On the stage of the Changchun Peking Opera Troupe, a passionate story is slowly unfolding. This is not just a theatrical performance, but also a legend of two hearts intertwined. Wang Fengxia, the "Iron Fan Princess" on the stage, her life is just like the role she plays, full of legends.
During her illustrious career, Wang Fengxia met Liu Xi, who is also a Peking Opera actor, and he played the role of "Monkey King" on stage. The love story of the two blooms in the world of Peking Opera, and it is as touching as a drama. However, just when Wang Fengxia's star career was shining, a sudden illness hit mercilessly, and at the age of 38, she was like a withering flower, leaving endless sorrow and regret.
Changchun Peking Opera Troupe: The starting point of dreams.
On the stage of the Changchun Peking Opera Troupe, a twelve-year-old boy named Liu Xiliang played the Monkey King for the first time, and this role became the starting point of his artistic career. At that time, he did not know that the fate of him and the actress Wang Fengxia, who also loved Peking Opera, would be closely linked. The excellent performances of the two in classic plays such as "Haunted Dragon Palace" and "Three Forks" attracted each other's attention on stage.
The stage of the Changchun Peking Opera Troupe was a busy scene, and the new actor Liu Xiliang was dressed in the costume of the Monkey King, and the preparations were made backstage in high spirits. He carefully adjusted the golden hoop on his head, and in front of him was a large mirror, reflecting his face with a hint of childishness. Make-up artists are busy on the sidelines, dressing him up meticulously. His eyes shone with tension and excitement.
The lights slowly focused on the stage, ** sounded, and Liu Xiliang walked on the stage. His movements are agile and flexible, as if he is really incarnated as the naughty Monkey King. The audience was attracted by his performance and applauded continuously.
At this moment, Wang Fengxia is staying behind the scenes, wearing gorgeous costumes, listening to Liu Xiliang's performance. She opened the curtain lightly, and the performance of the young actor on the stage, impressed by his talent, and her eyes flashed with reverence for art. She lowered the curtain gently, secretly looking forward to working with the young actor.
After a few weeks, they worked together for the first time in the rehearsals of "Haunted Dragon Palace". Liu Xiliang continued to play the role of Monkey King, while Wang Fengxia played a fairy. The director strictly guided their every movement and expression at the rehearsal site. Liu Xiliang's movements are flexible and agile, while Wang Fengxia's dancing posture is full of elegant beauty, and the tacit cooperation between the two on the stage is becoming more and more prominent.
The Sprout of Love: Meeting on the Stage.
Over time, Liu Xiliang and Wang Fengxia became famous in the Peking Opera world. Their cooperation in "Haunted Dragon Palace" is particularly eye-catching, especially the rivalry between Monkey King played by Liu Xiliang and the fairy played by Wang Fengxia, which has become a classic that the audience talks about. Whenever Liu Xiliang deftly somersault on stage, Wang Fengxia adds a soft color to the role with her delicate dancing and performance. After the performance, the audience often gathered around them to express their appreciation and love for their performance.
During the rehearsals for "Three Forks," the two actors interacted more closely. Liu Xiliang's performance dedication and Wang Fengxia's meticulous shaping of the characters make their performances more vivid and colorful. After an evening rehearsal, the director praised: "You complement each other on stage, and every movement, every eye contact, tells a touching story." ”
The two often choose to exchange acting skills in the dark corner behind the stage between rehearsals, and sometimes Liu Xiliang asks Wang Fengxia for some details of acting, and Wang Fengxia always listens carefully and gives advice. During these interactions, understanding and trust between them grew stronger.
On the night of the premiere of "Three Forks", the entire theater was full, and Liu Xiliang and Wang Fengxia took the stage and bowed respectfully. The audience's applause echoed throughout the theater. That night, their performance was hailed as "flawless", Liu Xiliang was full of passion, and Wang Fengxia was gentle and demure, and the tacit understanding between the two made the audience feel like a spring breeze and fall into the artistic realm they created.
As the years passed, Liu Xiliang and Wang Fengxia's reputation in the Peking Opera world grew. Not only is they full of tacit understanding on the stage, but they have also become an important support for each other in life. In addition to rehearsals, they will share the prospect of drama and think about how to perfectly integrate traditional Peking Opera with modern aesthetics. In these exchanges, their ideas and insights collide and spark new sparks.
The relationship between Liu Xiliang and Wang Fengxia has not only attracted the attention of the audience, but also become a good story in the Peking Opera circle. They not only support each other artistically, but also confidants in life. In an interview, when asked about his cooperation with Wang Fengxia, Liu Xiliang replied with a smile: "Performing with Fengxia has given me a taste of the true meaning of Peking Opera, she is not only my stage partner, but also an indispensable part of my life." ”
The dream we pursued together: the glory of "Flaming Mountain".
In 1983, the Changchun Peking Opera Troupe staged a large-scale mythological Peking Opera "Flaming Mountain", starring Liu Xiliang and Wang Fengxia, playing the roles of Monkey King and Princess Iron Fan. The performance of the play was not only a test of the skills of the two actors, but also marked the pinnacle of their collaboration.
In the process of rehearsing "Flaming Mountain", Liu Xiliang and Wang Fengxia invested a lot of time and energy. When they played the two characters of Monkey King and Princess Iron Fan, they paid great attention to the details of the characters' body language and expressions. Liu Xiliang pursues perfection in every jump and tumble on the stage, and his every expression is full of expressiveness. And Wang Fengxia also carefully polished the role she played, her dancing posture was elegant, her lines were pronounced clearly and full of emotion, and the tenderness and fierceness of Princess Iron Fan were vividly expressed.
The rivalry between Sun Wukong and Princess Iron Fan in the play can be called the climax of the whole play. During an important rehearsal, Liu Xiliang stood on stage to confront Wang Fengxia, and he played the Monkey King who was engaged in a heated debate with the Iron Fan Princess. Wang Fengxia, as the princess of the iron fan, skillfully responded to every word of Sun Wukong, making the audience deeply feel the strong emotional conflict between the characters.
Liu Xiliang praised Wang Fengxia after the rehearsal: "Your performance today is really good, you played the role of the Iron Fan Princess very well." Wang Fengxia responded: "The Monkey King you play is also very vivid, especially those martial arts scenes, which are impressive." ”
In between rehearsals, the two often discussed the details of the characters and the deeper meaning of the script together, and sat in the dressing room to communicate. Liu Xiliang will listen to Wang Fengxia's detailed insights into the role of the Iron Fan Princess, while Wang Fengxia will offer her unique perspective on Liu Xiliang's role as the Monkey King. These exchanges not only deepened their understanding of the characters, but also strengthened the tacit understanding between the two on stage.
The premiere night of Flaming Mountain was packed, and the audience was full of anticipation. When Liu Xiliang and Wang Fengxia took the stage, they immediately won warm applause. Under the backdrop of the lights, the two seem to really incarnate as Sun Wukong and Princess Iron Fan, and their every action and every line is full of power and emotion.
In a key scene at the foot of the Flaming Mountain, the battle between Sun Wukong and Princess Iron Fan becomes the visual and emotional climax of the whole play. Liu Xiliang's Monkey King is full of energy and wit, while Wang Fengxia's Iron Fan Princess shows firmness and tenderness. This scene deeply touched every audience present.
The audience gave a standing ovation at the end of the show and praised the excellent performances of the two actors. On the stage, Liu Xiliang and Wang Fengxia thanked each other, and Liu Xiliang said to Wang Fengxia: "Without your superb performance, the role of Monkey King would not be so vivid." Wang Fengxia replied with a smile: "It is our joint efforts that make "Flaming Mountain" a classic. ”
Liu Xiliang and Wang Fengxia's position in the Peking Opera industry was strengthened by the success of "Flaming Mountain". Their cooperation is considered to be a highlight of the Peking Opera industry in recent years, and the two have slowly come together in the process of working together, and eventually become husband and wife, becoming a highly envied couple in the Peking Opera industry.
Challenging Life: Wang Fengxia's Illness Torture.
However, just when Wang Fengxia became famous with "Journey to the West", she was hit by the news of breast cancer. After learning of his wife's condition, Liu Xiliang said firmly: "No matter what the road ahead, I will be by your side." In front of Wang Fengxia's hospital bed, they recalled the past stage and dreams together, and despite the unpredictable fate, their love was more determined.
Wang Fengxia's illness has dealt a heavy blow to the golden boy and girl in the Peking Opera industry, the hospital has become their new stage, and Liu Xiliang has become Wang Fengxia's most loyal audience. Every morning, Liu Xiliang would come to the hospital and take care of Wang Fengxia's daily life. He read the news in the newspaper to her, narrated the outside world, and tried to bring some joy to Wang Fengxia through these little things.
In the hospital, Liu Xiliang often told Wang Fengxia about their common stage experience, and described in detail the "Flaming Mountain" they performed together, as if bringing Wang Fengxia back to the glorious stage again. Liu Xiliang said: "Do you remember the scene in "Flaming Mountain"?Our collaboration was so perfect that the audience was hooked. Wang Fengxia smiled and nodded, although she could no longer return to the stage, these memories warmed her heart like sunshine.
Although the illness continued to invade Wang Fengxia, she still cares about Peking Opera and Liu Xiliang's career. Whenever she was lying in a hospital bed, she would ask Liu Xiliang with concern about the latest developments in the Peking Opera Troupe and encourage him to continue to shine on stage. And Liu Xiliang always said to her: "Without you acting on the same stage with me, everything seems meaningless." Wang Fengxia replied with a smile: "Whether it is on the stage or in life, you are the best." ”
In the process of ** Wang Fengxia, Liu Xiliang has always silently supported her. He arranged a small office area in the hospital so that he could take care of his wife while taking care of the Peking Opera Troupe. Liu Xiliang became the link between Wang Fengxia and the outside world, and he conveyed his wife's love and care for Peking Opera through himself.
During Wang Fengxia**, Liu Xiliang would come to the hospital with a tape recorder,** and the recordings of their previous performances would make the melody of Peking Opera reverberate in the ward. Closing her eyes, Wang Fengxia seems to be back on the stage full of enthusiasm and applause, and these precious recordings have become her link to the good old days.
Sometimes, Liu Xiliang would invite their old friends and colleagues to hold small performances in the hospital, which always brought great comfort and happiness to Wang Fengxia. Despite their small scale, the highlights of these performances can always be reproduced in the hospital room, and Wang Fengxia's face is often filled with a smile of satisfaction and happiness.
Wang Fengxia's body is getting weaker and weaker, and her condition is deteriorating. Despite the difficult situation, Liu Xiliang still insisted on conveying the latest developments of Peking Opera to her every day, ** classic Peking Opera recordings. He hopes that through these familiar voices and stories, he will bring some spiritual comfort to Wang Fengxia.
In the last days of Wang Fengxia's life, Liu Xiliang stayed by her bedside. He held her hand and hummed softly a clip from the Peking Opera they had performed together. It was a mournful melody about life and death, but at the moment, it was full of affection and affection.
Eternal Echoes: The Immortality of Memory.
In 1993, 38-year-old Wang Fengxia passed away due to illness, which made the Peking Opera industry immersed in grief, deeply shocked countless fans and peers. For Liu Xiliang, this is undoubtedly an unbearable blow, he has lost not only his partner on stage, but also the love of his life.
At Wang Fengxia's memorial service, the theater was decorated with white flowers, and the atmosphere was solemn and solemn. Liu Xiliang stood on the podium, facing the gathered relatives, friends and peers, and said in a choked voice: "She is not only my iron fan princess, but also an indispensable soul in my life. His voice was low and full of sorrow, and every word revealed his deep longing.
At the memorial service, Liu Xiliang recalled the time he spent on the stage with Wang Fengxia, especially mentioning the performance of "Flaming Mountain" together, and every hard but laughing time spent together in the rehearsal hall. "Whenever I go on stage, I always feel like she's there and supporting me in her unique way," he said. These remarks made everyone present feel the deep friendship between them.
After the memorial service, Liu Xiliang decided to continue to embark on the same artistic path with Wang Fengxia. He knows that although Wang Fengxia has passed away, her love for Peking Opera and her dedication to the stage will always remain. In the following days, Liu Xiliang focused more on Peking Opera performances, commemorating their common dream and immortal love through every movement and every line.
Liu Xiliang's performance in the troupe has become increasingly focused and affectionate. He was engrossed in each performance, as if he was in dialogue with Wang Fengxia through his own performance. Every leap on the stage, every change in expression, is very powerful and moving.
After a performance, the audience gave a warm applause to Liu Xiliang's performance. Standing on the stage, he bowed deeply and thanked the audience for their support. Later, he told his colleagues: "Every time I perform, I can feel Feng Xia watching me, and her spirit has always accompanied me. Colleagues have expressed their understanding and support, and they know that Liu Xiliang is missing Wang Fengxia in his own way.
Liu Xiliang began to participate in the planning of the company's follow-up works, trying to integrate Wang Fengxia's ideas and creativity into the new repertoire. He hopes to inherit Wang Fengxia's artistic spirit through these new works. During rehearsals and discussions, Liu Xiliang carefully considers every detail to ensure that each work reflects Wang Fengxia's artistic style.
Liu Xiliang and Wang Fengxia are widely known in the Peking Opera industry, and their love story and shared pursuit of the art of Peking Opera are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and have become eternal legends. Liu Xiliang not only inherited Wang Fengxia's artistic legacy through his own efforts, but also made his performance on the stage more profound and moving.