Home » Feature » Art and Culture
Landmark Yifu Theater turns 90
By Xu Wei |
April 28, 2012, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
The 90-year-old Yifu Theater is a kind of Carnegie Hall for traditional Chinese opera. Performing there means, or used to mean, that one has arrived or is a rising star.
"One cannot be famous without performing at the Tianchan (now Yifu) Theater," goes a famous old saying in opera circles.
To celebrate its 90th (almost) anniversary, the theater will present a series of performances and costume and props exhibitions from today through May 8, including Peking, Kunqu, Yueju and Huju operas and ballet.
Both classics and new, experimental works are on the program. Celebrated artists and newcomers will perform, including Fang Yafen, Qian Huili, Ji Zhenhua and Mao Shanyu.
The Shanghai Kunqu Opera House will present the classic "The Leifeng Pagoda," also known as "Madam White Snake." It's the story of a benevolent white snake sorceress who falls in love with a mortal man, who doesn't know she's a serpent. Their love story is a legend and her reptilian aspects are usually passed over.
This version debuted in 2009 and is strictly based on the ancient Kunqu Opera score that often employes romantic rhymed verse. It has been condensed for modern audiences.
Another highlight is the innovative Peking Opera "The Case of Xianglian" by the Tianjin Peking Opera House. It is the famous story of the couple Qin Xianglian and Chen Shimei, the emperor's son-in-law.
Chen abandons his first wife Qin and their children after scoring first in the imperial examination and then marrying a princess in Beijing. He sends his servant to kill Qin and his own children lest they betray his secret, but the servant kills himself after learning the truth.
Qin accuses her husband before judge Bao Zheng who finally condemns Chen to death despite the pleas of the queen mother and emperor's aunt.
Director Lu Yang says this version portrays Qin as a strong woman and protective mother, in contrast to most other versions.
"The woman used to be depicted as weak, fragile and pathetic, but we want to show more of her strength and unyielding spirit to protect her children," Lu says.
Over the past decades, Yifu Theater experienced golden periods in the 1920s and 1940s when Peking Opera thrived. Almost all the outstanding artists throughout China performed on the Shanghai stage.
In 1933, the Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang presented "Fighting Against Forces from the Jin Kingdom" together with Lin Shusen. The performance was a show of patriotism at a time when Japanese troops had invaded northeastern China.
Mei and Peking Opera artists Ma Lianliang and Jin Shaoshan also staged several charity performances there to raise money in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945) and for natural disaster relief.
In 1941, new dramas written by renowned Chinese playwright Cao Yu were staged for almost a month. Plays such as "Thunderstorm" and "Sunrise" portrayed the awakening of the Chinese people and their attempt to break the shackles of feudalism.
Since 1954, the theater has been operated by the local government.
In the 1990s, with a donation from a Hong Kong industrialist, the theater was renovated. In 1994 it was renamed the Yifu Theater.
In addition to Peking Opera, the theater also stages a number of traditional operas. More than 350 performances are staged each year.
To promote traditional theater to young people, the theater has launched a number of promotional events, such as an opera talent competition and public interest performances.
Date: April 28-May 8, 7:15pm
Address: 701 Fuzhou Rd
Tickets: 30-580 yuan (US$4.77-92.35)
Tel: 6322-5294, 5353-0054
Detailed performance and ticket information can be found at www.tianchan.com.
Highlights:
Yueju Opera "The Jade Hairpin"
Date: April 29, 7:15pm
Kunqu Opera "The Leifeng Pagoda"
Date: May 1, 7:15pm
Huju Opera "Thunderstorm"
Date: May 2-3, 7:15pm
Peking Opera "The Case of Xianglian"
Date: May 4, 7:15pm
"One cannot be famous without performing at the Tianchan (now Yifu) Theater," goes a famous old saying in opera circles.
To celebrate its 90th (almost) anniversary, the theater will present a series of performances and costume and props exhibitions from today through May 8, including Peking, Kunqu, Yueju and Huju operas and ballet.
Both classics and new, experimental works are on the program. Celebrated artists and newcomers will perform, including Fang Yafen, Qian Huili, Ji Zhenhua and Mao Shanyu.
The Shanghai Kunqu Opera House will present the classic "The Leifeng Pagoda," also known as "Madam White Snake." It's the story of a benevolent white snake sorceress who falls in love with a mortal man, who doesn't know she's a serpent. Their love story is a legend and her reptilian aspects are usually passed over.
This version debuted in 2009 and is strictly based on the ancient Kunqu Opera score that often employes romantic rhymed verse. It has been condensed for modern audiences.
Another highlight is the innovative Peking Opera "The Case of Xianglian" by the Tianjin Peking Opera House. It is the famous story of the couple Qin Xianglian and Chen Shimei, the emperor's son-in-law.
Chen abandons his first wife Qin and their children after scoring first in the imperial examination and then marrying a princess in Beijing. He sends his servant to kill Qin and his own children lest they betray his secret, but the servant kills himself after learning the truth.
Qin accuses her husband before judge Bao Zheng who finally condemns Chen to death despite the pleas of the queen mother and emperor's aunt.
Director Lu Yang says this version portrays Qin as a strong woman and protective mother, in contrast to most other versions.
"The woman used to be depicted as weak, fragile and pathetic, but we want to show more of her strength and unyielding spirit to protect her children," Lu says.
Over the past decades, Yifu Theater experienced golden periods in the 1920s and 1940s when Peking Opera thrived. Almost all the outstanding artists throughout China performed on the Shanghai stage.
In 1933, the Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang presented "Fighting Against Forces from the Jin Kingdom" together with Lin Shusen. The performance was a show of patriotism at a time when Japanese troops had invaded northeastern China.
Mei and Peking Opera artists Ma Lianliang and Jin Shaoshan also staged several charity performances there to raise money in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-1945) and for natural disaster relief.
In 1941, new dramas written by renowned Chinese playwright Cao Yu were staged for almost a month. Plays such as "Thunderstorm" and "Sunrise" portrayed the awakening of the Chinese people and their attempt to break the shackles of feudalism.
Since 1954, the theater has been operated by the local government.
In the 1990s, with a donation from a Hong Kong industrialist, the theater was renovated. In 1994 it was renamed the Yifu Theater.
In addition to Peking Opera, the theater also stages a number of traditional operas. More than 350 performances are staged each year.
To promote traditional theater to young people, the theater has launched a number of promotional events, such as an opera talent competition and public interest performances.
Date: April 28-May 8, 7:15pm
Address: 701 Fuzhou Rd
Tickets: 30-580 yuan (US$4.77-92.35)
Tel: 6322-5294, 5353-0054
Detailed performance and ticket information can be found at www.tianchan.com.
Highlights:
Yueju Opera "The Jade Hairpin"
Date: April 29, 7:15pm
Kunqu Opera "The Leifeng Pagoda"
Date: May 1, 7:15pm
Huju Opera "Thunderstorm"
Date: May 2-3, 7:15pm
Peking Opera "The Case of Xianglian"
Date: May 4, 7:15pm
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
