan opera infect more young people and enter their lives? Soon after, the Zigong Sichuan Opera Art Center organized young actors to rehearse a traditional Sichuan opera origami play "Making Articles" and went deep into various schools to perform. The play shows how to be honest and do things, learn to make articles and do work with real talent, and do not learn and have no skills.
"After the performance of "Doing Articles", it has produced a very good response, and people who have watched it can have some insight and learn from it." Liu Kaikui said that similar to the repertoire extracted by old artists, it conforms to traditional and modern aesthetic consciousness, is educational and ideological, and is easy for audiences, especially young audiences, to accept.
『Test the waters』
Based on the idiom fables in textbooks
Created 5 Sichuan opera textbook dramas such as "Zhongshan Wolf"
In recent years, especially at the beginning of this year, the Zigong Sichuan Opera Art Center has conducted many research and discussions in combination with the work requirements of the central, provincial and municipal governments on "drama entering the campus", and finally decided to test the sichuan opera textbook drama.
Liu Kaikui introduced that the so-called Sichuan opera textbook drama, that is, the choice of idiom fables in primary and secondary school textbooks as the theme, the use of Sichuan opera in the form of screenwriting creation, without changing its core ideas at the same time, give more rich artistic content and connotation, so as to attract more audiences, especially young audiences.
Liu Kaikui said that the characteristics of textbook dramas mainly have three aspects.
The first aspect is the idiom fable story that everyone is familiar with and remembers itself very deeply;
Second, there are not only traditional forms of Sichuan opera, but also innovative performances, music, costumes and other modern elements;
In the third aspect, each drama lasts about 20 minutes, which not only has the expression of core ideas, but also the extension and expansion of artistic and ideological connotations.
"At present, we have created and completed 5 Sichuan opera textbook dramas, and the one we are rehearsing is "Zhongshan Wolf"." Liu Kaikui said that these 5 Sichuan opera textbook dramas include "Zhongshan Wolf", "Mao Sui Self-Recommendation", "Cup Bow Snake Shadow", "Carving Boats and Seeking Swords", and "Referring To Deer as Horses".
Rehearsal scene. Courtesy of respondents
『Innovation』
Sichuan opera not only changes its face and spits fire...
Open a new topic of Sichuan opera and attract more young people
Jiang Gang, director of the Sichuan Opera Art Center in Zigong City, introduced that in the early series of "Sichuan opera into the campus" activities, most of the Sichuan opera performers brought traditional folding drama, which made many young people think that Sichuan opera was just an art form such as changing faces, spitting fire, and rolling lights. In fact, Sichuan opera has many art forms that everyone has never been exposed to.
Jiang Gang said that through in-depth research and discussion, the Sichuan Opera Art Center in Zigong City has built sichuan opera textbook dramas as a series of brands. While adhering to the traditional core of Sichuan opera, it innovates in a series of elements such as performance methods, music, costumes, and headdresses. Strengthen the integration of traditional and modern aesthetics, appropriately enhance the difficulty of skills, make the singing voice and confession more understandable, pay more attention to the vividness of the character image, so as to attract the attention of more young people, so that Sichuan opera can be better inherited and carried forward.
Jiang Gang said that Sichuan opera textbook drama is not only the first test of the Sichuan Opera Art Center in Zigong City, but also an innovative test of the new form of Sichuan opera. The Sichuan opera textbook drama "Zhongshan Wolf", which is currently being rehearsed, has been selected to participate in the 18th Provincial Drama Sketch (Small Drama) Competition.
Red Star News reporter Yuan Wei
Edited by Peng Jiang
(Download Red Star News, there are prizes for the newspaper!) ）