Before, in the middle of, and after, recently, the Beijing Opera Troupe was in full swing. From March 4 to 26, the performance of the excellent plays of the 40th anniversary of the Beijing Opera Troupe will be launched at the Tianqiao Art Center. A total of 20 performances, including 10 plays, including Under the True Red Flag, Nine Queries, Divorce, Teahouse, My Whole Life, Yanhu, Young Emperor, Camel Xiangzi, Longxugou and Four Generations in One Hall, will meet the audience in turn.
Beijing opera is a new type of opera created by a generation of famous folk artists represented by Wei Xikui, and it is also the only local opera in Beijing. In April 1984, Beijing Opera Troupe was officially established. The pure and strong "Beijing flavor" is the "soul" of Beijing opera, which is not only reflected in music and language, but also integrates all aspects of Beijingers' living habits, personality, customs, etc.
"Since the naming of Beijing Quju opera types more than 70 years ago, especially since the founding of the Beijing Quju Opera Troupe 40 years ago, excellent plays have been accumulated and the means of artistic expression have become more and more abundant. Whether it is the exploration of themes, the creation of scripts, or the performance, director, music creation, stage art, it has risen to a new height." Cui Di, head of the Beijing Quju Opera Troupe, said. The 10 works presented in this exhibition were created in different periods, including Camel Xiangzi in the 1950s and 1960s, Young Tianzi in the 1970s and 1980s, Yanhu in the 1990s, Teahouse, Longxugou in the 1990s, Four Generations in One House, Under the Red Flag and My Life, Divorce and Nine Queries created in recent years. While focusing on the authentic singing, the stage performance will adopt more modern techniques and technologies to bring the audio-visual experience of "old ears and new eyes".
"During the Spring Festival, actors are also preparing for the stage," Cui Di said. In recent years, the cast of the Opera Troupe has been constantly enriched, reaching nearly 70 people. In 2022, 13 young actors who graduated from the Chinese Academy of Traditional Opera will join, which will become a very important force. At present, the average age of the actors in the whole troupe is only about 30 years old. Among the actors who participated in this show, there are less than 10 people over 55 years old. Cui Di is very confident with his young face, "which shows that the future of the troupe is full of hope."
It is not a small challenge for actors to have a series of big plays. For example, if an actor wants to take the lead and sub lead in eight works, it is a great test to constantly change the works and roles. There are also younger latecomers who are moving towards the center of the stage. The average age of the leading actors in "Nine Queries" is only 23 years old, which is the smallest group in the group. In January 2024, Jiuzhong Que will be premiered, which tells the life experience of Nalan Xingde, a famous poet in the early Qing Dynasty. Regardless of the cast, music expression and publicity techniques, it highlights a "new" word. "Although Jiuzhong Que used old tunes for its singing, the music of the whole audience was produced by MIDI. We also shot a pilot film about the plot for the first time in the studio," Cui Di said. In addition to the beautiful costumes that have become popular on the social platform, Nine Queries has brought more young audiences into the world of Beijing opera.
2024 coincides with the 125th anniversary of Mr. Lao She's birth. "Beijing Opera is a kind of opera named by Mr. Lao She. Seven of the 10 performance works are adapted from Mr. Lao She's works. We also hope to use this performance to express our respect," Cui Di said. (Gao Qian)
