[Xinjiang Story] Three generations of Henan opera actors talk about the frontier
[Explanation] Applying makeup, putting on films, combing the head, wearing the head face, wearing theatrical clothes... These are things Zhang Peipei has to do every time he performs on stage.
[Concurrent] Zhang Peipei, actor of Henan Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
The preparation for opera is a bit more complicated. From the appearance in Baotou, the appearance, including the costumes, it will take more than an hour.
As soon as the music sounded, the spirits were all lifted up, and I enjoyed the process very much.
[Explanation] Zhang Peipei, born in Henan in 1990, was influenced by his family and was infected by his concise and lively Henan Opera accent since he was a child. He imagined himself as Hua Mulan and Mu Guiying... In 2006, the Henan Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (below (Referred to as "Xinjiang Corps Henan Opera Troupe") went to Henan Shangqiu Art School to recruit students. Zhang Peipei resolutely came to Xinjiang with his classmates and became an actor in Xinjiang Corps Henan Opera Troupe.
[Concurrent] Zhang Peipei, actor of Henan Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
My parents didn’t agree with me when I arrived here before, but my parents felt that they were too far to Xinjiang. I have never been to Xinjiang. What is it like to have a Henan opera troupe in Xinjiang?
But I am also fantasizing, and finally here, I think the atmosphere is particularly good, especially the teachers in our group attach great importance to our group of young people, and they have created a lot of opportunities for us, including us. The next group performance, seeing that we passed, we are very welcome, I moved a small stool to sit there early and waited for us to perform, it was very happy.
[Explanation] Since 2007, Zhang Peipei has starred in dozens of plays including Henan opera "Tian Xue", "Desert Populus euphratica", "Chaoyanggou" and "Mulan".
In order to play the role, she worked hard to practice opera singing and the body movements of each opera. She had to practice every singing and body movements dozens of times until the practice session.
With the help of the teachers, coupled with her diligent study and hard practice, she also mastered the singing and the essence of various operas. It didn't take long for her to be a leader in the troupe.
In April 2019, the 29th Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award was announced. The Henan opera "Gobi Mother" starring Zhang Peipei won the Plum Blossom Award.
This is also the first time that Xinjiang Hebingtuan drama actors have won the highest awards for Chinese dramas.
[Concurrent] Zhang Peipei, actor of Henan Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
"Gobi Mother" is a combination of Xinjiang music, as well as our Daobai, especially in modern dramas. I think these things can be integrated well, including our performances in the mainland. This is the Xinjiang flavor, and the accompaniment is played. It's the mutton flavor, that feeling, Xinjiang Henan Opera and Henan Henan Opera, in their vocal range, the music can still be heard, but they still have our own characteristics and special things.
[Explanation] Henan Opera is one of the most popular opera types in Xinjiang. The only difference is that Xinjiang Henan Opera has obvious regional customs. It integrates Xinjiang ethnic song and dance, ethnic language and ethnic customs into modern Henan Opera.
Yang Minghu, the first generation of Xinjiang Henan Opera troupe, followed the Tongsheng Henan Opera Troupe to enter Xinjiang, which played a decisive role in the spread of Henan Opera in Xinjiang.
[Concurrent] Yang Minghu, retired director of the Henan Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
If you work and perform in Xinjiang for a long time, you will come into contact with these ethnic comrades, then we will naturally absorb some of his culture and some of his artistic aspects, and we will naturally be able to accept it.
Like we did these dramas, from the original "Prairie Love", I wrote this script, and changed it to Kazakh, and the singing was integrated with a lot of Kazakh music.
[Explanation] Yang Minghu said that most of the repertoires in the 1950s were transplanted from the mainland, and in the 1980s, they were mainly adapted and re-created on the basis of transplantation.
Since 2000, in addition to retaining the unique artistic style of Henan Opera, Xinjiang Yu Opera has widely absorbed musical elements from Xinjiang Quzi, Hui’s Huaer, Uyghur Twelve Muqam, Army Reclamation Culture, Kazakh and other arts and cultures, making it diversified. Sexual characteristics.
[Concurrent] Yang Minghu, retired director of the Henan Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
This art itself should be open, so if you continue to absorb other artistic elements, it will naturally move forward and develop forward.
[Explanation] Xinjiang Henan Opera and Henan Opera in Henan and the Central Plains have the same origin and the same kind. They have also absorbed and compatible the excellent culture of Xinjiang and all parts of the country, and formed the current Xinjiang Henan Opera art.
After years of excavation, arrangement and compilation, there are now more than 300 large and small repertoires, including traditional operas, modern operas, and learning repertoires, as well as repertoires of their own creation. Henan opera has a "snow lotus" accent in Xinjiang.
[Concurrent] Li Ruijun, retired actor from Henan Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
The palm trees are blooming beautifully, and Kamisi and his younger brother graze the sheep together.
In 1997, the first Henan Opera Festival was performed in Zhengzhou, and that was when the national opera troupes went there to perform, and I just acted as a Uyghur youth.
Just wearing our beautiful Uyghur costumes, but you are singing the Henan Opera. There is a very good line in it, so are you still like a member of the Communist Youth League?
I laughed hard at the bottom, as if this drama was very well-placed, and it was very popular after the performance. We won 11 awards at once.
I think the Henan opera is not necessarily just wearing our usual costumes, but also ethnic minority costumes. The performances have a special flavor.
[Explanation] Li Ruijun, a national first-class actor who has sung Henan Opera for 40 years in the Henan Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, is deeply impressed as the second generation of Henan Opera.
Li Ruijun said that Xinjiang Yu Opera is unique in its music and performances, and has also been favored and emotionally recognized by the people in its long-term inheritance and development.
[Concurrent] Li Ruijun, retired actor from Henan Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
Elderly people love to watch costume plays, so we will film him in costume plays, such as "Mulan", "Mu Guiying", this is the regular school, the Chen school, and we will do it for him in the traditional style.
Don’t young people like modern dramas? Then we have arranged "Grassland Love", "Fragrant Concubine Yingwu" and "Heavenly Snow" in the past few years. Therefore, we not only have modern dramas, but we also have songs and dances. Allegro, cross talk, and sketches are diverse. We will show you what your young people want. As the times change, we must keep pace with the times.
[Explanation] In December 2020, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the list of recommended items for the fifth batch of national intangible cultural heritage representative projects, and the Henan Opera declared by Xinjiang Corps Henan Opera Troupe was selected as the fifth batch of national intangible cultural heritage representative Project extension project.
The so-called inheritance is passed on from history and from the hearts of the people.
The Henan Opera has been passed down from generation to generation in this way between the firm staying and protecting each other.
Nowadays, it is not only Yang Minghu and other "first-generation" supporters who have left Henan opera in Xinjiang, the second, third, and fourth generations are also continuing the inheritance of Yuqiang.
[Concurrent] Zhang Peipei, actor of Henan Opera Troupe of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
I think I should first inherit our traditional culture; secondly, we should better use the voice of our Henan opera to spread the moving deeds of our corps; I think the third is that we must train young children. Cultivating our audience among young people is also very obligatory to me. We have to train our next generation.
Reporting from Xinjiang by reporter Zhao Yamin and Ji Jiangtong
Editor in charge: [Ji Xiang]