Dahe Network reporter Mo Shaohua
One night, the reporter was writing a manuscript about Yu opera, just opened a still of the artist Wang Shanpu, the mother behind him suddenly said: "This is not a leash!" ”
Opening another still of Liu Lanfang, the mother said, "This is not a silver ring!" "Speaking authentic Henan dialect is as cordial as if I had met my comrades-in-arms when I was young.
The mother said, "Who in my generation doesn't know about Chaoyanggou!" 'Walk a ridge to climb a mountain' was the popular song of that time! The silver ring plaid shirt with two large thick braids was the most fashionable outfit when they were young. ”
A play, from its first appearance on the screen in 1958, has remained enduring, singing repeatedly, what is the charm? There is a very key character is Yang Lanchun, who is known as the father of "Chaoyanggou".
On September 17, at the 100th anniversary of Yang Lanchun's birth and the 32nd annual meeting of the Chinese Opera Modern Drama Research Association, Jia Wenlong, head of the third troupe of Henan Yu Theater, sighed: "Until now, "Chaoyanggou" will be played in rural marriages. Mr. Yang Lanchun has created many classic modern drama works for the people in his lifetime, and his works are full of deep affection for the people, the party, the motherland, and the new life. ”
Who is Yang Lanchun?
For many young people, it is impossible not to mention "Chaoyanggou", but there may be very little to know about Yang Lanchun.
Born in the hinterland of the Taihang Mountains at the junction of Jin, Hebei and Yu, Yang Lanchun received enlightenment in folk drama classes, grew up among the peasant masses and revolutionary ranks, and succeeded in the creation and directing stage of Yu opera.
He was the deputy director of the Henan Provincial Opera Troupe and the head of the Provincial Yu Opera Troupe. In his lifetime, he has choreographed and directed more than 100 plays, including the familiar "Little Erhei Marriage", "Chaoyanggou", "Winter to Spring", "Li Shuangshuang", "Liu Hulan" and so on. Among them, "Chaoyanggou" has become a well-known and sung modern opera classic of Yu opera, which has been warmly welcomed by the masses. In 1964, the leaders of the older generation of state Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, etc. watched the performance of "Chaoyanggou" and cordially received all the actors. The play was later made into a movie, made into a record, and has been sung for a long time to this day.
Liao Ben, a member of the party group and vice chairman of the China Writers Association, said in the preface to "The Biography of Yang Lanchun": His name is linked to the development of Yu opera, to the reform and innovation of Yu opera, and to the successful creation of modern opera by Yu opera. He is good at making plays, good at writing lyrics, thanks to the nutrition of folk literature such as Wu'an Luozi, and even more thanks to his genius ability to observe life, summarize life, and artistically express life. Without Yang Lanchun, there would be no Henan Yu Opera Three Troupes, and without the Henan Yu Opera Three Troupes, The development of Modern Opera in China would lose a strong driving force and its appearance would not be complete.
Why is "Chaoyanggou", which tells the story of the city girl Yinhuan and the rural boy's leash to participate in the fiery construction of the new countryside that year, enduring?
Chen Yongquan, member of the party group and vice chairman of the Henan Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles, explained that although the era reflected in "Chaoyanggou" is far gone, and the theme of intellectual youth going to the mountains and going to the countryside to receive re-education for poor and lower-middle peasants is outdated, its vivid story will still be passed down from generation to generation, and the typical characters of the tie bao, the silver ring, and the large and small characters in the play have been deeply rooted in the hearts of the vast number of audiences, and the beautiful singing voice is still singing everywhere, and it has become the epitome of that era and a classic of modern drama.
Why can Yang Lanchun's drama penetrate the hearts of the people and spread widely?
Wang Ankui, advisor to the Chinese Opera Modern Drama Research Association and former director of the Xiqu Research Institute of the China Academy of Arts, recalls the past vividly.
Yang Lanchun is a dramatist who really comes from the masses, has learned traditional drama in the Wu'an Luozi Theater Troupe, and in the army, picking up two tiles can say allegro. During the liberation war years, he went to the homes of ordinary people to settle homes and buy grain, and he could best understand the thoughts and feelings of ordinary people. Before rehearsing "Chaoyanggou", the three groups of Yu Opera had rehearsed works such as "Little Erhei Marriage" and "Liu Hulan" written and directed by Yang Lanchun, and Yang Lanchun led the actors to Shanxi, Henan and other places to live deeply, so the entire creative team had a foundation for life.
Li Shujian, president of Henan Yu Theater, commented that Yang Lanchun is one of the founders of the three troupes of Yu Theater, without him, the three troupes would not have today's glory. Yang Lanchun's "Chaoyanggou", "Little Two Black Marriage", "Liu Hulan" and a large number of modern drama classics that are close to reality, close to life, and close to the masses are a photograph of historical development, and even more a positive and upward life praise for the people.
In terms of artistic creation, he has provided us with a lot of valuable points to learn, and has valuable experience and explorable knowledge for improving the formal beauty and connotation beauty of modern opera, for improving the aesthetic value of modern opera and further developing Modern Chinese opera, and even building a strong cultural province in Henan.
As the saying goes, "drama praises people, people hold opera", because Yang Lanchun and "Chaoyanggou", the three troupes of Yu Theater have created many well-known actors such as Gao Jie, Ma Lin, Wang Shanpu, Wei Yun, Liu Lanfang, etc., and created the opera music of the three troupes represented by Wang Jixiao and so on, forming a peak of modern Yu opera.
Why can "walk a ridge to turn over a mountain" become a "pop song"?
The main creative team is the soul of drama creation, which determines the quality and style of the construction of the entire theater troupe. Chen Yongquan commented that for a period of time, some academies and troupes claimed not to "raise" the main creative staff, especially not to "raise" screenwriters, which is typical of artistic short-sightedness and utilitarianism. "The development process of the three regiments fully illustrates the importance of the main creative personnel, and only with a stable team of main creators can the artistic style of a regiment be formed." They know their own group, are familiar with the characteristics of each actor, and are convenient for setting up plays for each other; the main creators know each other's roots, and the cooperation will naturally form a tacit understanding, smooth sailing, and handy. ”
The formation of the three regiments style benefited from the fact that it had a team of main creators with a complete system of choreography, director, music and beauty. Its manager is Mr. Yang Lanchun, who is a choreographer and director, and there are screenwriters Niu Guanli, Li Dianchen, Dong Xinmin, directors Xu Xin, Chen Xinli, Ma Wanlou, Liu Ling, Zhang Ping, singing design, composer Wang Jixiao, Lu Benxiu, Jiang Hongxuan, Liang Sihui, Ma Mingkun, Zhu Chaolun, Zhang Jingping's words, Zhao Guoan, Li Hongquan, stage design Guan Peng, Guo Youzhen, etc.
"The road of adhering to realism that they pioneered, pursuing distinct characteristics of the times, rich life atmosphere, and focusing on shaping the artistic style of vivid character images has influenced the three groups for decades." Chen Yongquan said.