Yongjia Kun Opera is an extremely bright pearl in Wenzhou folk art, with a history of more than 600 years. Even Kun Opera master Yu Zhenfei praised it, saying, "South Kun Opera and North Kun Opera are not as good as Yong Kun Opera."
But such an ancient opera with profound heritage almost lost its popularity at the end of the last century.
There was a shortage of talent, there was no place to rehearse, and life was tight.
Many old artists are holding on to their hearts, fearing that this unique art will disappear without a trace.
A fate-changing performance
In May 2005, the national leader who held the position of Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee at the time went to the East Ancestral Hall of Lishui Street in Yongjia County to watch a Yongkun opera excerpt.
After the performance, veteran artist Lin Meimei told the troupe's difficult situation in person: "There is a lack of equipment in terms of hardware, and there is also a lack of resources in terms of software. They live in ordinary private houses, and the rehearsals have to be held on the temple stage." She tried another request: "If we can give an additional target of 30 people, we can still cope with it." What she didn't expect was that this face-to-face communication really changed Yongkun's fate.
Clear instructions from the Provincial Party Committee Secretary
On June 2, 2005, national leaders made precise instructions based on the report of the Yongjia County Party Committee. The instructions read: "The protection of Yongkun should be included in the province's intangible cultural heritage protection plan." In that month, the Yongjia Kunqu Opera Troupe resumed its organizational structure, and became one of the seven Kunqu Opera Troupes supported by the Ministry of Culture at that time.
Later, Lin Meimei recalled that there was a provincial party committee secretary who was very busy, but he was able to pay attention to a county-level theater troupe and even signed and issued a document. Such attention was really touching.
From private self-rescue to systemic support
Yongjia County Later, Yongkun was regarded as a "picture of cultural construction" gold business card ".
One is to use veteran artists to personally teach young people through teaching and mentoring. The other is to cooperate with schools to carry out targeted training of talents.
Yongjia Kunqu Opera Troupe is the only group that inherits Yongkun's art. It began to systematically organize traditional excerpts, and then created and arranged new plays.
Not only did it perform in Wenzhou, but it also went out of Zhejiang and traveled all over the country.
In November 2023, Yongkun's performance sharing session was even held at the unique Zhengyi Temple Theater in Beijing.
It’s not just Yongkun who is being taken seriously
actually national leaders I have always been very concerned about protecting opera.
In 2000, while working in Fujian, he made a decisive move, thus reviving the Youth Yue Opera Troupe, which was experiencing difficulties at the time.
He said that those predecessors helped Fujian in the most difficult times in the past, but now that the troupe is in difficulty, there is no reason not to support it.
At this time in 2017, he was in Hong Kong, watching children perform Cantonese opera, and then happily claimed that there was hope for the inheritance.
In 2020, I responded to a letter to the Chinese Opera Academy, emphasizing that the key to the prosperity and development of the opera industry lies in people.
New way of living ancient opera
In recent years, the art of opera has persisted in upholding integrity and innovating, and its path has become wider and wider.
There is an opera-themed museum that collects 348 opera types across the country. Kunqu Opera "Shishuoxinyu" is continuously followed and watched by young people on video websites, and Yue Opera also has such a situation that its popularity exceeds limits.
Today, there are more and more young people who watch dramas online and go to theaters to watch performances in real life, thereby becoming firm and loyal fans of traditional culture.
One truth is illustrated by Yongkun's resurrection, that is, as long as we sincerely protect it and carry out scientific inheritance, ancient art can fully radiate vitality in the new era.
Comments NOTHING