Young artists from the Jiangsu Provincial Kunqu Opera Theatre
will demonstrate their mastery of a classical opera genre inscribed
on the World Intangible Heritage List during the theatre's
production of The Peach Blossom Fan at Poly Theatre this
weekend (March 17-19).
The three performances will feature two casts.
The first two nights will be performed by the young cast
including the 20-year-old Shi Xiaming as Hou and 16-year-old Shan
Wen as Li.
It is probably the youngest cast of Kunqu Opera performers in a
public show. And the famous Kunqu Opera artists such as Shi
Xiaomei, Qian Jinfang and Ke Jun will appear at the final show.
According to Ke Jun, vice-president of the Jiangsu Provincial
Kunqu Opera Theatre, the company planned to have the established
artists perform the play.
But director Tian strongly suggested letting the young
generation have a try after she saw their daily training and
rehearsals.
"Since we are working on reserving and developing Kunqu Opera,
we'd better bring up more young performers," Ke told China
Daily. "So after listening to director Tian's advise, all the
veteran artists agreed to let their students join cast A without
any hesitation."
Tian's reason is nothing more than having actors and actresses
at the same age as the roles they portray.
"I believe audiences would like to see young Li and Hou. They
were 16 and 20 when the story happened and now the actress Shan and
actor Shi are at the same age.
"The Kunqu Opera artists in their 40s and even 50s have rich
performing experience but I don't think they fit teenage roles,"
she said.
Tian said she was impressed by the gentle manner and sense of
artistry when she first saw Shi standing in the shadow of the
ancient architecture Chaotiangong, where the company is
located.
"He was the Hou in my mind at first sight," Tian said.
But it's really hard for viewers to relate a 20-year-old boy who
loves playing PSP games and singing Jay Chou's songs during his
spare time to the scholar who falls in love with a pretty courtesan
300 years ago.
Though all the young performers have received strict training of
Kunqu Opera for at least six years, the company invited history and
literary professors from Nanjing University, playwrights, painters
and calligraphist to give them additional classes on the historical
background of the story.
(China Daily March 14, 2006)
