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Once nearly broke, Yuju Opera star now acclaimed worldwide
Source: Xinhua |
July 20, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
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WHEN Li Shujian was making a living leading an elegy in front of the grave of a stranger's mother - with tears rolling down his face - he did not believe that 10 years later the same sobbing tone would be applauded by audiences around the world.
On February 18, the 51-year-old renowned artist and his 58-actor troupe performed their latest work of Yuju Opera, one of China's authentic artistic traditions from Henan Province, at Studio 54 theater in Manhattan in New York City.
Due to its success, Li is now talking with Studio 54 about further performances, possibly in September.
Li is the second Chinese actor to take local opera to foreign countries after Mei Lanfang, a famed Peking Opera artist, who sang on Broadway 83 years ago.
"It was a great honor for Yuju Opera to be on Broadway," Li says proudly. "After the performance, people from the audience came backstage with their thumbs up."
Broadway shows usually have a break, but Li decided to perform without one for the coherence of the story.
"I thought our request would be rejected. But the audiences were totally immersed in the plot and seemed to forget about the break for coffee," Li says, smiling.
The opera, titled "Cheng Ying Rescues the Orphans," is a Hamlet-style tragedy, narrating a 2,500-year-old ancient folk tale of a hero sacrificing his son in exchange for the lives of thousands of infants.
According to Li, audiences were impressed by the tolerance and loyalty of the hero as well as his bravery in taking on authority.
In Italy, his unique sobbing tone was praised as "aria from the East" that can rival the skills of the greatest tenors, as this special technique allowed singers to integrate the crying voice into the performance to express the grief of the hero.
Yuju Opera, a traditional music form and intangible cultural heritage originating in central China, used to be among the most popular entertainment for Chinese people, especially seniors.
However, it took the brunt of modern pastimes like movies, karaoke and video games after the country's reform and opening up 30 years ago.
In the 1990s, a shrinking market and a lack of innovation drove thousands of theatrical troupes to the edge of bankruptcy.
Li's group suffered throughout the 1990s and at the turn of the century.
They started performing at funerals in the countryside, which was deemed as an embarrassment for a Chinese artist. But it had become their only choice.
He and his troupe were literally hired to cry for the dead, a common practice in parts of China.
"At that time, the stage was in a mourning hall with a black-and-white obituary photo hung above. We were surrounded by pale wreaths," Li says. "I was singing for the dead, while my heart was crying for myself."
Against all the hardships, Li bet the future of his troupe on a new show. Actors looked for sponsors and retirees even donated their pensions for rehearsal costs.
Li modernized the folk tale while retaining the core spirit of the ancient story. Their tears and efforts have finally paid off.
Performances won the top opera award and 14 other titles in China in 2004 and received the "Best Musical - Foreign" at the International Family Film Festival in Los Angeles in 2010.
So far, Li and his troupe have sung Yuju Opera in a dozen countries, including France, Turkey, Greece and Australia, to more than 100 million people.
However, the opera singer, who has 35 years' standing, hopes to initiate a world tour to spread the opera he loves to every corner of the Earth.
"There'll be a time for me to retire, but my students will carry on," he says. A return to Studio 54 may be his next destination.
On February 18, the 51-year-old renowned artist and his 58-actor troupe performed their latest work of Yuju Opera, one of China's authentic artistic traditions from Henan Province, at Studio 54 theater in Manhattan in New York City.
Due to its success, Li is now talking with Studio 54 about further performances, possibly in September.
Li is the second Chinese actor to take local opera to foreign countries after Mei Lanfang, a famed Peking Opera artist, who sang on Broadway 83 years ago.
"It was a great honor for Yuju Opera to be on Broadway," Li says proudly. "After the performance, people from the audience came backstage with their thumbs up."
Broadway shows usually have a break, but Li decided to perform without one for the coherence of the story.
"I thought our request would be rejected. But the audiences were totally immersed in the plot and seemed to forget about the break for coffee," Li says, smiling.
The opera, titled "Cheng Ying Rescues the Orphans," is a Hamlet-style tragedy, narrating a 2,500-year-old ancient folk tale of a hero sacrificing his son in exchange for the lives of thousands of infants.
According to Li, audiences were impressed by the tolerance and loyalty of the hero as well as his bravery in taking on authority.
In Italy, his unique sobbing tone was praised as "aria from the East" that can rival the skills of the greatest tenors, as this special technique allowed singers to integrate the crying voice into the performance to express the grief of the hero.
Yuju Opera, a traditional music form and intangible cultural heritage originating in central China, used to be among the most popular entertainment for Chinese people, especially seniors.
However, it took the brunt of modern pastimes like movies, karaoke and video games after the country's reform and opening up 30 years ago.
In the 1990s, a shrinking market and a lack of innovation drove thousands of theatrical troupes to the edge of bankruptcy.
Li's group suffered throughout the 1990s and at the turn of the century.
They started performing at funerals in the countryside, which was deemed as an embarrassment for a Chinese artist. But it had become their only choice.
He and his troupe were literally hired to cry for the dead, a common practice in parts of China.
"At that time, the stage was in a mourning hall with a black-and-white obituary photo hung above. We were surrounded by pale wreaths," Li says. "I was singing for the dead, while my heart was crying for myself."
Against all the hardships, Li bet the future of his troupe on a new show. Actors looked for sponsors and retirees even donated their pensions for rehearsal costs.
Li modernized the folk tale while retaining the core spirit of the ancient story. Their tears and efforts have finally paid off.
Performances won the top opera award and 14 other titles in China in 2004 and received the "Best Musical - Foreign" at the International Family Film Festival in Los Angeles in 2010.
So far, Li and his troupe have sung Yuju Opera in a dozen countries, including France, Turkey, Greece and Australia, to more than 100 million people.
However, the opera singer, who has 35 years' standing, hopes to initiate a world tour to spread the opera he loves to every corner of the Earth.
"There'll be a time for me to retire, but my students will carry on," he says. A return to Studio 54 may be his next destination.
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