Chinanews.com, Hangzhou, March 3rd (Tong Xiaoyu) "A play that makes every audience feel that the ticket is worth the money is considered a success." Zhang Jie, executive vice president of Zhejiang Shao Opera Art Research Institute, said, "" "Monkey King Fights the Bone Demon Three Times" is such a play.
On March 3, as part of the "2023 Zhijiang Art Season" boutique performances, the Shao opera "Monkey King Three Fights the Bone Demon" produced by the Zhejiang Shao Opera Art Research Institute was staged at the Zhejiang Art Theater in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
When the high-pitched and passionate Shao Opera singing sounded on the stage, the audience gave this classic old drama thunderous applause. This audio-visual feast of "singing, reading, doing, playing, and translating" made everyone feel addicted .
As an important cultural name card of Shaoxing, Shaoxing opera has a masculine voice, rough and unrestrained performance, and impassioned style.
A play has been performed for more than 60 years, and this is the "Title" of the Shao opera "Monkey King Three Beats the Bone Demon".
Why can it last for more than 60 years?
Zhang Jie said that since the beginning of the rehearsal of the Shao opera "Monkey King Three Beats the Bone Essence", the tone of the text has been established, "It can be said that it has been revised word by word."
In terms of performance, Liu Lingtong and Qi Lingtong's portrayal of Monkey King is closer to the audience and life than the Northern Monkey King.
Zhu Bajie's performance borrowed from Chaplin's comedy effect, which can be said to be smooth but not greasy, smart and vivid.
"This is unique in the shaping of the image of Chinese opera." Zhang Jie said that for more than 60 years, the Shaoxing opera "Monkey King Three Beats the Bone Essence" has not only inherited the art of the older generation, but also adapted to the aesthetic changes of the times. The interest and aesthetics of opera, poetry, music, singing and dancing are fully combined.
In October 2020, the mythical drama "Monkey King Fights the Bone Evil Three Times" of Shaoxing Opera was included in the list of key supported works in the "100 Hundred Years" traditional boutique revival plan of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's "Creation Project for Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China".
Shao Opera "Sun Wukong Three Beats the Bone Essence" Photo courtesy of Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism
In the new era, how to meet the needs of the audience, arrange this classic work, and truly inherit the family drama?
Zhang Jie said that on the basis of retaining elements such as classic monkey opera and traditional singing, the new version of Shao Opera "The Monkey King Three Fights the Bone Demon" makes full use of stage scheduling, stage space, lighting artistic conception, musical vocabulary and other means to carry out new interpretations.
In terms of rhythm control, the original 2 hours and 15 minutes was reduced to 2 hours, which is more in line with the modern people's viewing rhythm; in terms of stage scheduling, it pays attention to the creation of stage atmosphere.
For example, the appearance of the Bone Demon in traditional plays follows the pattern of "out from the left and in on the right", and other actors stand on both sides in a proper manner.
In the new version, the bone spirit is in the middle of the stage as soon as she comes on stage, and the little monsters circle around her, opening and closing suddenly, which is very visually impactful.
In terms of performance lineup, the new version of Shao opera "The Monkey King Three Fights the Bone Essence" is also "Wang Zha", starring Wenhua Award winner Liu Jianyang, Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award winners Yao Baiqing, Shi Jiejie, Magnolia Award winners Wang Haoshuang, Ying Ying Lin Feng, Zhu Danxian, Ye Jing, Zhang Jingang and other outstanding actors starred.
Zhang Jie said that just like the changing times, "Monkey King Three Fights the Bone Demon" has been advancing.
The adaptation of this play is not the final version, and the people of Shao Opera after a few years will definitely make new adjustments again.
He hopes that through such innovations, more people will understand and fall in love with opera, thereby driving the inheritance of opera culture.
It is reported that "Zhijiang Art Season 2023" is jointly sponsored by the Propaganda Department of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Zhejiang Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the China Academy of Art, and the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music. Art Vocational College, Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Zhejiang Art Museum, Zhejiang Cultural Center, Zhejiang Symphony Orchestra, Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Theater, Zhejiang Jingkun Art Center, Zhejiang Performing Arts Group and other units.
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