Text |Wang Yiping
Wu Opera, also known as Jinhua Opera, is a local opera in our western Zhejiang region.
In our Putang Village, we call singing gongs and drums, of course, the gongs and drums themselves can't be sung, but they sing Jinhua opera. There are six or seven people in the village who love Wu opera: Wen Kui, Zhao Zi, Zong Zhao, Jin Gui, etc.
Every year, three days before the Lantern Festival, on the day of worship, a play must be sung. The repertoire includes Liu Bei recruiting relatives, Xu Ce running to the city, Baishou Tu and so on. They actually only have a script, not a complete lyrics. Just like my cousin Jingui, who is basically illiterate, of course he can't remember so many songs, and some of the lyrics are improvised nonsense, but this does not prevent the audience from listening to the play enthusiastically.
Wu opera originated from Hui opera, and Hui opera evolved into Peking Opera in Beijing, but more of its elements are preserved in Wu opera.
My eldest brother Wang Yixin, who studied at Peking University, is a scholar in today's words, and published a "Yixin Poetry Collection" when he was in school, and the cover was inscribed by the principal Cai Yuanpei. I am 10 years younger than my eldest brother, but when it comes to Wu opera, we are not big or small, and I still remember his dancing and spitting appearance.
During the Anti-Japanese War, I was in junior high school in the countryside of Jinyun. In 1945, in order to celebrate the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, my village of Tangci sang a fighting opera. In a farmland after the autumn harvest, three stages were set up in three corners, and almost all the top actors of Wu opera came to perform on stage. I remember Yue Wen Hua Dan, Xiao Lai Yi Xiaohua face, etc. In addition, the ancestral hall of the village also has a trendy opera troupe, the new male role in the male role, the female role in the female role, some of which played the role of the head in the fifties.
I can say without exaggeration that in.
Five. In the 10s and 60s, the audience of Wu Opera far surpassed that of the opera, and at that time, the Zhejiang Wu Opera Troupe was headquartered in Hangzhou, and could perform at the China Grand Theater on Qingnian Road from time to time. In Hangzhou World, there is a theater dedicated to Wu Opera. Even in our Jiaxing and Huzhou areas, there are also Wu opera performances from time to time.
What surprised me was that the policy of austerity and retreat adopted by our province and Jinhua region, first the Zhejiang Wu Opera Troupe retreated to Jinhua, and then gradually restricted the Wu Opera Troupe from all over the country from performing in the lower three prefectures.
Why do I like Wu drama so much?
First, it lies in its folk nature. Some of my relatives and friends can almost hum a few words of Wu opera, no matter where or overseas, as long as they are Jinhua people, they all have a strong interest in Wu opera, not to mention the spontaneous folk singing activities in villages and towns in the countryside.
The second lies in the compatibility of Wu opera. Wu opera is divided into Hui class, Sanhe class and Jiangxi class, which is popular in all counties in western Zhejiang and some areas of Jiangxi, integrating local characteristics and being inclusive, and is warmly welcomed by the people in these areas.
Third, it lies in its inheritance. Wu opera originated from Hui opera, and the Hui troupe entered Beijing to evolve into Peking opera, while more ancient elements of Hui opera were preserved in Wu opera.
Fourth, it lies in its creativity. I have seen three generations of actors, famous Jiang Heyi, Xu Dongfu, Xu Ruying, Lou Sheng, Chen Meilan, Zhang Jianmin, Zhou Zhiqing, etc., their singing voices have been innovative, such as Wu Opera Walking in the Green Mountains", "Three Please Pear Blossoms", "The Legend of the White Snake", and their content and singing have been innovated. There are also "Xu Ce Running to the City", "Monks and Nuns", etc., which also reflect the creativity of the actors.
My hope: Wu opera will no longer adopt a retreat policy, and can flourish together with Yue opera, Shao opera and some local operas. Think about it, in the early days of liberation, my classmate Wang Zhizhong was able to lead the troupe to Zhongnanhai to perform "The Legend of the White Snake", and was received by the prime minister. What reason do we have to adopt a policy of backing down on Wu Opera? Wu opera should be promoted to the Yangtze River Delta and the whole country, which is the proper meaning of the question.
The clumsy work "Me and Wu Opera" has been affirmed by relatives and friends, and I would like to express my gratitude!
Talk about it again, just talk about it casually, talk about it.
Wu Guangyu, a young monk in the monks' and nuns' association, holds a broom in his hand and wears Buddhist beads around his neck. It's a joyful kung fu show that is amazing. But don't forget that there is also a little nun (I read Zheng Lanxiang's version) with her beautiful dancing and sweet singing, reflecting the reasonable desire to oppose feudalism and fight for freedom. The two work together seamlessly, which is amazing.
Xu Ce ran to the city, on a small stage, and ran out of the feeling of long-distance running. Xu Ce's anxious mood was vividly expressed.
The play "Hitting the Golden Branch" is full of human touch. Guo Ziyi did a birthday, and the Tang Dynasty Zong remembered his merit and gave a 100-year-old card. At this time, a three-flower face came, blaming Guo Nuan: all the brothers worshipped in pairs, and only the fourth brother came alone. Make fun of him: You are a generalissimo who is afraid of his wife. was so angry that Guo Nuan returned to the palace to spend money and hit the golden branch. Guo Ziyi tied Guo Nuan to the palace to ask for guilt. At this time, a Tang Dynasty Sect came out, loosened Guo Nuan's bonds, and promoted Guo Nuan's official. Here is a large section of the Tang Dynasty Sect's singing, which includes: You also have those three brothers and four brothers in your family, and others beat and scolded you? After playing the round, Guo Nuan went to the harem to ask the mother of the country for guilt. took advantage of the situation to call each other, and at first both sides set up a shelf and said: I can't call it. After Guo Nuan gave in, he called the princess gently, and Jin Zhi also called the horse considerately, and the two sides reconciled.
Xue Gang had a harlequin in the anti-Tang Dynasty who played a herald, holding two command flags, holding red flags when the crowd was sparse, calling everyone to return to the camp, and as soon as he entered the camp, he took out the white flag and said: Hello! Rhetoric. This seems funny, but in essence it fully reflects his mood.
Wu opera, like Peking Opera, has a self-reported mountain gate, and in just a few sentences, it can explain the background of the times or family background. In the past, my eldest brother and I used to play this game, for example, if he reported the thunderbolt fire Qin Ming, I reported the double gun general Dong Ping, and he reported the double whip Hu Yanzhuo, and I reported the leopard head Lin Chong. After the report, both sides laughed.
The excerpt of the play "Meeting on the Broken Bridge", on the small stage, a few rounds of the white lady's gentleness and thoughtfulness, Xiaoqing's anger and indisputability, Xu Xian's love and fear, fully expressed.
Now I can't see the live performance of Wu Opera, I only look at my mobile phone, but the screen is too small, and my old eyes are dizzy, so I don't watch it often. I often listen to Zhou Zhiqing's "Walking the Green Mountains", and I think the singing sounds very comfortable and enjoyable.
Wang YipingDecember 11, 2023.