(updated, originally posted on Dec 14, 2011) Do you still remember this? So this it was, a fun little show:

→ 京剧《白蛇新传》New Legend of the White Snake  [DOWNLOAD] 118MB

Highlight: at 16:10 Fu Xiru sings yueju (Shaoxing opera).
Nowadays I frequently see Fu Xiru, but not Zhao Qun. I hope everything is OK at home.

Why the enthusiastic cross-dressing? It’s Fang Xu’s newest crazy New Year’s Eve project? Or something bigger? We’ll see soon.

Fu Xiru looks charming as Bai Suzhen…

Pregnant skirt and stubble

Half Fang Xu, half Xiaoqing

I added the download links of the “reversed” Long Feng Cheng Xiang to the program list post (5th dragon) – I was laughing my pants off!
I hoarded some great stage- and backstage photos too, [DOWNLOAD] (40MB) and enjoy them!

The play was following the original script, just some funny lines and props were added.

Jin Xiquan expressed his worries lately that he slowly gets too old for massively acrobatic roles, jingju profession severely lacks wuxiaosheng performers and theaters don’t intend to stage plays like Ba Da Chui - at least in this half-comedy version of this classic he could show he’s still in good condition.

Fu Xiru as Sun Shangxiang deliberately falls out of his role for the sake of a joke:

“Aren’t you Jin Xiquan by chance?”

An Ping looks and sings as qingyi much better than I thought!

Wang Peiyu removes her weaponry: big halberd, plastic laser sword, space gun… and answers “his” sweetheart’s call. (The phone call is cited from an iconic sketch of famous comedian Zhao Benshan, thus much more funny for Chinese audience.)

“Hello! Meal’s ready? ‘kay, I tell the Empress I killed Liu Bei, brb Honey!”

This imperial court was to my liking: all palace maids were boys. Chen Lin and Hao Shuai are both .

Wang Xilong, Lan Tian, Chen Lin, Hao Shuai, Hao Jie, Chen Shengjie, Wang Dun, Zhu Heji

No chance to recognize: young and pretty wudan Yang Yanan.

Yan Qinggu is pro in any role…

Have you seen such a beautiful Zhou Yu before?

Photos: 秦钟wzl, 刘骏, 卢雯2011, 蕙蕙83, 乌托邦帮

Finally turned out that CCTV messed up the program list, Qun-Jie-Hua was yesterday and the “reversed” Long Feng Cheng Xiang today.

Qun-Jie-Hua was great, but I have only the 2/3 part of it, the first part just doesn’t load, what a misery. If I manage to get the full video, I’ll add the link to the appropriate post. Same applies to the other play, in advance here is Wang Peiyu in Jia Hua make-up:

She has some serious equipment (wore the glasses on stage too):

And what everyone is waiting for: An Ping’s Lady Sun! I tell you I’m highly surprised.

Zhang Fei (Jin Xiquan) doesn’t recognize Zhuge Liang (Tian Hui) in the boatman outfit. I wonder why…?

“Is that really you, Sir?”

What a pity that CCTV had to choose between the two role reversed performances of the same day! Yet I hope someone recorded the one by CNJC second troupe. Here are a few photos from that one:

Xiaosheng Li Haiyan

Bao Fei’s insane character

These next two are hardly recognizable without hualian face paint:

Wei Jijun as Mei Xiang from the Unicorn Purse

Liu Dake as huadan – pretty!

Videos of the trunk sealing performance, aired yesterday, appeared online surprisingly fast.

Downloads:
CNTV: [1] | [2]
ed2k: [COPY]

(1)《戏迷家庭六》Sixth edition of the Family of Theater Fans show.

Year of the Dragon is close, so the theme was Long Feng Cheng Xiang (The Auspicious Dragon and Phoenix). Last year Wang Yan was playing the flute in bunny mask, this year we could enjoy Zhu Qiang as Empress Dowager.

An interesting part is at 11:28, Zhu Shihui (朱世慧), famous chou is singing Qi school excerpt, I liked that. At 15:12, Xu Mengke is doing the same – well, obviously Zhu Shihui has much more stage experience.

Zhu Shihui excels, but the Dowager falls asleep

Wusheng Chang Dong’s (常东) scene starting at 19:25 was entertaining. After the strict security check, he’s informing the Dowager about the happenings by performing some spectacular spear action.

An Ping and Li Hong’s Chisangzhen in reversed setup was interesting, however, I’m happy both of them stick to their original profession. By the way, if it weren’t written there, I would have never figured out it’s Li Hong under the Bao make-up.

Snatching the wig of an elderly lady isn’t a good idea whatsoever

After Song Xiaochuan and Bao Fei’s Tale of the White Snake excerpt Shi Yihong was singing Shaoxing opera Prince of the Desert – she surely won’t be a rival for Wang Junan or Zhao Zhigang, but wasn’t bad at all.

This show always has a “guest star”, last year Ye Shaolan was invited, this year Zhang Xuejin came surrounded by disciples. Their little “orchestra” was really cute, Zhang Xuejin and Song Haoyu were playing qin, Mu Yu debuted as drummer, Gao Tong and Zhao Hua as gong and cymbal players. They accompanied Mei school qingyis Zhang Xinyue and Wang Yi, who performed a Ma school laosheng excerpt: I liked them both! (Starts around 44:35.)

Zhang Xuejin is still handsome. Mu Yu gained weight (again).

Scene of the “five laosheng Sun Shangxiang” was a real surprise.
I thought that Fu Xiru, who has a comparatively high pitched voice, will excel, but actually he was the weakest link with his shot at Cheng school singing.
Du Zhe wasn’t feminine in his movement, but his singing was very nice, stylish.
I liked Yang Shaopeng too! Without costume, there’s nothing in that boy that even shallowly resembles a girl, yet he was a pretty Shangxiang with a really good voice.

My favorite of the five was undoubtedly Ling Ke! Delicate, beautiful, subtle.

Tianjin’s young laosheng Ling Ke - pretty!

After one hour, Shang Changrong made his appearance with giant calligraphy brush. After painting a scroll he performed an excerpt from one of his childhood favorites, Liu Baoquan’s (刘宝全) jingyun dagu Da Xixiang (大西厢).
As a special highlight, Ouyang Zhongshi appeared on the screen and painted a traditional “dragon” character live.

龍

After some happy audience singing, the show ends.

(2) 京剧《大白水滩》Big White Water Beach

Next program was the long edition of jingju White Water Beach, with lots of martial action and handsome wusheng boys. Everything goes in order until 58:30 (second video)…. I don’t want to spoil the fun, so I just tell you if you’re fond of Latino rhythms, you surely will like the next two minutes.

Supersexy Feng Yun seduces the attractive executioner…

(originally published on Jan 6, 2012 @ 19:02, updated with download links)

You can download the whole show here:

《空中剧院》开播九周年答谢联欢会 (Concert celebrating the 9th “birthday” of CCTV11′s Theater in the Air)
CNTV: [1] | [2] | [3]
ed2k link: [COPY]

Lots of niceness inside! List of performers is at the end of the post.
By the way, do you recognize the individual on the picture below? (Peep comments if stuck.)

Bao Fei, Song Xiaochuan in Da Deng Dian. Will be aired on the 14th. What do you think, who’s prettier?

Haha, this one is even better, has An Ping in the middle. What a lucky guy…

Part 1-3:
1、《卜算子·咏梅》领唱：李维康；Ode to the Plum Blossom – Li Weikang
2、（荀派）《红娘》选段，演唱：熊明霞、张佳春、陈静、张云、宋奕萱；Hong Niang – Xiong Mingxia, Zhang Jiachun, Chen Jing, Zhang Yun, Song Yixuan (Xun school)
3、（梅派）《穆桂英挂帅》选段，演唱：张馨月、郭霄；Mu Guiying Takes Command – Zhang Xinyue, Guo Xiao (Mei school)
4、（张派）《望江亭》选段，演唱：王润菁、王盼；Riverside Pavilion – Wang Runjing, Wang Pan (Zhang school)
5、（尚派）《双阳公主》选段，演唱：张艳玲、张蕊麟；Princess Shuangyang – Zhang Yanling, Zhang Ruilin (Shang school)
6、（程派）《锁麟囊·春秋亭》选段，演唱：吕洋、赵欢等；Unicorn Purse – Lü Yang, Zhao Huan (Cheng school)
7、（余派）《文昭关》选段，演唱：王珮瑜；Wenzhao Pass – Wang Peiyu (Yu school)
8、（杨派）《文昭关》选段，演唱：张克；Wenzhao Pass – Zhang Ke (Yang school)
9、《赤桑镇》选段，演唱：余声（梅兰芳大剧院艺术顾问）、方旭；Red Mulberry Town – Yu Sheng (Mei Lanfang Theater’s art consultant)
10、《失街亭》选段，演唱：张华山；Fall of Jieting – Zhang Huashan
11、（余派）《空城计》选段，演唱：蓝天。Empty City Strategy – Lan Tian (Yu school)

Part 2-3:
1、（余派）《斩马谡》选段，演唱：黄炳强；Beheading Ma Su – Huang Bingqiang (Yu school)
2、（奚派）《打渔杀家》选段，演唱：张建国；The Fishermen’s Revenge – Zhang Jianguo (Xi school)
3、《四郎探母·坐宫》选段，演唱：王蓉蓉、杜鹏；Sitting in the Palace – Wang Rongrong, Du Peng
4、《龙凤呈祥》片断，史依弘（反串）饰乔玄，裴咏杰（反串）饰吴国太，裘继戎饰孙权；Harmony Through a Royal Marriage – Shi Yihong, Pei Yongjie, Qiu Jirong
5、（程派）《春闺梦》选段，演唱：李佩泓、李海燕；Dream in a Girl’s Chamber – Li Peihong, Li Haiyan (Cheng school)
6、《游龙戏凤》片断，演唱：庄京武、王欣；Emperor Zhengde Molests Meets Miss Li Feng – Zhuang Jingwu, Wang Xin
7、《打龙袍》选段，演唱：袁慧琴、安平；Beating the Emperor’s Robe – Yuan Huiqin, An Ping
8、《沙家浜·智斗》选段，李宏图（反串）饰刁德一，姜亦珊饰阿庆嫂，王嘉庆饰胡传魁；Shajia Village – Li Hongtu, Jiang Yishan, Wang Jiaqing
9、《凤还巢》选段，演唱：翟惠生（中华全国新闻工作者协会党组书记）、董圆圆；Returning the Phoenix to the Nest – Zhai Huisheng (Party secretary of China’s Journalist Association), Dong Yuanyuan
10、（程派）《锁麟囊》选段，演唱：迟小秋。Unicorn Purse – Chi Xiaoqiu (Cheng school)

Part 3-3:
1、《大登殿》片断：朱强饰薛平贵，包飞（反串）饰王宝钏，宋小川（反串）饰代战公主；The Great Enthronement – Zhu Qiang, Bao Fei, Song Xiaochuan
2、《四郎探母》选段，演唱：赵葆秀、赵书成；Silang Visits his Mom – Zhao Baoxiu, Zhao Shucheng
3、（裘派）《探阴山》选段，演唱：孟广禄；Visiting the Yin Mountain – Meng Guanglu (Qiu school)
4、（麒派）《四进士》选段，演唱：陈少云；Four Successful Graduates – Chen Shaoyun (Qi school)
5、（余派）《沙桥饯别》选段，演唱：耿其昌；Farewell Dinner at Sandy Bridge – Geng Qichang (Yu school)
6、（谭派）《秦琼卖马》选段，演唱：谭元寿、谭孝曾、谭正岩；Qin Qiong Sells his Horse – Tan Yuanshou, Tan Xiaozeng, Tan Zhengyan (Tan school, what else :P)
7、《鸿门宴》选段，演唱：张百发；Feast at Hongmen – Zhang Baifa
8、《淮河营》选段，演唱：《空中剧院》栏目组；Camp at Huai River
9、《三家店》选段，演唱：《空中剧院》栏目组；Sanjia Dian
10、《智取威虎山》选段，演唱：《空中剧院》栏目组。Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy

CCTV11 Theater In the Air TV program - “Trunk sealing plays” 《戏迷家庭》,《大白水滩》

Date: 16 January 2012, 11:20 UTC
Description: The first one is the annual “Theater Fanatics” show with lots of reversed roles, parodies and nonsense. The second one is the “funny glasses” performance, mentioned here.

Look at these faces…

A highlight of the first show: laosheng qingyis. Do you recognize everyone? I needed help. (Answer in the first comment.)

Photos: Xiao Hanqiu

Bertrand found this article lately about the upcoming changes in the names of CNPOC and Peking Opera Theater of Beijing. Though even many Chinese aren’t fascinated by the idea, the change seems to be unavoidable, so I went through all my posts and corrected the names in advance. It was so boring that I decided to post a little fun stuff today.

On New Year’s Eve, jingju performers entertain the audience with unusual (and often funny) performances. I edited my favorite ones from the 4th Theater Enthusiasts Show (2010) into this clip, not a terrific quality but I hope you’ll like it.

→《京剧戏迷家庭四》Family of Jingju Fans (4)  [DOWNLOAD] 140MB

The hosts, as always, are Bao Fei and Song Xiaochuan, in fancy outfits. I found a picture of them somewhere, wearing the same garments:

Qiu Yun, who usually performs in hualian roles, sings huadan role in an excerpt from modern opera The Red Lantern.

Tan Zhengyan and Fang Xu, who’ll never grow up I’m afraid, came with a parody sketch again. Apparently Fang Xu invented a magical braid that enables Tan Zhengyan to sing laodan role from Silang Visits His Mother – of course the vocal abilities have nothing to do with the braid, Fang Xu is singing under the table.

Xu Mengke is the living proof that the old saying is true: No chou, no play. First he’s singing the xiaosheng role of Yang Zongbao, but at 06:58 he gets a pen, and switches to laosheng role. At 08:10 Zhu Qiang is hanging a beard on Xu Mengke’s face, who immediately starts to sing in Zhou Xinfang style. At 08:37 a red beard arrives… and do you still remember “You and Me” and Jingjing?

Yuan Huiqin sings the simple and very popular song 《潇洒走一回》 - definitely not Beijing Opera. Look at Song Xiaochuan’s “Hips Don’t Lie” move at 10:46, priceless…

The next one is the oddest performance I’ve ever seen: Wang Rongrong in strange gown, accompanied by his husband, Du Peng on violin and by another musician on… accordion.

Would you guess that female laosheng Wang Peiyu is under the mask of Gao Deng? Funny highlight at 18:08 before she’s galloping away. I love this girl!

Finally the MCs show their talent in Cheng, Shang and Xun school dan roles. These two seem to be on good terms in real life too.

I hope you had fun and forgot about the boring weekdays for a couple of minutes.

Browsing Tan Zhengyan’s blog (great-grandson of legendary Beijing opera master Tan Fuying), I came across this entry that has a few backstage photos of him and Fang Xu preparing for a Chinese New Year parody performance of Shi Yuzhuo (Picking up the Jade Bracelet). I happen to have a better copy of this funny video and since this post will be a mess all in all, I paste it here.

→ 《拾玉镯》Picking up the Jade Bracelet – parody sketch  [DOWNLOAD] 46MB
Tan Zhengyan (谭正岩) as Sun Yujiao, Fang Xu (方旭) as Mother Liu, the matchmaker.

In the original play Fu Peng, a young scholar falls in love with the beautiful country girl, Sun Yujiao, thus he deliberately drops his jade bracelet when passing by her house and Sun Yujiao picks it up. A matchmaker, Madame Liu visits Sun Yujiao, asks her for a pair of embroidered shoes as a love token and promises to make a match for them.
In the parody Sun Yujiao is ugly (though young Tan is pretty handsome in make-up imho), when Liu asks for the bracelet she handles her a donut instead, she’s singing a parody of Gong Linna’s Disturbed (龚琳娜•老锣) and so on.
With his starting line ( ”180cm tall, grown up in the Tan family, I’ve been learning jingju since childhood, I simply couldn’t do anything about it.”) Tan Zhengyan is poking fun at his ancestors, since Tan Fuying, his grandfather Tan Yuanshou and his father Tan Xiaozeng are all short while Zhengyan is 185cm tall. It’s pretty cool that at the end his dad and grandpa appear on the screen and wish a Happy New Year.
(Soon I’ll post a few snippets with the little Tan where he’s not joking.)

When do you see the most eclectic selection of artists on one stage? You won, in one of the big let’s-sing-along late night shows at Chinese New Year’s Eve.
I think this one is from 2007. The “opera laugh” at the end sums up the purpose of the show.

→ 戏曲《梨园闹新春》Happy Chinese New Year!  [DOWNLOAD] 199MB
Performers in order: Zhao Baoxiu (赵葆秀), Shi Yihong (史依弘), Li Jun (李军), Meng Guanglu (孟广禄), Zhang Huoding (张火丁), Yu Kuizhi (于魁智).

→ Mao Zedong’s 卜算子《咏梅》Yong Mei (Plum Flower Song)  [DOWNLOAD] 78MB
Performed by Yu Kuizhi and Li Shengsu.
Flittery-glittery 2007 stage performance. Jingge (京歌) is a fairly new innovation, fusing the elements of modern songs with Beijing opera tunes.
Yu Kuizhi is wearing his second most terrible bow tie (if I were Liang Yiwei I would incinerate all of those in a pile).

This poem of Mao is based on a work of patriotic Southern Song dynasty poet Lu You. As Mao was reading Lu’s poem, he countered it with his own version, thus its meaning and mood is totally reversed. (I forgot where I got the translations from, sorry.)

Lu You: Plum Blossom

驿外断桥边
寂寞开无主
已是黄昏独自愁
更著风和雨

无意苦争春
一任群芳妒
零落成泥碾作尘
只有香如故

Near the broken bridge outside the fortress,
I go, lonely and disoriented.
It is dusk and I am alone and anxious,
especially when the wind and rain start to blow.

I do not mean to fight for Springtime,
I would rather be alone and envied by the crowd.
I will fall down, become earth, be crushed to dust.
My glory will be same as before.

Mao Zedong: Plum Blossom

风雨送春归，
飞雪迎春到，
已是悬崖百丈冰，
犹有花枝俏。

俏也不争春，
只把春来报。
待到山花烂漫时，
她在丛中笑。

Wind and rain escorted Spring’s departure,
Flying snow welcomes Spring’s return.
On the ice-clad cliff rising high and sheer
A flower blooms sweet and fair.

Sweet and fair, she craves not Spring for herself alone,
To be the harbinger of Spring she is content.
When the mountain flowers are in full bloom
She will smile mingling in their midst.

I didn’t expect to hear Jiang shen er from Yuan Huiqin. It won’t become my favourite version of the song but I have to say she’s a handsome Qin Qiong.

《三家店·将身儿》San Jia Dian – Jiang shen er
 [DOWNLOAD] 37MB