(New Year News) Cantonese Opera "Spring Class" goes to the countryside to "make a fuss" during the New Year

　　China News Service, Yulin, February 12th: Cantonese Opera "Spring Class" goes to the countryside to "make fun" of the New Year

　　Author Zhang Guangquan

　　On February 12, the third day of the first lunar month, the "Spring Troupe" of the Wuzhou Cantonese Opera Troupe in Guangxi went to the countryside and entered Wucun, Beiliu City, Yulin. They sent New Year blessings to the local people and premiered the classic Cantonese opera "The Female Patroller Marriage Trial". 》.

　　That night in Wucun, there were loud gongs and drums, the sound of firecrackers, and fireworks in the sky. Men, women, old and young gathered in front of the village square, and the performance stage was packed with people.

　　"The new moon shines on people walking through the flower path. How lucky we are to meet you tonight. Good omens are coming and the stars are shining. A red light leads the way..." Yuan Jun, a national first-class actor from the Wuzhou Cantonese Opera Troupe, won the house as soon as he opened his voice. Cheers. Yuan Jun has been practicing Cantonese opera for 29 years since he started studying Cantonese opera at the age of 16. From being an alternative actor to being the main actor, Yuan Jun has always insisted on appearing in "Spring Class" without interruption for 29 years.

　　The Cantonese Opera "Spring Class" is one of the highlights of Wuzhou Cantonese Opera Troupe every year. During the "spring class", the troupe will go into battle with its strongest lineup, and the actors will also sacrifice the opportunity to reunite with their families. It is common for them to be away from home for a whole month because of their busy schedule.

　　Starting from the third day of the Lunar New Year, Yuan Jun went to the countryside. "Compared with theater performances, rural performances have the atmosphere of traditional festivals and traditional performances. The actors can not only experience the primitive living conditions, but also interact with the audience." Gain experience."

On February 12, the "Spring Troupe" of the Wuzhou Cantonese Opera Troupe in Guangxi went to the countryside to send New Year blessings to the local people. Photo by Liang Xiangguang

　　Known as the "Red Bean of the South", Cantonese opera is a performing art that combines chorus, chanting, dancing, musicians' music, stage costumes, and abstract shapes. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, and Macau.

　　Although it is a performance in the countryside, the lighting, scenery, costumes, props, sound, etc. must not be faulty at all. During this year's "Spring Class", the Wuzhou Cantonese Opera Troupe showed its talents, and many young actors also began to "emerge" and were popular among theater fans.

　　"I grew up with the Cantonese Opera Troupe, and the performance opportunities allowed me to make leaps and bounds in singing and acting." Shi Yongning, a young actor from the Wuzhou Cantonese Opera Troupe, said that the Cantonese Opera Theater has a tradition of famous actors leading rookies to star in opposite roles. This kind of "teaching and mentoring" allows newcomers to grow quickly. This is the twentieth time that Shi Yongning has participated in the "Spring Class" performance in the countryside. After the performance in Wucun, Shi Yongning will follow the troupe to Huazhou, Guangdong, where he will stay for nearly a week. "In this place alone, there were 6 major plays in local villages and towns from the eighth day of the lunar month to the fourteenth day of the new year." show".

　　"In our area, if there is no spring class of Cantonese opera, this year will not be considered lively." 74-year-old Liang Jiahai is a senior Cantonese opera fan. Every year during the "spring class", he and his family go out to watch the opera. "Such an original opera art , should be passed down well.” Leung Ka-hai hopes that Cantonese opera will become famous overseas in the future and contribute more beauty and surprises to the world.

　　"Every year when I enter the village, I have different feelings. Some places have built new cultural buildings and new stages, and some have built new roads and new archways..." Liang Xiangguang, the former deputy director of the Wuzhou Cantonese Opera Troupe, said that in his impression, every village in the past had a different atmosphere. Every time I go to the countryside, I have to bring my own luggage and daily necessities, and most of the time I sleep directly on the stage during the performance. Nowadays, as long as the performance is within a hundred kilometers from the city, no matter how late the performance ends, they have buses back to the county for accommodation, which is much more convenient.

　　The Wuzhou Cantonese Opera Troupe, established in 1951, has a high influence in Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asia. The troupe has performed classic plays such as "The Consort", "Nine Treasure Lotuses" and "Pygmalion", which have been performed for a long time and enjoy great reputation. Among them, "Female Consort" often performs in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and there has been a scene of "thousands of people crowding out to see the Consort".

　　"People in Guangdong and Guangxi love and understand opera. When they learned that the 'Spring Class' was about to start, they learned about the performance schedule early. They chartered a car with them and went to Beiliu, Huazhou, Wuchuan and other places to watch the opera. They were reluctant to leave after the show ended." Regarding Cantonese opera performances in the new year, Liang Xiangguang said that in addition to performing in rural areas, he will also conduct in-depth cooperation with major theaters and cinemas to launch Cantonese opera resident performances and create celebrity plays. (over)