Download AmAzing ChinA: A Chinese Concert

Amazing China: A Chinese Concert
Program
Face Changing 《川剧变脸》
Sichuan opera performed by Liu Chunnuan
Farewell My Concubine《霸王别姬》
Beijing Opera excerpt performed by TU Linghui
Journey to Suzhou《姑苏行》
Little Shepherd《小放牛》
CHENG Shijun on dizi
Chinese Acrobatics: Plate Spinning 中国杂技：转碟
ZHANG Rui
The Crossroads Inn 《三岔口》
Beijing Opera excerpt performed by LIU Chunnuan and WANG Fei
The Drunken Royal Concubine《贵妃醉酒》
Beijing opera excerpt performed by TU Linghui
Chinese Acrobatics: Barrel Contortion中国杂技：钻桶
Performed by ZHANG Rui
A Ditty from the Yimeng Mountain《沂蒙山小调》
Beautiful Grassland《美丽的草原》
Beautiful Mood《美丽的心情》
ZHANG Hong, mezzo-soprano
Uproar in The Dragon’s Palace《闹龙宫》
Beijing Opera Excerpt by LIU Chunnuan, WANG Fei, and TU Linghui
Program Notes
Face Changing《川剧变脸》
Face Changing (bian lian) is an important aspect of Sichuan Opera, and the precise
techniques that are used to change masks in modern Sichuan Opera is a closely
guarded secret. The secrets have been passed down within theatre families from
generation to generation. In contemporary opera, performers wave their arms and
twist their heads, and their painted masks are changed again and again, much to the
astonishment and amusement of the audience.
Farewell My Concubine《霸王别姬》
The excerpt is set at the end of the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC). The Emperor loses
control of the kingdom, and several leaders emerge from the chaos to proclaim
themselves kings. Among them, two contend for supremacy: Xiang Yu, the King
of Chu, and Liu Bang, the King of Han. In a crucial battle, Xiang Yu’s troops are
ambushed by Liu Bang’s and gradually run out of food. And when the troops hear
their native songs sung by the enemy encamped around them, they are convinced
that their homeland has been conquered and their countrymen have joined Liu Bang.
Foreseeing his failure, Xiang Yu drinks with his favorite concubine Consort Yu for
the last time. After performing a sword dance for Xiang Yu, she commits suicide.
Struck by grief from losing the battle and Consort Yu, Xiang Yu fights his way to the
Wujiang River and kills himself.
Journey to Suzhou《姑苏行》
“Journey to Suzhou” is a peaceful, flowing song composed in 1962 by Jiang Xianwei.
It brings to mind the beauty and serene atmosphere of ancient Suzhou, a southeastern
city in China known for its breathtaking classical gardens.
Little Shepherd《小放牛》
Originally a “blowing tunes” style song in Kunqu Opera, this song depicts a lady
asking a little shepherd boy for directions. Questions and answers are expressed
through song and dance, and this tune has a strong pastoral atmosphere. Later on,
renowned dizi (Chinese flute) artist Lu Chunling changed this song further in the
1950s, using his skill on the dizi to vividly show the innocent and lively exchange.
The mood is lighthearted, the speech clear and flowing, the song full of expression.
“Little Shepherd” fully displays how a high level of skill on the dizi can beautifully
decorate a melody.
Chinese Acrobatics: Plate Spinning 中国杂技：转碟
Plate spinning is a traditional acrobatic act dating back to the Han Dynasty (206BC220AD). Performer spins and manipulates plates, bowls, or other flat objects on
poles, without them falling off.
The Crossroads Inn《三岔口》
Jiao Zan, a general of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), who defends Song against the
northern Jurchen invaders, is exiled to Sha Men Island. Jiao’s commander orders Ren
Tanghui to disguise himself and to protect Jiao secretly. While General Jiao is staying
in a small inn at the crossroad, the inn keeper Liu Lihua suspects that Ren Tanghui
had come to kill Jiao. They fight in the dark, until they realize that they both are
trying to protect the same man.
The Drunken Royal Concubine《贵妃醉酒》
It is an anecdote describing a lovers’ quarrel between Lady Yang and Emperor
Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty (618-906). Lady Yang has a banquet set up in the
Imperial Garden, and then invites the Emperor to join her. But the Emperor has gone
to the chamber of another royal concubine. With her heart gnawed by jealousy and
anger, Lady Yang drinks by herself until she falls into a stupor.
Chinese Acrobatics: Barrel Contortion
中国杂技：钻桶
Barrel contortion is another popular Chinese acrobatic act. Performer moves in and
out of a small barrel in various contorting moves. Flexibility is a must to perform
well.
A Ditty from the Yimeng Mountain《沂蒙山小调》
Lyrics: Everybody likes Yimeng Mountain because it is so pretty: a gentle breeze
sweeps over sheep on the green mountain, red sorghum decorates people’s happy life.
(Shangdong folksong)
Beautiful Grassland《美丽的草原》
Lyrics: The beautiful grasslands are my home. Steeds gallop like colorful clouds.
Cows and sheep are like spreading pearls. The shepherd girl’s happy songs reach afar.
(Inner Mongolian folksong)
Beautiful Mood 《美丽的心情》
Lyrics: Wind sends the doves to the starry sky; the moon shines upon our happy
dancing. Let our dreams grow auspicious wings; let beautiful moods follow us
everywhere. (Modern art song)
Uproar in The Dragon’s Palace《闹龙宫》
Based on one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, Journey to
the West, this excerpt tells the story of how the Monkey King Sun Wukong goes to
the Dragon’s Palace in the Eastern Sea to borrow a weapon. There, the Dragon King
offers him an extremely heavy iron rod called the Golden Cudgel—but only if he
can wield it. But the cudgel can change to be any size and shape, and thinking that
Wukong wouldn’t be able to use the weapon, the Dragon King is surprised when
Wukong easily turns the cudgel into a needle and stores it in his ear. After the Dragon
King goes back on his word and tries to get the weapon back, a fierce battle ensues.
Wukong finally obtains the Golden Cudgel and returns to Mount Huaguo.
About the Performers
CHENG Shijun 程世君 teaches Chinese
instrumental music at the NACTA, where she
earned her master’s degree in 2008. Along with
other accomplishments, she has taken part in the
performance for CCTV’s New Year Beijing Opera
Evening Celebration and accompanied China’s
celebrated Beijing Opera artists Li Weikang and
Geng Qichang in the Shanghai Spring Festival
Beijing Opera Evening Celebration. She has taught
dizi (bamboo flute), zhongruan (plucked stringed
instrument), and other Chinese music instruments
at NACTA since 1994. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at
Binghamton University.
LIU Chunnuan刘春暖 is a well-known Peking
Opera actor and the artistic director of the
New York Chinese Traditional Art Center, an
organization dedicated to promoting Chinese
and Chinese-American culture, especially Peking
Opera, to the U.S. audience. After graduating
from the Shenyang Institute of Arts, Liu joined
the Shenyang Peking Opera Theatre in 1996
and performed Peking Opera since. In 2005, he
accepted an Appreciation Award in recognition of
his outstanding contribution to United Nations
Day for South-South Cooperation.
TU Linghui 涂玲慧 is a National Class-one
Performer. She has won the 4th Plum Blossom Award
for Chinese Theatre and the 1st Wenhua Performance
Award with the Gan Operas “The Injustice Done to
Dou E” and “The Story of the Wooden Hairpin.”
She is a NACTA professor and served as the
director of the Operatic Art Education Centre and
Continuing Education Department. Tu has also
directed Chinese operas, among which two have
been awarded Class-one Performance Awards. She
is currently a visiting professor of Chinese opera at
Binghamton University.
WANG Fei 王飞, specializing in playing wusheng
(man with martial art skills) characters, has been
trained to perform Peking Opera since a very young
age. Wang was admitted to Shanxi Theatre Academy
in 1995 and studied under famous artists Yun-Chao
Chen and Bao-Shan Fu. After graduating in 1999,
Wang entered Peking Opera Institution of Shanxi
Province and toured France and Belgian as cultural
ambassador, performing Peking Opera. He has won
many awards in television competitions including
2005 CCTV competition of young Peking Opera
performers and 2008 CNTY National competition
of young Peking Opera performers.
Professor ZHANG Hong 张泓 holds a Master’s de­
gree in Voice Performance and is an internationally
acclaimed singer and award-winning educator. She
has been an active soloist at many concerts and has
been given numerous lectures, recitals, and workshops
on Chinese music in the US and abroad. The
places where she performed and presented include
the United Nations, the University of Michigan,
University of Virginia, NYU, Purdue, Portland State
University, University of Toronto in Canada, as
well as Zhejiang University and Nankai University
in China. Zhang is currently a faculty member of
Chinese and associate faculty member of Music at Binghamton University. Her
students have won many awards in international competitions. Zhang has also coauthored Chinese through Song (SUNY Press) and Cultural Chinese: Readings
in Art, Literature, and History (Georgetown University Press).
ZHANG Rui 张瑞 started her formal training in
Chinese acrobatics at a very young age. Later, she
became the principal performer for the Heilongjiang
Acrobatic Troupe, one of China’s most respected
acrobatic groups. With the troupe, she began touring
different countries, including Japan, Russia, Canada,
and the U.S. Her performance has been well-received
and won her many awards. Since relocating to the
U.S. in 2001, Zhang has been devoted to promoting
Chinese performing arts. She is currently a member
of the New York Chinese Traditional Art Center.