Huangmei New Traditional Drama

First of all, introduce the general situation of Huangmei Opera.

1, Huangmei Opera, formerly known as Huangmeidiao or tea-picking opera, is one of the five major operas in China. It is also one of the four major operas in Anhui, which are juxtaposed with Anhui Opera, Lu Opera and Sizhou Opera.

2. Huangmei Opera originated from Huaining, Tongcheng, Hubei Huangmei and Susong, Anhui. Wang Zhaoqian (the founder of Huangmei Theory) admitted in his later years that Huangmei Opera originated from "Huangmei in Hubei" and lacked rational thinking. Of these four statements, Su Song's theory is the most reliable. Later, it was introduced to Huaining County, Anhui Province in the late Qing Dynasty and combined with local folk art, and it was sung and sung in Anqing dialect, which gradually developed into a new kind of drama. It was once called "Huai Opera" and "Hui Opera".

3. Huangmei Opera is simple and fluent in singing, good at lively lyricism and rich in expressive force. The performance is simple and meticulous, and it is famous for its truthfulness and vividness. It has become an important means to interpret and spread the traditional culture of China.

On May 20th, 2006, Huangmei Opera was approved by the State Council to be included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage list. The distribution is centered on Anqing and spread all over the country.

Second, the historical origin of Huangmei Opera

Huangmei Opera is one of the five major plays in China. There are four theories about the origin of Huangmei Opera.

1, Anhui Huaining said

Bai Longju, vice president of Anhui Huangmei Opera Development Foundation, said that if "the opera is named after the county and the county is named after the mountain" and there is a Huangmei Mountain in Huangmei County, Hubei Province, it is said that "Huangmei Opera originated in Huangmei County", then there is also a Huangmei Mountain and two "Huangmei Mountains" in Huaining, Anhui Province. Which Huangmei Mountain is related to Huangmei Opera? Mr. Bai Longju further verified that the language and harmony of Huangmei Opera are based on Anqing and Huaining dialects, which are completely consistent with the folk songs of Huangmei Mountain in Huaining, but completely different from Huangmei County in Hubei Province.

2. Anhui Tongcheng said

Huangmei Opera really became a kind of drama after a play "Fairy Couple" in Yan Fengying, Luoling Town, Tongcheng County became popular all over the country, inside and outside the Great Wall. Yan Fengying is the originator of Huangmei Opera, and the landscape, local conditions and customs of Luoling in Tongcheng (the suburb of Anqing) gave birth to this outstanding Huangmei Opera performer. Without Yan Fengying, there would be no contemporary Huangmei Opera.

3. Hubei Huangmei said

Huangmei County, Hubei Province, claimed to be "the hometown of Huangmei Opera, one of the five major operas in China" in the Survey of Huangmei. The reason is that Huangmei Opera was developed on the basis of Huangmei's tea-picking songs. "The county name is the county name, and the county name is the mountain name" (there is a mountain called "Huangmei Mountain" 20 kilometers west of Huangmei County). This view was first seen in Tang Jincheng's article "Talking about Huangmei County and Huangmei Opera" published in the second supplement of Huangmei Opera Art 1989. Here, the author equates the county name "Huangmei" with the play name "Huangmei".

4. Anhui Susong said

Linan Liao, a native scholar in Anhui, believes that Susong in Anhui is the real birthplace of Huangmei Opera. He said that according to textual research, Huangmei Opera originated from Huangmei tea-picking songs in the early Tang Dynasty. After the development of folk songs in the Song Dynasty and the influence of zaju in the Yuan Dynasty, it gradually formed the embryonic form of folk opera. By the Ming Dynasty, a unique local opera had been formed. "It is a kind of tune art form sung by the working people in Susong, Anhui Province and Huangmei, Hubei Province in their long-term productive labor and social life. The two counties are adjacent, and the boundary line is very long, and many things cannot be separated. " Mr. Linan Liao found that Susong had more than a dozen firsts in the history of Huangmei Opera, such as 1, which was the first one specializing in tea-picking in Huangmei Opera. Since the mid-Ming Dynasty, Susong people began to perform Huangmei tea-picking in Song Meiling Street. He is the first person to write Huangmei Opera into the stage couplets. During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, local people wrote several Huangmei operas, such as "Sending Fragrant Tea" and "Sacrifice to the West Building", into couplets on the Liaohe Stage that the masses loved. 3. Be the first person with "official performance". Susong invited Huangmei Opera to perform in the official county town from Cao Ye in 1853, which was 8 1 year earlier than "Huangmei Opera entered Huangmei County in 1934" recorded in Huangmei County Records. 4. The first official name of Huangmei tea-picking songs circulated among the people was Huangmei Opera, and the name of Huangmei Opera was officially recorded in Susong County Records published in 192 1 year for the first time.

According to legend, during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Huaining in Anhui was the most reliable among the four disputes over the origin of Huangmei Opera. The language and melody of Huangmei Opera are based on Anqing and Huaining dialects, which are completely consistent with the folk songs in Huangmeishan area of Huaining. Later, it was introduced to Anqing, and combined with local folk art, it was sung and sung in Anqing dialect, and gradually developed into a new kind of drama, which was then called Huai Qiang or Huai Diao. This is an early Huangmei opera. Later, Huangmei Opera borrowed and absorbed the music, performances and repertoires of Qingyang and Huizhou tunes, and began to perform "this drama". After more than one hundred years' development (from the beginning of the 9th century to the liberation), Huangmei Opera has become the main local opera in Anhui, and it is also a well-known major drama in China.

The role system of Huangmei Opera is developed on the basis of "two plays" and "three plays", including Zheng Dan, Zheng Sheng, Xiao Dan, Xiao Sheng, Hua Dan, clown, Lao Dan, Laosheng, Huahua, Beijing Opera Blues and Wuerhua. Although there is a division of labor, there are no strict restrictions, and actors can often play other roles. Huangmei Opera performance is simple and meticulous, real and vivid, full of life breath, famous for advocating emotional experience, and has a fresh, natural, beautiful and smooth artistic style. There are many well-known outstanding plays in Huangmei Opera, among which the most representative ones are Fairy Match, Woman Xu, Cowherd and Weaver Girl, Couple Watching Lights, Beating Pig Grass and Spinning Cotton Yarn.

Huangmei Opera is one of the five major operas in China, with far-reaching influence. The popular area of Huangmei opera is shrinking day by day, and the survival of Huangmei opera troupes at all levels, especially county-level troupes, is becoming increasingly difficult, which requires the concern and support of the government and the whole society.

Third, a brief history of Huangmei Opera:

Huangmei Opera is a kind of drama gradually formed and developed from folk songs, yangko, tea songs, tea-picking lanterns and Hua Gutiao, from rural areas to cities. His origin can be traced back to the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, but it was not until modern times that a complete drama was formed. During this period, he absorbed the essence of many sister arts, such as Han opera, Chu opera, Gao Qiang, tea-picking opera and Beijing opera, and gradually improved himself and became a famous drama. When talking about this famous drama, we can't help but notice that the group performing this drama has also experienced such a long development process. It is also gradually improved from scratch, from small to large, from simple to complex. It can also be said that the formation and development of Huangmei Opera and his performing groups are complementary.

The first stage, from Qing Qianlong to around the Revolution of 1911. Tea-picking tune, Jiangxi tune, Tongcheng tune and Fengyang tune, which originated and spread to Anhui, Hubei and Jiangxi, were all influenced by the performances of local operas (Qingyang tune and Huizhou tune).

The second stage is from the Revolution of 1911 to 1949. At this stage, Huangmei Opera gradually moved towards professionalism, and stepped onto the urban stage from the rural grass-roots team. After Huangmei Opera entered Anqing, it was combined with Beijing Opera, and was influenced by Yue Opera, Yang Opera, Huai Opera and Pingju Opera from the north in Shanghai. Great changes have taken place in both content and form. A number of new plays have been arranged and transplanted, including the series Wen, Hong Bi Yuan, Gorgeous Garden and The Tale of Bees. In music, the traditional singing method has been reformed, which reduces the empty talk in the old cavity, makes it bright and smooth, and makes the audience easy to understand the singing content. Cancel the help and try to accompany Hu Qin. In terms of performance, it absorbed and integrated the procedural movements of Peking Opera and other brother operas, enriching the means of expression. Others, such as clothing, make-up, stage setting, etc., have also developed compared with rural areas.

The third stage is 1949. From 65438 to 0952, Huangmei Opera artists performed plays such as "Beating Pig Grass" and "Blue Bridge Club" in Shanghai. For decades, a large number of actors have been trained. Besides Yan Fengying, Wang Shaofang and other artists of the older generation have made outstanding achievements in the singing art of Huangmei Opera, Ma Lan, Han Zaifen and other young and middle-aged actors have also shown their heroic roles on stage, screen and TV screen, attracting the audience's attention. Yan Fengying and Wang Shaofang co-starred in A Match Made in Heaven, which was made into a movie twice and caused a sensation at home and abroad.

The development of Huangmei Opera in Hubei is closely related to a slogan put forward by the provincial party committee and government before 18, that is, "Please return Huangmei Opera to your parents' home". Under the guidance of this slogan, Hubei Province has done a lot of work around revitalizing Huangmei Opera. Hubei Huangmei Opera Theatre was established; Some Huangmei opera actors were hired from Anqing, Anhui; Most Chu Opera and Han Opera Troupes in Huanggang have been changed into Huangmei Opera Troupe. Huanggang Art School was established to train reserve talents for Huangmei Opera. Two plays, Yu Laosi, Zhang Ernv and Yinsuo Complaint, which were created in Huanggang, have been performed in Beijing 14 times and have been well received by the audience. From 65438 to 0995, the large-scale modern drama "Unfinished Love" and costume drama "Double Down the Mountain" created by Hubei Huangmei Opera Theatre won the outstanding performance award at the second China Huangmei Opera Art Festival held in Anqing, and the leading actors Yang Jun and Zhang Hui won the performance gold medal. Unfinished Love also won the Wenhua New Drama Award, the Wenhua Director Award and the Wenhua Music Creation Award in the 5th China Arts Festival. In order to improve the overall artistic level of Huangmei Opera, after five art festivals, excellent plays such as Winter Gone and Spring Came, Please Let Me Be Your Bride, Spring Arrived in Jiangwan and Biography of Brother Chun were created, and a number of young Huangmei Opera stars such as Guo Huayang, Zhou Hongnian and Duan were trained.

With the passage of time, various cultures poured in, and traditional dramas such as Huangmei Opera gradually faded out of people's sight. Should they keep pace with the times and make changes? And how should traditional culture be passed down and developed? This is an urgent problem for many actors and literary and art workers today.

From July 2065438 to July 2002, Wu Qiong, one of the representatives of Huangmei Opera, was the producer and artistic director for the first time, and staged Huangmei musical "The Lady Comes Home" in poly theatre. Huangmei Opera is adapted from the famous play The Old Lady Comes Home by Swiss playwright Friedrich Dürrenmatt, which leads the new artistic expression of the cross-border integration of China traditional art and western musicals, and blows the horn of the battle between Huangmei Opera and other traditional dramas.

Huangmei Opera "A Match Made in Heaven"

In June of the same year 165438+ 10, in the 20th121104 "Mandarin China" column, the host Ma Dong talked with the producers, screenwriters and dancers-Wu Qiong, Wang Xinji and Bian. Wu Qiong is not optimistic about the present situation of Huangmei Opera.

Fourth, traditional plays.

After liberation, a number of traditional plays such as Fairy Descent, Ma Xu, Luo Afraid, Zhao, Mother's Tears, Three Searches for the State House have been adapted successively, and a number of divine dramas and modern dramas such as Cowherd and Weaver Girl have been created. Among them, The Match of Heaven, Ma Xu, Yutangchun and The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl have been put on the screen one after another, which have had great influence at home and abroad.

The outstanding repertoires of Huangmei Opera are: The Fairy Couple, The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, The Story of Huaiyin, The Woman Xu, The Couple Watching the Lights [7], Willow Well, Blue Bridge Society, Lu Yu, Wang Xiaoliu Beating Tofu, Xiaoci Store and Yutang.

Fifth, the role of Huangmei Opera.

The role system of Huangmei Opera is developed on the basis of "two plays" and "three plays". After the whole drama was staged, the role industry gradually developed into Zheng Dan, Zheng Sheng, Xiao Dan, Xiao Sheng, Clown, Lao Dan, Naisheng and Huahua. Before and after the Revolution of 1911, roles and industries were divided into upper four feet and lower four feet. The above four feet are: Zheng Dan (Tsing Yi), Laosheng (White Beard), Zheng Sheng (Black Beard) and Painted Face; The next four feet are: Xiao Sheng, Hua Dan, Joker and Lao Dan. Although there is a division of labor, few people specialize in one line. After the 19th year of the Republic of China (1930), Huangmei Opera Troupe often performed on the same stage with Hui and Jing Banshe. Due to the need of performing repertoire, Beijing Opera Blues and Wu Erhua appeared again, but they were not fixed. At that time, the Huangmei Opera troupe was mostly semi-professional, with only three dozen singers, twelve people on the stage (managing costume props) and twelve people under the stage (making tea). Business collocation basically consists of seven lines: Zheng Dan, Zheng Sheng, Xiao Dan, Xiao Sheng, Clown, Lao Dan and Huahua. Because there are few clubs in the class, when performing the whole drama, it is often an actor who has to play several roles at the same time. Therefore, in Huangmei Opera, although the roles in the play have professional norms, the actors have no strict branches.

Zheng Dan: Play more serious and decent adult women and have a duet. Performance needs stability and generosity. Their roles are as follows: Wang Sannv in Buckwheat, Chen in Rope, and Chen in Fish Net Meeting Mother.

Xiao Dan: Also known as Hua Dan, she often plays a lively and affectionate girl or young woman, demanding equal attention to singing and doing, and reciting white with Xiaobai (Anqing Mandarin), with a crisp and sweet tone. He often holds handkerchiefs and fans during performances and dances with simple towels and fans. His roles include: Tao Jinhua in Sleeping Pig Grass, Zhao Cuihua in Youchun and Liu Fengying in Xiaoci Shop. After performing the full play, Xiao Danxing subdivided the occupation of "supporting" her parents and maids. Dance is the main business of Huangmei Opera, as the old saying goes, "Choose one class at a time".

Xiao Sheng: Play more young men, sing loudly, and often hold a folding fan when performing. His roles include: Wang Keke in The Story of Roper, Wang Jinrong in Chun Xiang, Li Zhaoting in Ma Xu, Yong Dong in A Match Made in Heaven, etc.

Clown: There are three lines: clown, old ugly and female ugly (Sedan). In Huangmei Opera, ugliness is more popular. Clowns often hold a seven-or eight-inch long tobacco pouch to entertain performances, while old uglies hold a two-or three-foot long tobacco pouch to gag and adjust the performance atmosphere. The roles played are Yang in Beating Tofu and Toad Fishing.

Lao Dan: Playing an elderly woman is mainly a supporting role in the play. For example, Mrs. Wang in buckwheat story.

Painted face: There are few specialized painted face works in Huangmei Opera. In addition to playing the role of Bao Zheng in drama, most of them play the role of bullies and village heads, such as Cao Ding in Flower Selling and Yu Biao in Erlongshan.

Zheng Sheng: Also known as hanging beard, it can be divided into black beard and white beard. Generally speaking, the black beard is called Zheng Sheng and the white beard is called an old student. Recite repeatedly, pay attention to the spout, and pronounce words forcefully. His roles include: Xu Wenjin in The Tale of Buckwheat, Zhang Chaozong in Gao Jingcheng, and Zhang Bailing in The Strange Case of Tongcheng.

At first, the accompaniment of gongs and drums was composed of big gongs, small gongs and flat drums, which was called "three beats and seven sings", that is, three people played percussion instruments, participated in the vocalization and seven people sang. Later, the drummer also played bamboo root festival and cymbals, and three accompanists sat inside and outside the entrance door and in the middle of the grass platform (drummer) respectively. After 1930s, influenced by Huiban and Peking Opera, it gradually entered the stage. Traditional gongs and drums are simple to practice, commonly used are one, two, three, four, five, six and nine hammers, thirteen and a half hammers, four hammers that are not sticky (also known as "one-word gong"), toad jumping, phoenix nodding, three arrows, pushing a bus and so on. Accompanying the characters are gongs and drums, thirteen hammers and a half, seven-character gongs and gongs. After the founding of New China, they gradually absorbed the skills of Peking Opera and created some new gongs to meet the needs of performance and accompaniment.