1. General introduction to Huangmei Opera

1. Huangmei Opera, formerly known as Huangmei Diao or Tea Picking Opera, is one of the five major types of Chinese opera. It is also one of the four outstanding opera types in Anhui, alongside Hui Opera, Lu Opera and Sizhou Opera.

2. There are four theories that Huangmei Opera originated from Huaining and Tongcheng in Anhui, Huangmei in Hubei and Susong in Anhui. In his later years, Wang Zhaoqian (the person who proposed the Huangmei theory) admitted that Huangmei opera originated from "Huangmei in Hubei" and "lacked rational thinking." Among the four theories, the Susong theory is the most reliable. It was later introduced to Huaining County, Anhui Province and other areas and local folk art in the late Qing Dynasty. Combined with singing and chanting in Anqing dialect, it gradually developed into a new type of opera, which was once called "Huaiqiang" and "Wan Opera".

3. Huangmei Opera's singing style is simple and smooth, and it is known for its bright and lyrical style. , with rich expressive power. The performance is simple and meticulous, and is famous for its authenticity and liveliness. It has become an important means of interpreting and spreading Chinese traditional culture. 4. On May 20, 2006, Huangmei Opera was approved by the State Council and ranked first. A number of national intangible cultural heritage lists are distributed throughout China.

2. The historical origin of Huangmei Opera

Huangmei Opera is one of the five most famous types of drama in China. There are four theories about the origin of Huangmei Opera.

1. Huaining, Anhui Province

Bai Longju, vice president of Anhui Huangmei Opera Development Foundation, said that if “the opera is named after the county, "The county is named after the mountain". There is Huangmei Mountain in Huangmei County, Hubei Province, so it is said that "Huangmei Opera originated in Huangmei County." Then, there is also Huangmei Mountain in Huaining, Anhui Province. There are two "Huangmei Mountains". Which "Huangmei Mountain" is related to Huangmei Opera? What? Mr. Bai Longju further verified that the language and tune of Huangmei Opera are based on the local dialects of Anqing and Huaining, which are completely consistent with the folk songs in the Huangmei Mountain area of ??Huaining, but are quite different from the local dialects of Huangmei County, Hubei.

2. Talk about Tongcheng, Anhui

Huangmei Opera truly became a genre after Yan Fengying's "The Match of the Immortals" from Luoling Town, Tongcheng County was sung across the country, both inside and outside the Great Wall. Yan Fengying was the master of Huangmei Opera. The founder, the landscape, customs and people of Luoling, Tongcheng (a suburb of Anqing City) gave birth to this outstanding Huangmei Opera performing artist. Without Yan Fengying, there would be no contemporary Huangmei Opera.

3. Hubei Huangmei Opera

Huangmei County, Hubei Province claims in the "Huangmei Overview" that the county is "the hometown of Huangmei Opera, one of the five major opera types in the country". The reason is: Huangmei Opera was developed on the basis of Huangmei tea-picking songs. "Because of the name of the county, The county is named after the mountain" (there is a mountain 20 kilometers west of Huangmei County called "Huangmei Mountain"). This view was first seen in Tang Jincheng's article "Talk about Huangmei County and Huangmei Opera" published in the second supplement of "Huangmei Opera Art" in 1989. Here the author equates the name of the county "Huangmei" with the name of the play "Huangmei"

4. The theory of Susong in Anhui Province

Liao Linan, a local scholar in Anhui Province, believes that Susongcai in Anhui Province. It is truly the birthplace of Huangmei Opera. He said that according to research, Huangmei Opera originated from the Huangmei tea-picking song in the early Tang Dynasty. Through the development of folk songs in the Song Dynasty and the influence of Zaju in the Yuan Dynasty, it gradually formed the prototype of a unique local opera in the Ming Dynasty. "It is an art form of tunes sung by the working people in Susong, Anhui and Huangmei, Hubei during their long-term productive labor and social life. The two counties are adjacent to each other, with a long boundary line, and many things cannot be separated." Mr. Liao Linan found through reviewing literature that in the history of the development of Huangmei Opera, Susong has more than a dozen firsts, such as: 1. The first special performance Huangmei tea-picking opera. From the middle of the Ming Dynasty, Susong people began to perform Huangmei tea-picking opera on Songmeiling Street. 2. The first Huangmei opera repertoire was written into stage couplets during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. Several popular Huangmei opera plays such as "Xi Lou Hui" were included in the couplets on the Liaohe stage; 3. Su Song was the first to have an "official performance" in 1853, when he invited Huangmei opera from Caoye to an official county performance. "Huangmei County Chronicle" records that "Huangmei Opera was performed in Huangmei County in 1934" 81 years earlier; 4. It was the first to officially name the popular Huangmei tea-picking song as Huangmei Opera. In the "Susong County Chronicle" published in 1921, it was the first The name "Huangmei Opera" was officially recorded for the first time.

It is said that during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, among the four places that were competing for the birthplace of Huangmei Opera, Huaining, Anhui Province was the most reliable. The language and tune of Huangmei Opera were based on the local dialects of Anqing and Huaining. The folk songs and minor tunes in the mountain area were completely consistent, and were later introduced to Anqing, combined with local folk art, and sung and recited in Anqing dialect, and gradually developed into a new type of opera, which was called Huaiqiang or Huaidian at the time. This was the early Huangmei Opera. Later, Huangmei Opera borrowed and absorbed the music, performances and repertoire of Qingyang and Hui tunes, and began to perform the "original opera". Later, with Anqing as the center, after more than a hundred years of development (from the beginning of the 19th century to before liberation), Huangmei Opera became Anhui's main local opera and a nationally renowned opera.

The role system of Huangmei Opera is developed on the basis of "Two Small Operas" and "Three Small Operas", including Zhengdan, Zhengsheng, Xiaodan, Xiaosheng, Huadan, Clown, Laodan, Laosheng, Hua Lian , Daoma Dan, Wu Erhua and other lines. Although there is a division of labor, there are no strict restrictions, and actors can often play other roles. Huangmei Opera's performances include singing and dancing, which are simple and meticulous, real and lively, and full of life. It is famous for advocating emotional experience and has a fresh, natural, graceful and smooth artistic style. There are many well-known excellent plays in Huangmei Opera, among which "The Match of Heaven", "The Prince Consort", "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl", "The Couple Watching the Lantern", "Pig Weeding" and "Spinning Cotton Yarn" are the most representative ones.

Huangmei Opera is one of the five major types of opera in China and has far-reaching influence. The popular areas of Huangmei Opera are shrinking, and the survival of Huangmei Opera troupes at all levels, especially those at the county level, is becoming increasingly difficult and requires the care and support of the government and the whole society.

3. A brief history of the development of Huangmei Opera:

Huangmei Opera is composed of folk songs, yangko, tea songs, tea-picking lanterns, and flower-drum tunes. It was first developed in rural areas and later in cities. A type of drama. Its origin can be traced back to the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, but it was only in modern times that it became a complete drama genre. During this period of time, he absorbed the essence of many sister arts such as Han Opera, Chu Opera, Gaoqiang, Tea Picking Opera, Peking Opera, etc., gradually improving himself and becoming a famous opera. When talking about this famous play, we cannot help but notice that the group that performs this type of play has also gone through such a long development process. He also started from scratch, from small to large, from simple to complex, and gradually perfected it. It can also be said that the formation and development of Huangmei Opera and the formation and development of its performance groups are complementary to each other.

The first stage covers the period from Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty to the Revolution of 1911. Cacha tune, Jiangxi tune, Tongcheng tune and Fengyang song, which were produced and spread to Anhui, Hubei and Jiangxi provinces, were influenced by the performances of local operas (Qingyang tune and Hui tune).

Second The stage is from the Revolution of 1911 to 1949. At this stage, Huangmei Opera performances gradually became professional and moved from the rural grass stage to the urban stage. After Huangmei Opera entered Anqing City, it was co-operated with Peking Opera, and was influenced by Yue Opera, Yang Opera, Huai Opera and Ping Opera from the north in Shanghai (called "Beng Beng Opera" at the time). Big changes. A number of new plays have been arranged and transplanted, including the scripted plays "Wen Suchen", "Hongbiyuan", "Hualiyuan", "Bee Diary", etc. In terms of music, a preliminary reform has been carried out on the traditional singing tune, which has reduced the empty words in the old tune, making it bright and smooth, making it easier for the audience to understand what is being sung. The accompaniment was canceled and the Huqin accompaniment was used. In terms of performance, it absorbs and melts the formulaic movements of Peking Opera and other brother operas, enriching the means of expression. Others, such as costumes, makeup and stage settings, have also developed compared with the rural grass stage.

The third stage is from 1949 to the present. In 1952, Huangmei Opera artists performed in Shanghai with plays such as "Pig Weed" and "Blue Bridge Club". Over the past few decades, a large number of actors have been created. In addition to the older generation artists such as Yan Fengying and Wang Shaofang who have made outstanding achievements in the singing art of Huangmei Opera, young and middle-aged actors such as Ma Lan and Han Zaifen have successively demonstrated their respective talents on the stage, screen and TV screen. The heroic appearance attracted the attention of the audience. "The Match", co-starring Yan Fengying and Wang Shaofang, was made into a film for the second time and became a sensation at home and abroad.

The development of Huangmei Opera in Hubei is inseparable from a slogan put forward by the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government 18 years ago. This slogan is "Invite Huangmei Opera back to your parents' home."

Under the guidance of this slogan, Hubei Province has done a lot of work to revitalize Huangmei Opera; it established the Hubei Huangmei Opera Theater; hired some Huangmei Opera actors from Anqing, Anhui; and changed most Chu Opera and Han Opera troupes in Huanggang area into Huangmei Opera Troupe. ; Huanggang Art School was established to cultivate reserve talents for Huangmei Opera. Two plays created in the Huanggang area, "Yu Laosi and Zhang Ernu" and "Silver Lock", were performed in Beijing for 14 times and were well received by the audience; in 1995, the large-scale modern plays "Unfinished Love" and "Unfinished Love" created by Hubei Huangmei Theater Theater The costume drama "Double Down the Mountain" won the Outstanding Performance Award at the Second National China Huangmei Opera Art Festival held in Anqing, and the leading actors Yang Jun and Zhang Hui won the Performance Gold Award. "Unfinished Love" also won the Wenhua New Play Award, the Wenhua Director Award, and the Wenhua Music Creation Award at the 5th China Arts Festival. In order to improve the overall artistic level of Huangmei Opera, after the promotion and tempering of five art festivals, "Winter Goes and Spring Returns", "Please Let Me Be Your Bride", "Spring Comes to Jiangwan", "The Story of Spring Brother" were created " and other excellent plays, it has cultivated a number of Huangmei Opera rookies such as Guo Huayang, Zhou Hongnian, and Duan Qiuping.

With the passage of time and the influx of various diverse cultures, traditional dramas such as Huangmei Opera have gradually faded out of people’s sight. Should they change with the times? And how should traditional culture be inherited and developed? This is a problem that many actors and literary and artistic workers today have to solve.

In July 2012, Wu Qiong, one of the representatives of Huangmei Opera, served as the producer and artistic director for the first time, launching the Huangmei musical "Huangmei Musical" at the Beijing Poly Theater. "The Return of the Lady", the Huangmei musical is adapted from the famous play "The Return of the Lady" by Swiss playwright Friedrich Dürrenmatt, leading a new cross-border integration of traditional Chinese art and Western musicals The artistic expression form has sounded the clarion call for the battle of the era of traditional dramas such as Huangmei Opera.

Huangmei Opera "The Fairy's Match"

In November of the same year, in the 20121104 issue of Wenhua China, the host Ma Dong discussed this issue with the show's producer, screenwriter, The choreographers - Wu Qiong, Wang Xinji, Bian Wentong and others had a detailed chat. Wu Qiong was not optimistic about the current situation of Huangmei Opera. She said that since she returned to the Huangmei Opera stage in 2000, she has been doing so for so many years.

4. Traditional plays

After liberation, "The Fairy's Match", "The Consort", "The Story of Luo Pa", "Zhao Guiying", "Mother's Tears", A number of large and small traditional plays such as "Sansou Guozhangfu", the mythological drama "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl", the historical dramas "Beheaded without Punishment" and "Yutangchun", the modern dramas "Spring Warmth and Flowers Bloom", "Spring Morning in Xiaodian", "Beibei" "The buds are beginning to bloom". Among them, "The Fairy's Match", "The Consort", "Yu Tangchun" and "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl" have been put on the screen one after another and have had a great impact at home and abroad.

The outstanding repertoires of Huangmei Opera include: "The Match of the Immortals", "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl", "The Story of the Sophora Tower", "The Consort", "Meng Lijun", "The Couple Watching Lanterns[7] Willow Well", "Blue "Bridge Party", "Lu Yu", "Wang Xiaoliu Beats Tofu", "Xiao Cidian", "Yutangchun", "Xilou Party", "Spinning Cotton", "Swing Frame" and so on.

5. Role trades in Huangmei Opera

The system of role trades in Huangmei Opera was developed on the basis of "Two Small Operas" and "Three Small Operas". After the whole drama was staged, the roles gradually developed into the roles of Zhengdan, Zhengsheng, Xiaodan, Xiaosheng, Clown, Laodan, Naisheng, and Hualian. Before and after the Revolution of 1911, the division of roles was summarized as upper four feet and lower four feet. The upper four legs are: Zhengdan (green clothes), Laosheng (white beard), Zhengsheng (black beard), and Hua Lian; the lower four legs are: Xiaosheng, Huadan, Clown, and Laodan. Although there is a division of labor in the industry, few people specialize in one line of work. After the 19th year of the Republic of China (1930), Huangmei Opera Troupe often performed together with Huizhou and Beijing Troupe. Due to the needs of performance repertoire, the professions of Daomadan and Wuerhua appeared, but they were not fixed. At that time, the Huangmei Opera Troupe was mostly semi-professional, with generally only twelve people, including three dozen, seven singers, box shang (managing costumes and props), and box xia (responsible for making tea and cooking). The matching of the professions is basically seven elements: Zhengdan, Zhengsheng, Xiaodan, Xiaosheng, Clown, Laodan and Hualian.

Due to the small number of people in the troupe, one actor often has to play several roles in the entire drama. Therefore, in Huangmei Opera, although the roles in the play have professional standards, the actors are not strictly divided into different roles.

Zhengdan: She usually plays the role of a solemn and upright adult woman, a duet singer, and the performance requires prudent and generous performance. The roles she plays include: Wang Sannu in "The Story of Buckwheat", Chen Saijin in "The Story of Lopa", Chen Shi in "Fish Net Hui Mu", etc.

Xiaodan: Also known as Huadan, she usually plays the role of a lively and passionate girl or young woman. She is required to pay equal attention to both singing and acting. She mostly uses Xiaobai (Anqing Mandarin) when reciting, and her voice is crisp and sweet. She often holds a handkerchief and a fan when performing. category, dancing simple kerchief flowers and fan flowers. The roles played include: Tao Jinhua in "Pig Weed", Zhao Cuihua in "Spring Outing", Liu Fengying in "Xiao Cidian", etc. After the whole drama was performed, the Xiaodan profession was subdivided into the boudoir dan and the maidservant profession as "supporters". Danxing is the main job of Huangmei Opera, and there is an old saying that "you can choose a cast once."

Xiaosheng: He usually plays the role of a young man, sings with a loud voice, and often holds a folding fan during performances. The roles played include: Wang Keju in "The Legend of Luopa", Wang Jinrong in "Chunxiang Makes School", Li Zhaoting in "The Consort", Dong Yong in "The Fairy Match", etc.

Clown: divided into three categories: clown, old clown, and female clown (Caidan). In Huangmei opera, scandalous behavior is more popular. To help with the performance, the clown often holds a seven- or eight-inch long pipe, while the old clown holds a two- or three-foot long pipe to make jokes and adjust the atmosphere of the performance. The roles played include Wang Xiaoliu in "Tofu" and Yang Sanxiao in "Toad Fishing".

Lao Dan: Plays the role of an elderly woman, mostly in supporting roles in the play. Such as Mrs. Wang in "Buckwheat Story".

Painted faces: There are very few roles for professionals with painted faces in Huangmei opera. In addition to playing roles such as Bao Zheng in major dramas, they mostly play roles such as bullies and village leaders, such as "The Flower Seller" Cao Ding of "Erlong Mountain" and Yu Biao of "Erlong Mountain".

Zhengsheng: Also known as hanging beard, there are black and white beards. Generally, black beards are called Zhengsheng, and white beards are called Laosheng. When singing and reciting, pay attention to the spout and the words that are pronounced sonorously and forcefully. The roles played include: Xu Wenjin in "Buckwheat Story", Zhang Chaozong in "Advocate", Zhang Boling in "Tongcheng Strange Case", etc.

At first, the accompaniment of gongs and drums was only large gongs, small gongs and flat round drums, which was called "three dozen seven singing", that is, three people played percussion instruments and participated in singing, and seven people sang. Later, the drummer also played bamboo root knots and cymbals. The three accompanists sat inside and outside the entrance gate and in the middle of the grass platform (drummer). After the 1930s, due to the influence of Anhui Troupe and Peking Opera, it gradually moved to the side of the stage. The traditional gong and drum beats are simple and concise. The commonly used ones are one, two, three, four, five, six, nine hammers, thirteen and a half hammers, four non-stick (also known as "one-character gong"), toad jumping short, and phoenix nodding. , Three Arrows, Pushing the Bus, etc. There are Qiban gongs and drums, thirteen-and-a-half hammers, seven-character gongs, shouting gongs, etc. that are used in conjunction with the body movements. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, people gradually absorbed the skills of Peking Opera and created some new gong points to meet the needs of performance and vocal accompaniment.