The full version of Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe's "Peony Pavilion" was rehearsed again in the sound of rain, winning the grand prize and returning to understand | Teacher | Peony Pavilion
The sound of rain outside the window is constant, and the rehearsal hall in Shangkun is bustling with activity. In the rehearsal hall, Luo Chenxue and Hu Weilu repeatedly rehearsed the previous version of "Peony Pavilion", while the martial arts actors next door flipped and pressed their legs; In the small rehearsal hall, the cast members of "Peony Pavilion" are also studying their roles. During the Dragon Boat Festival from June 22nd to 24th, the complete version of "Peony Pavilion" starring Luo Chenxue, the winner of the 31st China Drama Plum Blossom Award, and Hu Weilu, the top performer of the 31st Shanghai Magnolia Drama Performance Art Award, will appear at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Currently, over 80% of the tickets have been sold.
The Dragon Boat Festival was performed at Dongyi, marking the first time the full version of "Peony Pavilion" has returned to its birthplace since its premiere in Shanghai last November. The full version of "Peony Pavilion" was rehearsed by the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe with the full effort of the troupe, bringing together a top-notch creative team in the industry. Guo Xiaonan served as the lead director and participated in the adaptation of the script based on the late playwright Wang Renjie. The strong performance lineup consists of three generations of actors from the fifth class of Kun, with Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei being led by Luo Chenxue and Hu Weilu from the fourth class of Kun.
After its premiere last year, the entire version of "Peony Pavilion" has landed in theaters in Yinchuan, Beijing, Zhengzhou, and Weifang, becoming a hot topic passed down by fans. Some viewers finished reading the entire book "Peony Pavilion" in Beijing and then followed up to Zhengzhou to watch it. When Luo Chenxue competed for the Plum Blossom Award in her performance at the Chinese version of "The Peony Pavilion" in Macau, many Hong Kong and Guangzhou fans made a special trip to Macau to watch. "Everyone felt that watching only the Chinese version of" The Peony Pavilion "was not satisfying, and urged us to quickly bring the complete version of" The Peony Pavilion "back to the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao." After the Shanghai station, the complete version of "The Peony Pavilion" will embark on a tour, bringing this masterpiece of Kunqu Opera to more cities. ".
When it comes to the Dragon Boat Festival stage, Luo Chenxue said that there is no performance like "The Peony Pavilion" that can be relaxed. "Actors must present their best state on stage and to the audience. Compared to the premiere, our team, characters, band, and stage design are better integrated and more mature. After the play is mature, the performance becomes tight and loose, elastic like leather bands, and the details are more compact and reasonable."
Luo Chenxue's teacher, Zhang Jingxian, cares about every appearance of her students. "When I was performing in Macau, the teacher sent me a text message asking me to pay attention to my body and show my best in front of the audience. The teacher would remind me to pay attention to which singing segments to sing and make sure to sing them to the fullest. After the performance, I would also communicate with the teacher and ask for her guidance."
Like Luo Chenxue, Hu Weilu gained confidence from continuously increasing the number of performances in the entire "Peony Pavilion". "My understanding and performance of the characters have become more refined, and I have thought more carefully about the rhythm, singing style, and body shape. At the beginning of the rehearsal, it was very fresh, and I would have a natural reaction. Now that the play is familiar, it is necessary to act out the natural reaction. Each round of performance, the venue is different, the audience is different, and it is new and requires full effort."
After completing the entire performance of "The Peony Pavilion", Shangkun will launch a "Small Theater Kunqu Opera Exhibition" and a "Five Sons Ascending the Academy" performance season. Luo Chenxue and Hu Weilu will also appear in different images. "Be yourself, take the award as a new starting point, be more calm in mind, and try my best to enjoy the stage. As the teachers said, go ahead, make progress," said Hu Weilu.