How to create modern opera?
"Modern Chinese opera keeps pace with the times and shares the same aspirations with the people. It plays a positive role in the overall development of Chinese opera by producing talents, producing operas and promoting theaters and troupes." On June 15, Kong Peipei, vice president of the Chinese Opera Modern Drama Research Association and researcher at the Chinese Academy of Arts' Chinese Opera Research Institute, said in a discussion on "The Current Situation and Prospects of Modern Chinese Opera Creation," "As Chinese opera explores the path of more modern expression, modern drama is the most leading position and the most effective form of expression."
In order to further promote the creation and research of modern operas in Shanghai and across the country, and to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning among managers of troupes, creators and academia, under the guidance of the Chinese Opera Modern Drama Research Association, the Modern Opera Research Center of Shanghai Theatre Academy, Shanghai Art Research Center and Shanghai Script Writing Center jointly held an exchange and discussion event in Shanghai on the theme of "Characteristics of the genre, local experience and individual expression: the current situation and prospects of modern opera creation."
In recent years, the Shanghai opera community has continuously produced new and excellent works in the creation of modern and realistic themes, many of which have a national influence and have been recognized by experts, scholars and audiences. In the view of Xia Ping, director of the Shanghai Art Research Center, opera practitioners have been at the forefront of challenges and explorations, from facing the technical difficulties of how modern opera can express real life to facing the cultural difficulties of how modern opera can keep pace with the times and lead the trend. In the new era, modern opera has caught up with the era of creation and also ushered in new challenges of development. Chen Peng, honorary chairman of the Shandong Dramatists Association and curator of the Shandong Museum of Literature and History, proposed, "We need both exquisite and meaningful forms, as well as ardent public sentiment and a people's spirit that faces reality. These two constitute the basic foundation and goal of creating modern opera beauty."
Zhu Hengfu, a professor at Shanghai Normal University, said frankly that one of the bottlenecks in the creation of modern drama is the lack of sharp dramatic contradictions. "Without plots that make the audience tear their hearts out, without contradictions and conflicts, how can we watch it?" He also proposed that the postures and formulaic movements of opera are used to express ancient life, and how to apply them to the expression of modern life needs to be considered. Guo Yu, director of Shanghai Theatre Academy, agreed with Zhu Hengfu's point of view. To express modern consciousness and modern forms with traditional techniques, it is necessary to inherit first and then develop. It is impossible to build a tall building on flat ground. "To make a modern drama, it is impossible to start from scratch. All operas such as Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera have a process of inheritance and development. We are cautious in creating, but we must have a pioneering spirit."
Li Zhiyuan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Arts' Institute of Traditional Chinese Opera and president of the Chinese Nuo Opera Society, believes that there is a broader space for the creation of modern dramas, including major historical themes, revolutionary war themes, as well as market themes and grassroots life themes. "No matter what the subject matter is, we cannot stop at the rough creation, but should cut in from the perspective of humanity, and show the solemn and solemn theme through concrete, tangible, approachable and lovely images. Modern dramas should also pay attention to temperament and interest, and pursue the magnificent grandeur and the subtle existence of market fireworks." Luo Huaizhen said that as a playwright, he must answer the questions of the times, "and participate in the ideological liberation of society through his own works."
During the exchange activities, practitioners, experts and scholars from the Chinese Academy of Arts, Henan Academy of Culture and Art, Fujian Academy of Arts, Guangzhou Institute of Literature and Art Creation, Shanghai Theatre Academy, Shanghai Art Research Center, Shanghai Yue Opera House, Shanghai Peking Opera House, Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe, Shanghai Changning Shanghai Opera Troupe and Shanghai Huai Opera Troupe summarized the experience and achievements of the creative practice of modern opera in recent years, discussed the characteristics of modern opera, local experience and individual expression, discovered new problems, thought about new theories and found new methods.
Li Wei, director of the Modern Opera Research Center of Shanghai Theatre Academy, has passed the acceptance of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism with a "good" score for his major project "Research on the Creation of Modern Opera" funded by the National Social Science Fund. With the support of the Shanghai Art Research Center and the Shanghai Script Creation Center, this exchange activity is also an academic advancement and sublimation after the completion of the project. Li Wei said that creators are often in theaters and troupes, and theorists are often in universities and research institutes. Only with benign interaction can they improve together. The event aims to invite opera experts and scholars from all over the country to diagnose the creation of modern opera in Shanghai, and also let Shanghai's opera artists and theater managers share their creation and management experience.
