MCLC: Bai Xianyong preaches kunqu

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: kirk (denton.2 at osu.edu)
Subject: Bai Xianyong preaches kunqu
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Source: China Daily (1/6/12):
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/usa/weekly/2012-01/06/content_14390181.htm

Center stage
By Su Zhou (China Daily)

Bai Xianyong's love affair began when he was 9. It was 1946, and he went
to see the Kunqu opera Peony Pavilion. The enthralled youngster watched
Mei Lanfang play an aristocratic lady called Du Liniang who, in a dream,
falls in love with Liu Mengmei, a scholar.

It was Mei's first appearance on the stage after World War II. More than
six decades later, Bai is a retired literature teacher, and his
appreciation for Mei's performance and his affection for the beautiful
tale show no sign of waning.

While Mei was considered the most famous Peking Opera artist in China, he
was also good at Kunqu opera. In 1930, Mei and his team visited the United
States and dazzled audiences.

As an amateur of the art then, Bai never thought he would one day
introduce Peony Pavilion to the rest of the world.
Bai, who taught at the University of California, found himself promoting
the play for almost eight years after he adapted the masterpiece of the
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) master playwright Tang Xianzu (1550-1616) in 2004.

The new Peony Pavilion edition is called the youth edition because the
performers are younger and it is targeted at youngsters with an abridged
three episodes in nine hours. First staged in Taiwan, the youth edition
has toured the mainland, Hong Kong, the US, Britain, Greece and Singapore.

Bai says the 200th youth edition was staged at the National Center for the
Performing Arts in Beijing from Dec 8 to 12, which may be the last
performance of this team. "After this, I will take a rest and return to
California, finishing the biography of my father first," Bai says,
reminding us that he is a writer.

Bai was born into what was considered an "aristocratic class" in China.
His father was the famous Kuomingtang general Bai Chongxi. Bai himself
quit writing for many years for Kunqu.

In 2006 his team toured four cities in California for a month and Peony
Pavilion was well received by audiences. Bai says when the team arrived in
Santa Barbara, the city's mayor, Marty Blum, declared the week of Oct 3 to
8 in 2006 as the "week of Peony Pavilion of Santa Barbara". The streets
were decked with bunting of performers' faces to welcome Bai and his team.

"All seats were occupied and audiences rose to greet us, crying 'Bravo!'
after the performance," Bai says.

Many people say Bai is different when he talks about the opera.

"Mr Bai was always described as a 'melancholy pioneer'," says Wu Dan, a
fan of Bai's work in Jiangsu province.

"Before he devoted himself to Kunqu, he seldom appeared in the media and
didn't express himself that much."

But that changed after 2004. Every time he appeared in the media, Bai
looked very happy and spoke more about his outlook on life. To prepare for
the youth edition of Peony Pavilion, Bai traveled around California,
Suzhou, Taiwan and Hong Kong, negotiating with different people, raising
funds for performances, inviting famous Kunqu experts to train his team,
and even teaching potential audiences in China's universities.

"I am a 'preacher' now," Bai says. "But if it can help people realize the
beauty of Kunqu, I am willing to do so."
Kunqu is considered China's oldest opera and one of its most influential
theatrical traditions, but it was once on the verge of extinction. In 2001
Kunqu ranked first on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization's list of intangible cultural assets, and that
helped reinforce Bai's conviction that the traditional Chinese art should
be protected.

Bai thinks people will be interested in Kunqu again if they can see the
most beautiful play.

"The younger generation of China, as well as Chinese compatriots abroad,
lack the identity of traditional culture," Bai says. "In 1987 I was
excited to see Kunqu still on stage in Shanghai after the 'cultural
revolution' (1966-76). It is great to witness the rebirth of traditional
culture on the mainland; more people should share my joy.

"Western countries are all familiar with Chinese martial arts and
acrobatics. Now I want to show them the graceful art of China."

>From the start, Bai set two goals for himself and his team: Peony Pavilion
has to attract more young students to see Kunqu, and Kunqu needs to be
promoted in foreign countries.

Traditional Kunqu opera tends to select more experienced and senior
actors. But Bai chose young actors and radically adopted modern lighting
and stage design.

Yu Jiulin and Shen Fengying, performing hero Liu Mengmei and heroine Du
Liniang, respectively, were unknown performers.

"Yu is very handsome and scholarly; Shen has telling eyes," Bai says. "In
such a beautiful dream, it is possible for young audiences to sit there
for nine hours with such a beautiful love story."

To train the two youngsters, Bai invited two famous Kunqu performers Zhang
Jiqing and Wang Shiyu, as art directors. During the intervals, Bai liked
to explain a part or a scene of Peony Pavilion to them.

"I remember that before the initial performance, Mr Bai talked about his
understanding of Peony Pavilion with us in the hotel," Yu says. "He talked
about the permanent theme of human beings through hundreds of years: the
pursuit of love, youth and life.

"Peony Pavilion is not only a love story but also a song for lost youth,"
Yu adds. "Mr Bai's elaboration helped us express the subtle feelings of
the characters."

Bai's love of Kunqu is also seen in his perfectionism. During the
rehearsal of the youth edition of Peony Pavilion, Bai kept adapting the
scripts, the design of stage and the customs.

To display an exquisite show, Bai asked the flowers on customs to be all
embroidered by hand, says Wang Tong, costume designer of the youth edition
of Peony Pavilion. "It takes one day to embroider a single flower and the
whole set of customs took us five months."

Many say the most important contribution of Bai to Peony Pavilion is
raising funds for the tour. According to Cai Shaohua, director of Suzhou
Kunqu Opera Theater, the youth edition of Peony Pavilion would not even
exist without Bai. By March 2010, the team had spent nearly 20 million
yuan ($3.1 million, 2.4 million euros). Many sponsors from Taiwan, Hong
Kong, Macao, and the US were moved by Bai's work and donated money.

But Bai knows he cannot bear the Kunqu burden on his own. The opera, of
course, is more than just Peony Pavilion. "If entertainment companies can
arrange the performance, things will change a lot; governments should
protect Kunqu, at least make sure the performers can sustain their lives,"
Bai says.

"Kunqu is the best representative of soft power; governments should put
more performances on stages in different countries.

"Companies can also participate in protecting cultural heritage -
Coca-Cola funded 5 million yuan for the Kunqu heritage program at Peking
University, and it is never too late to join in."

He jokes that when he taught the Kunqu of Peony Pavilion at Peking
University, he had hoped that "Peking University will produce the future
culture minister; I hope every one of you still remembers the beauty of
Kunqu and will do something to protect it.

"What I have done is sow the seeds of Kunqu around the world. I believe at
least one of these will germinate."