China news agency, Taipei, February 23, on the eve of the return tour of the youth version of Peony Pavilion Taiwan Bai Xianyong, a famous writer, had a talk with Wang Anqi, honorary professor of the Department of Drama of Taiwan University and artistic director of the Guoguang Opera Troupe in Taipei on the evening of the 23rd on the topic of "Kunqu Opera Revival".
It has been 20 years since the youth version of Peony Pavilion premiered in Taipei in 2004. Bai Xianyong's new book "Twenty Years of Peony Blossom - Youth Edition" Peony Pavilion "and Kunqu Opera Revival" will be published in late March. The book is divided into six parts, which will restore the whole performance of 20 years in a panoramic way.
On February 23, Bai Xianyong, a famous Taiwanese writer, had a talk with Wang Anqi, honorary professor of the Department of Drama of Taiwan University and artistic director of the Guoguang Opera Troupe in Taipei on the topic of "Kunqu Opera Revival". The picture shows Bai Xianyong. Photographed by Yang Chengchen, a reporter from China News Service
"Who has seen the premiere 20 years ago?" At the beginning of the conversation, Wang Anqi took out his treasured souvenirs of the premiere. "Twenty years of peony blossom has created a new aesthetic of Kunqu Opera." She also introduced the origin, prosperity and decline of Kunqu Opera in Chinese history, as well as its recovery in the mainland in the second half of the 20th century.
"I'm not a member of Kunqu Opera at all. Why should I do Kunqu Opera?" Bai Xianyong said, because Kunqu Opera is a treasure of Chinese culture that originated from the Ming and Qing dynasties. This kind of drama has flourished for 200 years, affected local operas of all sizes, and reached the peak of Chinese opera aesthetics. "The later desolation of Kunqu does not mean the decline of Kunqu's achievements."
In 1987, both sides Bai Xianyong returned to Shanghai after 39 years of opening up people to people exchanges, and was deeply moved to see the full version of "Longevity Palace" launched by Shanghai Kunju Opera House. "I thought the blood of Kunqu Opera was broken, but I didn't expect to see such a brilliant performance."
Can Kunqu be revived? Bai Xianyong decided to rescue with this belief, and the youth version of Peony Pavilion was born from this.
In 2004, Bai Xianyong joined hands with Suzhou Kunju Opera House and the cultural and opera elites on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, followed the principle of deletion without change, and re presented the handed down classics in the form of youth and beauty with a new aesthetic concept and the concept of modern theater. In the past 20 years, the play has started from Taipei, spread all over the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, and performed nearly 500 times worldwide.
In 2001, Chinese Kunqu Opera was listed as one of the first "representative works of human oral and intangible heritage" by UNESCO. "Over the past 20 years, Westerners have been highly receptive to the youth version of Peony Pavilion, which is very difficult to understand." Bai Xianyong said that Kunqu Opera is not only a Chinese cultural heritage, but also a world cultural heritage.
On the evening of February 23, Bai Xianyong, a well-known Taiwanese writer, signed for readers at the Taipei International Book Fair. Photographed by Yang Chengchen, a reporter from China News Service
Bai Xianyong emphasized that the youth version of Peony Pavilion has entered the campuses of 400 universities around the world, especially in universities across the mainland. Among the audience of about 800000 people, 60% to 70% are young audience. "Our goal is to bring Kunqu Opera into the campus. We have also set up a Kunqu Opera inheritance plan and taught at Peking University. Every year, we invite Mr. Wang Anqi to the opening ceremony."
"The youth version of Peony Pavilion is not my own." He said that the play was a cultural project jointly created by the cultural and opera elites of both sides of the Taiwan Straits and Hong Kong and Macao. "It can last for 20 years because these people have laid a good foundation for all aspects of the play."
It is reported that the last performance of the youth version of Peony Pavilion was in 2017. The play will return to Taiwan from March 15 this year with a full set of original people and original dance art. As of the 23rd, tickets for Taipei shows had been sold out.
The evening of the 23rd was one of the series activities of this year's Taipei International Book Fair. (Source: Yang Chengchen, reporter from China News Service - China News Network)
