Party founding 91st anniversary concert today. Who has the best ushanka?
Li Bo?
Or Zhang Kai?
Perhaps Ma Jia who sports a white one?
Or Zhang Jianfeng whose red star came off?
Vote now!
‘kay, ‘kay. The winner is:
Pictures: Xiao Hanqiu, Ma Jia
It seems every theater has to have its own jingju version of a romantic Xinhai Revolution story.
I made a post about CNPOC’s Soulmates in 2011 July-August, however I missed the maiden stage of《护国将军》Savior of the Country by the Tianjin Jingju Theater in 2008 November, what is no wonder considering the date, but I also missed the new staging in 2011 August.
Premiere was broadcast live on CCTV11 on 2008-11-26, with the cast of Wang Ping (as Cai E), Wang Yan (as Xiao Fengxian), Yang Naipeng (as Liang Qichao) and Liu Guijuan (as Mrs. Cai), you can download a copy here or watch on YouTube here.
2 hours long, really dramatic, wholehearted performance with many memorable arias, I liked it. (Géza, haven’t you recorded this, by any chance?) Oh, and before I forget, PG-13. There’s a brothel scene.
If anyone is interested in the 2008 exclusive Wang Ping indoor winter coat interview, here it is. He says that before the performance, Wang Yan lost her voice, and Liu Shuyun was on the alert to substitute her. However, seems Wang Yan recovered quickly.
Story in short:
Cai E, for the benefits of the country reluctantly accepts Yuan Shikai’s invitation and leaves for Beijing with his wife, where Yuan grants him a prestigious title. Cai’s former teacher, Liang Qichao warns him that supporting Yuan won’t be good in the long run, but Cai still hesitates.
Yuan’s Poirot-mustached eldest son and his slimy counselor introduce Cai to the famous Beijing prostitute Xiao Fengxian, who admires Cai’s brilliant abilities for a long time. Nothing serious happens, yet the newspaper blows up the incident and embitters Mrs. Cai.
Yuan Shikai’s ambitions as an Emperor and the signing of the Twenty-One Demands convince Cai E that he has to take Liang’s advice and oppose Yuan. When Yuan’s son and his advisor show up, Cai pretends still supporting Yuan, but after making up with his wife he goes to Tianjin on the pretext of visiting a doctor (he’s in the final stage of his disease).
In Tianjin Liang Qichao and Xiao Fengxian assist and shelter him, and after many twists Cai returns to Yunnan and launches the anti-monarchy war.
Photos: 174K
Retro Zhang Huoding, skinny Zhang Ke, foxy Yuan Huiqin. Yu Kuizhi fancy pocket square galore. Have fun!
→ 京剧《北国红菇娘》Bei Guo Hong Gu Niang 
[DOWNLOAD] 76MB
Zhang Huoding, Zhang Lianxiang (1996 New Year’s Jingju Party)
→ 京剧《中国心》“彩旗飘海港” Chinese Heart – Colorful Banner Flying at the Harbour
[DOWNLOAD] 64MB
Diao Li, Zhang Huoding, Yuan Huiqin, Yang Yanyi, Zhang Ke (1999, PRC 50th Anniversary)
→ 戏歌《走向复兴》Marching Towards Revival
[DOWNLOAD1] | [DOWNLOAD2] 67MB | 49MB
1. Du Zhenjie, Shi Yihong, An Ping, Yuan Huiqin (2010 New Year’s Jingju Party)
2. Yu Kuizhi, Li Shengsu, Yuan Huiqin, Meng Guanglu (2011 New’s Year Jingju Party)
→ 京歌《花好月圆》Everything is Wonderful [DOWNLOAD] 29MB
Yu Kuizhi, Li Shengsu (2011 Spring Festival Chinese Opera Party)
I have to make up leeway and briefly introduce Wang Ping in this blog.
Double Plum Blossom winner (1998, 2005) Wang Ping, as far as I noticed, does not die for media attention. Besides managing the Jingju Theater of Tianjin, he even has time to perform. His regular repertoire is more than impressive, packed with rare and hard military dramas that require not only extra fine martial skills but a nice voice too.
Little Wang Ping with his dad, Wang Baochun (王宝春). He made his stage debut at the age of 6.
I turned into a Wang Ping believer after seeing him as Lin Chong in The Wildboar Forest. The following clip is from this year’s CCTV Spring Festival Chinese Opera Gala. The adorable Yang Chi plays the role of Lin Chong’s sworn brother, a Buddhist monk – I admit he’s my favorite Lu Zhishen. Not only his singing and acting is superb, but his physique also fits the role perfectly. Only Wu Yuzhang has a more impressive belly. ^_^
→ 京剧《野猪林》Yezhulin (Wildboar Forest) 
[DOWNLOAD] 25MB
Wang Ping (王平) as Lin Chong, Yang Chi (杨赤) as Lu Zhishen.
Wang Ping was the first person who was able to force me to watch model opera Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy from beginning to the end, and I got truly impressed by his portrayal of the title character of a (relatively) new political drama, Hua Ziliang. This play was accepted into the National Stage Treasures Project and published in the DVD series. You can buy a copy here.
In 1949, many revolutionists were still held captive by the nationalists. In the drama, prisoner #83, Hua Ziliang pretends to be a harmless lunatic, but actually he’s a secret agent CPC member, connecting the prisoners with the underground communist movement.
In the following scene, Hua Ziliang is distributing food to the prisoners. The food is very bad, no-one wants to eat it. The jailkeeper asks Hua Ziliang to decide it’s edible or not. He says the food is fine. In order to deliver a secret message, he has to tolerate beating and humiliation from his comrades, who still don’t know he’s not an idiot but a loyal party member.
→ 现代京剧《华子良》Hua Ziliang [DOWNLOAD] 52MB
Wang Ping (王平) as Hua Ziliang, Ma Guoxiang (马国祥) as the officer, Zhang Zhanlai (张占来) as #215, Deng Muwei (邓沐玮) as #29, Yang Naipeng (杨乃彭) as #212.
Pictures: bbs.cntv.cn, zhyc.com.cn
Title: Symphonic jingju《知音》Zhiyin (Soulmates)
Location: Beijing People’s Liberation Army Opera House; Beijing University Century Lecture Hall
Date: 6-7; 10-11 October 2011 19:30
Cast: Yu Kuizhi, Li Shengsu, Zhu Li, Zhang Wei
Description: China National Jingju Company and Shanxi Jingju Theater joint performance to celebrate the anniversary of the Xinhai revolution
Reference: Click here
Title: New modern Beijing Opera《宋家姐妹》The Soong Sisters
Location: Mei Lanfang Grand Theater
Link out: Click here
Description: After premiering on 12-13 June 2011 in Chang’an Grand Theater, new Beijing Opera The Soong Sisters is staged in Mei Lanfang Grand Theater on 24-25 September and 18-19 October.
Zhu Qiang as Sun Yat-sen; Chi Xiaoqiu as Soong Ching-ling
Also in the cast: Tan Zhengyan, Zhao Baoxiu, Sun Liying, Zhang Xinyue
Nice opportunity to see Zhu Qiang with moustache for 50-2080 yuan.
Because I’m in the mood.
→ CPPCC’s song 《我们》 (We Ourselves) [DOWNLOAD] 14MB
Performed by Chinese People’s Political Consultative Committee celebrity members
Both sing a second or two.
On 31th July and 1st August CNPOC and Shanxi Jingju Theater was staging new large-scale symphonic opera,《剑胆琴心》Jian Dan Qin Xin, alternatively titled《知音》Zhiyin (Soulmates), to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Xinhai revolution.
Performance was taking place at the Taiyuan “Palace of Youth” Performing Arts Center (Taiyuan, Shanxi), featuring Yu Kuizhi (as Cai E), Li Shengsu as (Xiao Fengxian), Yuan Huiqin, Zhu Li, Zhang Wei.
Mr. Yu and Mrs. Li in romantic scene
The two in less attractive training clothes
For more rehearsal pictures [CLICK HERE]. (Beware of excessive use of fangirl smilies.)
As a protest against the (for my liking too far)right-winger government of my country, I post two patriotic PRC songs.
These state the following facts:
– Present day’s workers are very heroic, take up the heavy responsibility of reviving China, strive to be the firm pillars of the country, have really imposing manners, powerful in words and deeds, daring to build the Three Gorges Dam and spacecrafts, broad-minded, working hard for the country, reinnovate, blazing glorious new trails, unremittingly improve themselves, make their mark on the grand stage of the world by founding multinational companies on all five continents and sending cargo ships to connect the four seas.
– Real Chinese people are noble spirited, clean-living, self-confident, lofty and unyielding, full of vital energy, truthful to their roots till the end of the Earth as good offsprings of this ancient country, with great responsibility to become an open-hearted, magnanimous, honest, generous, magnificent and neat Chinese citizen of the golden age.
(Not an easy task though plausible.)
→ 京剧联唱 《当代工人赞》Dangdai Gongren Zan (Praising Today’s Workers)
[DOWNLOAD] 37MB
→ 戏歌《我是中国人》Wo Shi Zhongguoren (I’m Chinese) [DOWNLOAD] 44MB
This modern Beijing opera song now is in the music textbooks of 5th graders in China.
Both performed by Yu Kuizhi, Meng Guanglu, Li Shengsu, Zhao Baoxiu.
Communist Party of China celebrated the 90th anniversary of its founding on 1st July. CCTV11 is airing revolutionary operas for a couple of weeks, so if it’s your choice of Beijing opera check out the latest videos on the website. There’s a nice 30min part from The Red Lantern with Yuan Huiqin for example, also a full symphonic concert, titled “A Magnificent Flight” with many excellent performers.
I picked two excerpts from the above mentioned concert to post them here, one with Li Haiyan to welcome back a friend of mine who was on vacation, and another one with Ma Li for my own pleasure.
Sound and video are not synchronized though, you have to sort it out with player settings for yourself. :P
→ 京剧《江姐》”春蚕到死丝方尽” Jiang Jie (Sister Jiang – “Silkworms die to make silk”)
[DOWNLOAD] 42MB
Performed by Li Haiyan (李海燕).
→ 京剧《智取威虎山》”誓把那反动派一扫光” Zhi Qu Weihu Shan (Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy - ”I swear to sweep out those reactionaries”) [DOWNLOAD] 40MB
Performed by Ma Li (马力).
The young man has a special talent to look determined into the bright future, also he has an interesting voice. Look how solemn he looks in this clip when singing Red Detachment of Women (he stands on the left side of Yu Kuizhi): [DOWNLOAD] 12MB
Ma Li was born in 1982 in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.
From 1992 he was studying at the Vocational School of Chinese Opera Art in Heilongjiang then in Beijing, and was admitted to The National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in 1999.
From 2003 he’s working as laosheng in China National Jingju Company’s First Troupe.
In 2005 he was studying in California, then returned to Beijing to get his MFA, also participated in the 5th session of the National Outstanding Young Jingju Performers Postgraduate Course in 2009.
Ma Li was learning from numerous teachers, including Wang Shixu, Chen Zhiqing, Du Peng and Ma Changli. His regular plays are Dingjun Shan, Nanping Guan, Shi Kong Zhan, The Yang Saga, Silang Visits his Mother, Qin Qiong Sells His Horse, Da-Tan-Er, Red-maned Fierce Horse and more.
He happens to be 173cm tall and likes music, sports, reading and travelling.
Source: sina.com.cn
