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It's the silver screen for Yueju Opera
By Xu Wei |
September 28, 2009, Monday
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AMONG aficionados of gentle Yueju Opera, Mao Weitao is a legend for her impersonations of young men - young poet, noble lover, frustrated scholar, and valiant and vulnerable general.
Mao, a performer for 30 years, is also known for her dedication to reinvigorating and innovating the art form, which is one of China's youngest, only around 100 years old.
In Yueju Opera, most male parts are played by women and Mao heads an all-women troupe, insisting that only by preserving the feminine aesthetic can Yueju maintain its unique charm and stand out from other operas. It is considered the most poetic, graceful and melodic of Chinese operas.
Now she has embarked on a major project to film three feature-length Yueju Operas, directed by her husband Guo Xiaonan, a famous Yueju Opera director. Over the years they have pushed the opera across new frontiers with creative plays that break away from traditional romantic stereotypes.
They are filming "The Butterfly Lovers," "The Story of the Western Wing" and "Lu You and Tang Wan." Mao will play the leading male roles in each and Guo will direct.
They will be performed by Mao's all-women Little Hundred Flowers Yueju Troupe of Zhejiang Province and are to be released next year. The total budget is 10 million yuan (US$1.5 million).
"To popularize China's regional operas, we decided to put the Yueju Opera classics on the silver screen," says Mao.
"Even if I have another 10 years of singing on stage, my audience wouldn't exceed 1 million. Obviously films reach a larger audience, particularly the younger generation. Films will be a good sign of rejuvenation."
The three romance films are based on Yueju Opera classics.
"The Butterfly Lovers" is considered a Chinese "Romeo and Juliet" tragedy about star-crossed Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. "The Story of the Western Wing" is a light-hearted chronicle of the love adventures of Zhang Sheng and Cui Yingying. "Lu You and Tang Wan" is about the one great love of the great poet of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), Lu You, who was forced by his mother to divorce his beloved wife, Tang Wan.
The films will feature exquisite settings, enchanting melodies and costumes to attract young viewers.
Mao says producing a film is more challenging than stage productions.
"It is easier for an audience to judge the real ability of an actor through films," she says. "What I'm trying to depict are those tiny emotional changes on the characters' face and the complexity of their personality."
Yueju Opera originated in Shengzhou, Zhejiang Province, and was also known as Women's Refined Opera.
Making a profitable Yueju Opera film is considered a risky venture in these days of pop culture, kung fu films and blockbusters.
Back in 1962 - a long time ago when tastes were different - there was a successful two-hour Yueju Opera film "A Dream of Red Mansions." The film took in more than 200 million yuan, a record for a traditional Chinese opera film.
Two years ago, a three-and-a-half-hour remake of that classic - that retained all the key episodes - fared poorly in ticket sales.
Ni Zhengwei, an investor in the three upcoming films, says the goal is not instant returns. It's more important, he says, to nurture young Yueju Opera lovers for sustainable development of the theater.
Mao, a performer for 30 years, is also known for her dedication to reinvigorating and innovating the art form, which is one of China's youngest, only around 100 years old.
In Yueju Opera, most male parts are played by women and Mao heads an all-women troupe, insisting that only by preserving the feminine aesthetic can Yueju maintain its unique charm and stand out from other operas. It is considered the most poetic, graceful and melodic of Chinese operas.
Now she has embarked on a major project to film three feature-length Yueju Operas, directed by her husband Guo Xiaonan, a famous Yueju Opera director. Over the years they have pushed the opera across new frontiers with creative plays that break away from traditional romantic stereotypes.
They are filming "The Butterfly Lovers," "The Story of the Western Wing" and "Lu You and Tang Wan." Mao will play the leading male roles in each and Guo will direct.
They will be performed by Mao's all-women Little Hundred Flowers Yueju Troupe of Zhejiang Province and are to be released next year. The total budget is 10 million yuan (US$1.5 million).
"To popularize China's regional operas, we decided to put the Yueju Opera classics on the silver screen," says Mao.
"Even if I have another 10 years of singing on stage, my audience wouldn't exceed 1 million. Obviously films reach a larger audience, particularly the younger generation. Films will be a good sign of rejuvenation."
The three romance films are based on Yueju Opera classics.
"The Butterfly Lovers" is considered a Chinese "Romeo and Juliet" tragedy about star-crossed Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. "The Story of the Western Wing" is a light-hearted chronicle of the love adventures of Zhang Sheng and Cui Yingying. "Lu You and Tang Wan" is about the one great love of the great poet of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), Lu You, who was forced by his mother to divorce his beloved wife, Tang Wan.
The films will feature exquisite settings, enchanting melodies and costumes to attract young viewers.
Mao says producing a film is more challenging than stage productions.
"It is easier for an audience to judge the real ability of an actor through films," she says. "What I'm trying to depict are those tiny emotional changes on the characters' face and the complexity of their personality."
Yueju Opera originated in Shengzhou, Zhejiang Province, and was also known as Women's Refined Opera.
Making a profitable Yueju Opera film is considered a risky venture in these days of pop culture, kung fu films and blockbusters.
Back in 1962 - a long time ago when tastes were different - there was a successful two-hour Yueju Opera film "A Dream of Red Mansions." The film took in more than 200 million yuan, a record for a traditional Chinese opera film.
Two years ago, a three-and-a-half-hour remake of that classic - that retained all the key episodes - fared poorly in ticket sales.
Ni Zhengwei, an investor in the three upcoming films, says the goal is not instant returns. It's more important, he says, to nurture young Yueju Opera lovers for sustainable development of the theater.
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