Chapter 95 Henan Opera

Among the local operas that are blooming all over the country, there is a kind of opera that is as elegant and pleasant as a chrysanthemum, and it is the opera of Henan. Last March, when I was in Zhengzhou one night, there was a "Quju" party.I don’t know what Quju is, I thought it was the rap of Henan Zhuizi I had heard, and because I felt a little uncomfortable, I was thinking about not going to the meeting and resting in the dormitory. A local friend tried to persuade me that Quju is relatively new Henan opera is very pleasant to listen to, so you must go and experience it.I went to listen to it, and it was really good. From now on, I will go to all evening shows with operas.

As for drama, I am a layman, and I have not studied the genres of singing and music.What I like is that the singing voice of Quju is very elegant, accompanied by instruments such as Zheng, Sheng, Zhuizi, Erhu, etc., which are very melodious.I watched "Catch the Foot" that night. It was a small song-and-dance comedy, and it was about modern rural stories. A little comedy.Later, I found an opportunity to visit their theater troupe. From the conversation of the director Li Jinbo, I was happy to know that this lovely theater genre really originated from the countryside. Head Li said: Quju is performed on the stage by folk songs, and its predecessor is the "stilts" traditional entertainment for farmers in the winter slack season.

Originally, the main accompaniment instruments were pendants, but stilts were removed, and other instruments such as zither and sheng were added after they were put on the stage.The advantage of Quju is that the tone is elegant and the words are clear. Most of the songs sung, such as "Manjianghong" and "Yinniusi", are old tunes, but they can vividly convey the emotions of grief, indignation and joy, and are very popular among farmers.After 1927, peasants were forced by their lives to turn from winter leisure performances to professional actors. At that time, the stage was only set up with tables. We carried our own luggage and toured in the countryside, setting up tables. Get on stage now.Most of the repertoires reflected stories about peasants' anti-feudal and anti-old-style marriages. Liu Maoen, the leader of the Kuomintang, ordered the ban on the pretext that the operas performed were all indecent love stories because the peasants liked to listen to them.At this time, our life was extremely difficult. During the period of the enemy and the puppet, we relied on acting and fled everywhere. It was not until Henan was liberated that we gained vitality.

Needless to say, Quju, like other local operas, has received the love and support of the party and the government.Director Li was grateful and excited when he talked about this. The opera troupe had grown from seven or eight actors and a two-member band to more than one hundred actors and a fourteen-five-member band. In 1950 At first, there were actresses.The repertoire has also undergone great changes. In the past, there were small-scale dramas such as "Little Cowherd", and large-scale dramas such as "The Legend of the White Snake" and "Chen Miaochang". In 1958, there were 550 performances of the play based on the content of the play in the cities and in the mines and factories, and it was very popular among workers and peasants.

The operas that are loved by the people have a bright future. There are thirty-eight opera troupes in Henan Province, and the Henan Drama School also has opera troupes. The political and cultural life of the troupes and troupes is sound and rich.The young actors of Quju, like the young actors of other operas, have grown vigorously under the party's spring wind and rain, and they are determined to carry forward the beautiful tradition of this lovely opera. I like Quju very much, especially its small musicals, which are so simple, lively, natural and funny!I read from the newspaper that the Zhengzhou Opera Troupe came to Beijing for the first time to perform. Those who have never seen a opera may wish to "experience it".

Xiaozha". )