Tribute to the drama: 70 is not old, Beijing Renyi, happy birthday today

On the evening of June 11, one of the highlights of the Beijing People's Art Theatre's celebration activities, "Salute to the Drama - Beijing People's Art Theatre's 70th Anniversary Commemorative Performance" was officially staged at the Caoyu Theatre. Before the performance started, many audiences noticed that the stage design is in the form of columns echoing the audience hall of the Capital Theater, with time as a symbol as a visual element to highlight the unforgettable moments in the history of each art.

70th Anniversary Celebration Poster

This themed performance specially planned for the Academy Celebration not only gathered three generations of Beijing artists, old, middle and young actors, but also presented a batch of reserved repertoires and wonderful clips of upcoming new plays for the audience. Beijing Renyi's 70-year stage pursuit runs through the whole process, and we look back at the 70-year development process of Renyi in order to pay tribute to the drama, the audience, and every artist.

"Salute to Drama - Beijing People's Art Theater 70th Anniversary Commemorative Performance" program list

It is reported that Beijing Renyi has presented 5 classics of Renyi to the audience for five consecutive days, which has set off a wave of audience watching and discussion online, and the cumulative number of viewers on the entire network has reached more than 65 million. On June 12, a live broadcast of 9 hours will be held on the day of the festival. The live broadcast will officially start at 1:00 pm, and the special program of Renyi Academy Celebration will be broadcast. From 2:00, the host Bai Yansong will talk with a number of Renyi artists in the live broadcast room. At 7:30 that night, "Tea House" will be launched online for the first time. Sync performance.

"Tea House" will perform online and offline simultaneous performances for the first time

Keep upright and innovate, pay tribute to the sages, "let us remember his name"
The commemorative performance that night was held at the Cao Yu Theater of Beijing International Theater Center, which was completed last year. The newly built Beijing International Drama Center, with a simple and modern architectural style, is adjacent to and echoes with the quaint and heavy Capital Theater on the west side. Not only does it add another important cultural landmark to the Wangfujing area of the capital, but it also demonstrates the age style of Beijing's 70-year-old arts and crafts, keeping upright, innovating, and moving forward.

"Salute to Drama - Beijing People's Art Theater 70th Anniversary Commemorative Performance" stage empty mirror. The Paper reporter Wang Zhengtu

The Beijing International Drama Center has a total construction area of about 23,000 square meters. There are two professional drama theaters, a medium theater with 700 seats and a small theater with more than 200 seats. The Central Theater is named "Cao Yu Theater" to pay tribute to Mr. Cao Yu, the first president of Beijing Renyi and playwright, and also to represent Renyi's artistic spirit that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Beijing International Drama Center and Capital Theater are adjacent to each other

Beijing International Drama Center and the courtyard in front

Beijing International Drama Center Hall

As China's most prestigious playwright, Cao Yu, the first president of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, devoted his life to China's theatrical career. Among the many social positions, the position of dean of Beijing Renyi is the one that Cao Yu devoted the most to. From its establishment in 1952 to the last moment of his life, he has been leading and caring for the artistic construction of the theater.

Cao Yu's speech for the third anniversary of Friends of Renyi Picture from the official article of Beijing Renyi

The character autobiography written by the actors of "Thunderstorm" in 1954 clearly explained the front and back scenes of the characters. Picture from Beijing Renyi's official website

For nearly half a century, Beijing Renyi has rehearsed eight plays by President Cao Yu fourteen times before and after. His works have cultivated generations of directors, actors, and stage artists, as well as a generation of Renyi. Another generation of viewers. The commemorative performance that night was selected to be performed at the Cao Yu Theater - looking back on the way you came and paying tribute to the Yuan Dynasty, you can feel at ease. Looking at the program list, among the 13 programs, "Thunderstorm" accounts for one segment, and "Sunrise" accounts for two segments, and the weight is the most important.

"Salute to Drama - Beijing People's Art Theatre's 70th Anniversary Commemorative Performance" Chief Director Tang Ye

"Salute to Drama - Beijing People's Art Theater's 70th Anniversary Commemorative Performance" Tang Ye, the chief director of Renyi, told The Paper, "We have been planning and preparing since April. The rehearsal for all members and all elements was held this afternoon. At the beginning, the task given to us was two hours (the duration of the performance). Later, in order to make the audience entertained, it was adjusted to two and a half hours, and it was officially set to nearly three hours in the afternoon. This is a feast of drama, and all the artists and artists cherish this very rare opportunity to meet the national audience."

The performance was co-hosted by the vice president of Beijing Renyi, the famous actor Feng Yuanzheng, and the representative of Renyi young actor Wu Yuchenning

"Use the classic way to spend the night of drama together; use vivid characters to embrace the friends of drama." The performance was co-hosted by the deputy director of Beijing Renyi, actor Feng Yuanzheng, and the representative of Renyi's young actor Wu Yuchenning, accompanied by their affectionate feelings. The opening remarks officially kicked off.

The "Big Four" of Beijing Renyi Institute From right: Cao Yu, Ouyang Shanzun, Zhao Qiyang, Jiao Juyin Picture from the official website of Beijing Renyi

Four young actors of Renyi, Zhu Shaopeng (1st from right), Xin Yue (2nd from left), Li Jingxu (2nd from right), Yang Qifang (1st from left), will be the keynote speakers.

In the first cross-talk session, four young actors of Renyi, Zhu Shaopeng, Xin Yue, Li Jingxu and Yang Qifang, brought everyone's thoughts back to the beginning of the establishment of Beijing Renyi Institute in 1952. The "Big Four" Cao Yu, Ouyang Shanzun, Zhao Qiyang, Jiao Juyin Gathered together and discussed the famous "42-hour talk": At that time, the Capital Theater had not yet been completed, and the four founders had a 7-day discussion on theater construction and other issues at No. 56 Shijia Hutong— We talked for 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon every day for 7 days in a row—finally, we drew this blueprint—to build Beijing Renyi into a high-level, nationally-characterized, art theater like Moscow Art Theater. A world-renowned cultural theatre with unique style and theoretical system.

Stills of the first generation of "Tea House", Lan Lanye (left) plays Qin Erye, So Zhi (middle) plays Wang Lifa, Zheng Rong (right) plays Chang Siye

In the subsequent tribute session, I didn't see him, but heard his voice first - Lantian Ye, a Beijing Renyi performance and director artist who died in Beijing on June 8 at the age of 95, appeared in "Tea House", "Wang Zhaojun" and "Jiazi Garden" The classic lines in the play sounded at the right time, bringing people's thoughts into nostalgia again.
"On the stage of Beijing Renyi, he has been acting and directing for 70 years, leaving the best life for the drama... His works inspire audiences and resonate with the charm of traveling through time and space and illuminating reality. 2021 In 2008, he was the only representative of drama people and won the July 1st Medal; as a participant and witness of the New China drama career, he used his life to practice the original intention and mission of a Communist." Feng Yuanzheng and Wu Yuchenning recited together .
"Let's remember his name, Lan, Tian, Ye."

blue sky

A series of big dramas and bright stars, "seeing the world and all beings between the clips"
As a commemorative performance for the academy celebration, the stage performance of this tribute drama is different from the previous evening parties, and is essentially more like a theatrical performance. Although the content of the performance is mainly fragmented, it highlights the integrity of the performance. "Each of our clips is not just an excerpt, but a relatively independent part to be re-arranged. In the past, the whole play was laid out slowly, but now we need to let the audience see the characters in a relatively short period of time, and these rhythms must be Readjustment." Chief Director Tang Ye introduced, "The commemorative performance is a brand new attempt from the form to the content."
The performance consists of thirteen pieces of Renyi's classic repertoire and some new repertoire fragments, condensing and showing Renyi's 70 years of stage creation achievements. In the lineup of the entire commemorative performance, the theme of tribute is highlighted, and a group of three generations of old, middle-aged and young actors who are active on the human art stage are gathered. There are powerful groups familiar to the audience, and there are also the young generation who have grown up in recent years. It can be said that they are stars. Brilliant, let the audience feel the endless stage inheritance of people and arts passed down from generation to generation.

"Thunderstorm" stills, Yang Lixin and Xia Liyan play Zhou Puyuan and Lu Ma respectively

The first performance of "Thunderstorm" was performed by Yang Lixin and Xia Liyan, who brought to the audience the classic passage of Zhou Puyuan and Lu Ma's meeting in Zhou Mansion after many years: "Isn't there a total of five silk shirts, sir? Which one do you want?" "Which one do you want?" "Isn't there one, there is a burnt hole on the right sleeve, which was later filled with silk embroidered with a plum blossom?" In an instant, the audience is brought into a "classic classic performance". Yang Lixin told The Paper after the performance that after joining Renyi, the first time he participated in the founding celebration was the 30th anniversary. "It's been like this all the way, and it will be the 70th anniversary in a flash. Time flies. I hope that the theater's future steps will still be as solid as its predecessors."

"Our Jing Ke" still, Wang Ban plays Jing Ke

Accompanied by the sonorous and tragic music, "Our Jing Ke" begins with a large confession of Jing Ke played by Wang Ban. "What's the point of being famous? What's the use of being a hero? The scary thing is that before this play started, I already hated the character I played. The scary thing is that what I've fought for half my life for, suddenly It has become lighter than a feather..." Feng Xiaoxiao and Yi Shuihan, the strong man never returned. A monologue full of philosophies, traveling through ancient and modern times, stirring people's hearts.

Stills of "Hamlet", Pu Cunxin (middle) and young actors form a new group

The human-art version of "Hamlet" aims to create a "modern classical repertoire". Pu Cunxin has formed a new combination with young actors such as Wang Junqi and Liang Guodong, and performed the "Hamlet" in their hearts on the stage. "Who is willing to endure the scourge and ridicule of the world, the humiliation of the oppressor, the prejudice of the arrogant, and the pain of broken love, the delay of the court, the tyranny of the yamen, and the obscure labor, but only in exchange for the contempt of the villain."
Pu Cunxin, who is also 70 years old this year, sang and acted, showing amazing stage explosiveness. "To survive or to perish? That's a question worth considering."
Back in 1956, when the magnificent Capital Theater was just completed, the opening play was "Sunrise". The newly completed Cao Yu Theater last year, with the opening of the new layout "Sunrise", just echoes the beginning and the end. In this commemorative performance, Zhen, Lei Jia, Li Jinfeng, Wen Bo, Yang Qifang, Lu Lu and Yang Mingxin have successively brought two clips of the new typesetting of "Sunrise" in 2021, which fully reflects the collective bloom of the new generation of Renyi actors.

"Sunrise" stills, Li Shiqing, played by Lei Jia, and Pan Yueting, played by Yu Zhen

"Sunrise" stills, Chen Bailu played by Lu Lu and Fang Dasheng played by Yang Mingxin

You see, Li Shiqing, played by Lei Jia, just changed hands with Pan Yueting, played by Yu Zhen, and fell into madness. Chen Bailu, played by Lu Lu, and Fang Dasheng, played by Yang Mingxin, are looking forward to running away together. But this moment's lingering was broken by Chen Bailu's sudden awakening. "The sun is up, and the darkness is behind. But the sun is not ours, we're going to sleep...I told you I was sold to this place my whole life."

A still from the 1988 edition of "The First Floor in the World", Lin Liankun (the one who raised his hand before) played the role of Chang Gui, the grandfather who was good at ushering and sending

Stills of "The First Floor in the World", Yue Xiuqing (right) as Jade Chick

See heaven and earth, see all beings. What drama brings to people is exactly the different flavors of life. "The First Floor in the World" realizes cross-version integration, and Yue Xiuqing, together with Zou Jian, Zhao Zhengtian, Zhang Xinming, Fang Yangfei and others, will perform live performances of the "old and new" art tradition. As the actor of the first generation (1988 edition) Jade Chick, Yue Xiuqing flew up and down like a butterfly on the stage, vividly showing the unique skills of "Tang Zi Cai" and the ability to observe words and emotions.

"My Poor Marat". Wang Jiajun (middle) who plays Marat, Chen Hongxu (left) who plays Rika, and Shi Yunpeng (right) who plays Leon are all actors born in the 1990s.

Performing "Beijing-style children's opera" is unique in the world, and foreign opera is also an extremely important aspect of Beijing Renyi's expression of its style and characteristics in the performance history of Renyi. Among them, the Soviet-Russian drama is even more spectacular. In 2019, Renyi staged Albuzhov's "Old-Fashioned Comedy" for the first time, which was well received. In 2021, the daughter of "big director" Lin Zhaohua, director Lin Cong directed a drama for the first time on the Renyi stage, which is another good play "My Poor Marat" by Albuzhov. The three leading actors in the film, Wang Jiajun who plays Marat, Chen Hongxu who plays Rika, and Shi Yunpeng who plays Leon, are all actors born in the 1990s. This time, the three of them joined hands to paint the theatrical theme of "My poor Marat, you always fantasize about the impossible, but you are afraid of being a happy person" on the stage.

Stills of "Camel Xiangzi", the actors are all composed of members of the 2019 class of art students

Beijing Renyi has attached great importance to talent training and reserve since the establishment of the institute. From 1955 to 1957, the first actor training class was held, and the first class teacher was Lan Lanye. In 2019, the performance training course was restarted again, which is to select the best from professional artistic talents with performance experience, and then carry out professional performance training in humanistic style. The staged "Camel Xiangzi" Hu Niu got married and made a big noise in the car dealership, all of which were performed by Zhang Yezi, Guo Wei, Yuan Wei, Liu Yi, Wei Jiacheng, Xu Du, and Xie Tian, members of the 2019 Human Arts Student Class, as a tribute Stage seniors.

"Uncle Vanya" stills, Lu Fang as Sonia

In Chekhov's masterpiece "Uncle Vanya", Lu Fang brought Sonia's wonderful monologue, which is poetic and melodious. With the guitar accompaniment of the co-stars, Sonia's final monologue was translated by Tong Daoming and performed to tears by Lu Fang. "When our days come to an end and we die peacefully, we will say in another world, we have been sad, we have cried, we have been in pain... We will hear the voice of the angels, we will see Jeweled sky. We will see that all this human sin, all our pain, will be drowned in the love that fills the whole world."

Stills of "The Death of a Famous Celebrity", Yan Rui (back) plays Liu Zhensheng, Li Xiaomeng (front) plays Liu Fengxian

Young and middle-aged actors Yan Rui, Li Xiaomeng and Wu Yuchenning in "Death of Famous Actors" reproduce the rules and integrity of famous Peking Opera actors. The biggest attraction of this "Liyuan Drama" is undoubtedly the perfect fusion of Peking Opera and drama. Different from the use of opera elements in previous dramas, this drama allows the audience to see the narrative method of drama and the core of Peking Opera's story, which is both beautiful in form and beautiful in form. There is the sublimation of the theme, and the combination of the two becomes a new style on the stage.

"Good Night, Mom" stills, Gong Lijun (left) plays the daughter, Chen Xiaoyi plays the mother

"Good Night, Mom" is the only new play on the program list that has not yet been performed in Beijing Renyi. It was written by American writer Martha Norman and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1983. This time, Gong Lijun and Chen Xiaoyi brought the first appearance of the clips in the play. The two actresses who emerged in the 1980s and 1990s are now members of the Humanities and Arts Committee. On the stage, how Gong Lijun played a daughter who was aggrieved enough to commit suicide in front of her mother played by her peers, I believe that even many old fans of the arts could not tell the difference for a while.

"Ruan Lingyu" stills, Xu Fan plays Ruan Lingyu

The classic monologue in Ruan Lingyu is beautiful and melodious, touching people's hearts. The play, which premiered in 1994, is Xu Fan's famous work on the stage of drama. "The court will be held tomorrow, and tomorrow will be a trial in absentia for the strong among the strong and the weak among the weak." Time flies, when the accusations of a generation of famous actors sounded again, she is still the audience's beloved "A Ruan" ".

"Mutiny" stills, "Five Tigers of Humanity and Art" Wu Gang, Wang Gang, Gao Dongping, Feng Yuanzheng, Ding Zhicheng appeared together

On June 9, many viewers have watched the 1988 version of "Mutiny" led by senior actors such as Zhu Xu and Ren Baoxian through online live broadcast. The "Mutiny" clip of this commemorative performance was the finale and the longest was the first. The wonderful court battles brought by the "Five Tigers of Humanity and Art" Feng Yuanzheng, Wu Gang, Ding Zhicheng, Wang Gang, and Gao Dongping not only showed the audience the strength of drama lines and the charm of language, but also more clearly explained the battle-tested battles that can only be found on the drama stage. Only have the freedom of film and television performances-Want to know how Wu Gang played Secretary Dakang well in "In the Name of the People"? Let's take a look first, how he interprets the defense lawyer Greenwood's "Leading a Snake Out of a Hole" vividly; if many audiences born in the 1980s want to recall the "childhood nightmare" "Don't Talk to Strangers", they might as well read it carefully. How did Feng Yuanzheng express Captain Quig's stubbornness and arrogance in the play, "If you are not crazy, you will not survive."
"The Curtain Opens, The Bells Toll" Salute to the Drama, Salute to the Audience, Salute to the Artists
"Salute to the drama, in a thousand ways, will not be enough... Salute to the audience, in 10,000 expressions, without any exaggeration... Salute to artists, no matter how happy or cool the world is, As long as the curtain opens, the bell rings, and as long as we stand on this stage, we will sing the classics with faith!"
"We would rather let our tears flow in the eyes of others; we are willing to light ourselves up in our own world; we interpret the joys and sorrows of the world, but hide our melancholy; we are used to being alone after applause. Leaving the stage... Salute to the entertainers! Let's connect our arms above our heads into a corridor that travels through time and space."

More than 20 young actors from Beijing Renyi recited "Salute to the Drama" together

At the end of the whole performance, the poem "Salute to the Drama" written by the poet Yang Qifang was recited by more than 20 young actors from Beijing Renyi, which pushed the atmosphere of the party to a climax. Han Qing, Jin Han, Zhou Jiayu, Zeng Yongdai, Li Xuege, Li Jintao and other young actors appeared in the form of "sculptures", making the recitation show full of the expressive power of the drama stage.
In addition to the shocking performances and recitations, this commemorative performance is the first time to introduce the form of cross talk. Zhu Shaopeng, Xin Yue, Li Jingxu, Yang Qifang, four young actors born in the 80s and 90s, act as cross talkers, and perform lively scene cross talk on the stage. , to capture the unforgettable historical moments of Renyi over the past seventy years, condensing and interpreting Renyi's artistic pursuit, which is memorable for a long time.
This stage form allows the audience not only to enjoy the performances on the stage, but also to understand the artistic pursuits of people and art behind the scenes. "We want to show all aspects of Beijing Renyi through six paragraphs, in the form of young people's learning and understanding of the history of the academy, and tell everyone how Beijing Renyi has come through for 70 years." Director Tang Ye said that this kind of The form is more humanistic.
(Photography for this article: Li Chunguang)