Mei lanFang

After liberation, I am determined to dedicate art to the people

“Beijing opera fans” all know that Mei Lanfang studied opera at the age of 8 and came on stage at the age of 11, specializing in Tsing Yi and acting as Dao Ma Dan. In his longterm stage practice, his singing, chanting, dance, music, costumes, makeup, etc. All aspects have been created and developed, and many wonderful repertoires have been written and performed, forming their own artistic style, known as the “Mei School” in the world.

Wish fulfilled

In the 1950s, at that time, Mr. Mei was in his sixties and had just participated in the first National People’s Congress. As soon as we sat down, he told me with a smile on his face: “We are rushing to make a stage life art film at the Beijing Film Studio. I heard that the workers in the capital asked to see my play. I immediately made the decision and would rather make the film. After a few days of work, I have to perform for the workers again!” Then, he talked about an unforgettable event three years ago: “It was also a midsummer, and it was the first time for the workers in this open-air labor theater. Workers in the capital performed a performance. During the performance, it suddenly rained heavily. The theater was supposed to stop, but the workers in the audience insisted on watching it in the rain. The whole theater was still silent. I was very moved to see this scene. I promised that I will give performances to the workers in the capital when I have time.” He said this, raising his voice and saying, “This performance can be regarded as the realization of my wish that I made.”

In the old society before liberation, he only performed in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, etc. The theaters were full of dignitaries. At that time, not only people in small and medium-sized cities looked down on Mei Lanfang’s play, but also workers in these big cities. And the poor citizens, don’t have so much money to listen to his play. They can only read news about his performance in newspaper advertisements or posters in front of the theater. He said: “After liberation, I am

Mei Lanfang condolences employees

determined to dedicate art to the people. In the past three years, I have performed for farmers in small and medium-sized cities and for soldiers on the North Korean front. Now I can squeeze more time to perform for workers. My wish in my later years. .” Mei Lanfang’s wish has finally come true, and people like him more What I saw during an interview at the Labor Theater of the Cultural Palace that night fully demonstrated this point.

Strange behavior of the audience

In the theater, some spectators walked from the back row to the front of the stage to take a look, and walked away like “wandering around the court”. I was attracted by this phenomenon and “tracked” to pursue it. It turned out that many workers bought a theater ticket in partnership with several people, and everyone took turns to watch the theater. I asked them: “How can you watch a good show like this?” A middleaged worker replied: “I just have to look at Mei Lanfang!” According to the theater manager, the labor unions in each factory gave workers collective priority this time. The purchase method has already bought nearly 10,000 tickets, but still cannot meet the requirements of the majority of workers. Many people still rush to the theater to line up to buy retail tickets. The 2,400 retail tickets were all sold out within one and a half hours in the morning before the performance. Hundreds of people still gathered around the theater box office and refused to leave. Hearing this news, Mr. Mei decided to act in another scene. “The workers are working intensively to realize the five-year plan. It’s too hard. I should come to condolences.” Mei Lanfang said to me like this while busy getting dressed in the backstage. On the night of early autumn, the audience sitting in the open-air labor theater quietly watched Mei Lanfang’s mesmerizing Peking opera “Universal Front”. “Why do you implement the “united front” especially for workers”? I asked this question. He said: “This play has a bit of effort in singing, reading, doing, and dancing. The plot is a bit ideological. I have always liked it, and I believe the workers will also like it.”

The one that I takes deepest effort and thinks the proudest is “Universe Front”.

From this, I think of the conversation he had with Xu Zhucheng, editor-in-chief of “Wen Wei Po” in the early days of liberation. That night he selected this play for performance, which also expressed his determination to dedicate art to the people. He once said: “I don’t dare to say that there is any good show, only the deepest and most proud of the effort, that is “Universal Front”. This is an old drama. It was originally taught by Teacher Wu Lingxian, and I will ask for further advice later. I have passed Chen Delin and Wang Yaoqing. But I think this drama is very difficult to sing. She is obviously a clever and well-mannered lady, and suddenly she has to pretend to be crazy, and she has to pretend to be

like her. There is no flaw under Huwei. What is even more difficult is to make the audience see that she is pretending to be crazy, but also to make the audience think that Zhao Gao and the II believe that she is really crazy. When I was in a play, I also unknowingly indulged in my performance, which is not available in other plays.

Thanks from the workers

It turned out that what Mr. Mei performed for the workers that night was to dedicate the best work of his life to the audience. No wonder the workers welcomed and loved him so much.

The curtain of each scene had just been opened, and as soon as Mei Lanfang stepped onto the stage, the audience burst into applause. Mr. Mei portrayed the typical image of an ancient Chinese woman named Zhao Yanrong, who is “not looking for money and cannot surrender” in “The End of the World”, which embodies Zhao Yanrong’s will to pursue freedom and the spirit of striving forward courageously. The oppression of the feudal system. His superb performance deeply infected the employees and continuously won the applause of the masses. Each show is called four to five times.

Before the fourth performance of “Universal Front”, six employees from Shijingshan Iron and Steel Factory, Beijing No. 1 Cotton Textile Factory, Beijing Agricultural Machinery Factory and Beijing No. 1 Machine Tool Plant suddenly ran backstage and met in the dressing room. Mei Lanfang. When they met, they were as cordial as old friends reunited. “You come to our factory to perform “The Drunken Concubine”...” Fan Jizong, head of the amateur Peking Opera Troupe of Shijingshan Iron and Steel Factory, hadn’t finished speaking. Mei Lanfang immediately remembered that he went to Shijingshan Iron and Steel Factory and the workers in May of this year to make a stage life art film. The amateur Peking Opera troupe performed on the same stage in “The Drunken Concubine” and “The Reconciliation of the Generals”. He then asked with a smile: “How are the photos we took together?” Liu Jinzhou, a textile factory worker, squeezed to the front and said excitedly: “We greet you on behalf of all the employees in the factory and thank you for your performance.”

The opening gongs and drums on the stage were about to ring, and Mr. May asked the workers to continue to the theater. At this time, the female worker from that factory yelled: “Good night to Mr. Mei!” When the play was over, the worker representative ran to the stage and presented flowers to the artist serving the people. From outside the city Kang Guoquan, a veteran worker from Shijingshan Power Plant who rushed to watch the play, said to me excitedly: “The famous domestic and foreign Mei Lanfang, who is more than 60 years old, also specially performed for us workers. We are very grateful. In the old society, workers would never dream of watching such a play! ‘’Hearing these words from the heart of the old workers reminded me of what the dramatist Ouyang Yuqian said when the dramatist Ouyang Yuqian introduced Mr. Mei’s artistic life at the “Mei Lanfang Zhou Xinfang’s 50th Anniversary of Stage Life” this spring: “Together with many revolutionary young patriotic artists, he went to North Korea to condolences the Chinese People’s Volunteers, and when he returned home, he condoned the People’s Liberation Army. He sang like that in the open air, in the wind and rain, and sang a cappella at the work site of the cooks and attendants. He He also went to factories, construction sites, and rural areas to perform for workers and farmers. This is how he unreservedly contributed his tempered art to the working people of the motherland.”

Mei Lanfang and workers

Responsibilities as an actor

Mr. Mei finally told me that there were more than 110 performances on this trip, with an audience of 240,000. He will never forget the two performances of condolences he gave on the construction site of the Wuhan Iron and Steel Complex. He saw the newly emerging steel base in the motherland and thought of the workers’ contribution to the country. He immediately felt that there was another power to perform for the workers, and his singing became louder and louder. This veteran artist who is over 60 years old has always adhered to the direction of performing for the workers, peasants and soldiers and the people in the seven years after liberation. When I was about to leave, he excitedly said to me: “I will continue to perform for the working people in the northwest or southwest in the second half of this year. It is my duty as an actor to live and act until I am old.”