The Ear Candy web site has a new face on top and a splendid Storylines page which is more like a section!
Whew.
Wed 9 May 2012
Martial operas fight for life
Posted by Fern under Jingju / Beijing Opera / Peking Opera 京剧
1 Comment
It was just yesterday that I asked Bertrand to help me out: how should I translate wenxi and wuxi to English? Today I found a Global Times article, which uses the expressions ”civilian play” and ”fighting play” – how do you like them?
In the article there’s a brief description about both, and triple Plum Blossom Prize winner Pei Yanling (裴艳玲) makes some very good points about martial arts plays.
Click here for the interesting readable: www.globaltimes.cn
Pei Yanling in Wu Song Beats the Tiger
Photo: 一郎时代
Mon 30 Apr 2012
Nice half hour documentary on Beijing Opera
Posted by Bertrand under Getting Started / "Orientation" 开始
[3] Comments
I recommend this nice video on Youtube in Chinese with English subtitles.
I learned what the crescent means on Judge Bao’s forehead, saw some impressive handkerchief waving and of course, got to see some monkeying around by the king.
Thu 26 Apr 2012
Zhao Fangyuan 赵芳媛
Posted by Bertrand under Zhao Fangyuan 赵芳媛
[3] Comments
Hello,
Fern has decided to widen my horizons. In our most recent exchange of files via regular post, she sent me 14 half hour shows featuring different new female Beijing Opera performers. And not just Cheng school, either.
Let me say from the onset, there is a lot of talent in China! Several of these performers are acrobatic, a couple specialize in “old woman” roles, one in “vivacious female assistant” roles. All are extraordinary in their own way and worth talking about individually. I’m going to have a lot of fun going through all of these.
The first among these performers I would like to talk about is Zhao Fangyuan (赵芳媛), a Zhang school performer with a splendid voice and striking features.
What a smile! Let’s be honest, if there’s a heaven, Zhao Fangyuan is serving dim sum there in full qingyi costume. Whew! More fried octopus tentacles, please.
“Don’t eat so fast, Bertrand. We have lots more…” (translated from daydreamed Mandarin)
But getting back to her music, Fern posted one concert where she gets to sing a song here and another one here. Zhao Fangyuan wasn’t as memorable in those as she is here, I think.
Fern commented a while back on how thin she looks. Very hard to tell from this video (you know how they wear football shoulder pads under their costumes to fool us), but sure enough some googling images bears this out.
So, hopefully Zhao Fangyuan will discover a dessert she really likes.
Meanwhile, click here to download the video
And enjoy the tentacles, they are delicious!
Wed 25 Apr 2012
Slip sliding
Posted by Bertrand under Obligatory Pandas
[2] Comments
Fern and I have exchanged panda videos and images once in a while, but this one Fern sent me is so great!
They deserve a new category.
Tue 24 Apr 2012
Row, Row, Row Your Boat…
Posted by Fern under Chinese Opera, Feng Yun 冯蕴, Jingju / Beijing Opera / Peking Opera 京剧
No Comments
Ready for some superhuman acrobatic action? The most spectacular combination of somersaults, flips and splits imaginable? Wudan and wusheng performers who can even sing? Fantastic costumes and props?
I liked this very recent performance so much that I felt the urge to post it immediately. Li Guang surprised the Beijing audience with a quality production again, guiding the recent graduates of NACTA’s fifth class of outstanding Beijing Opera performers throughout the rehearsals and staging of an entertaining, yet hard to perform play.
京剧《八仙过海》Ba Xian Guo Hai (The Eight Immortals Cross the Ocean)
Click here to download the video.
Length: 55:03 File size: 377MB, 480×360 Extension: MP4
2012-04-22, Chang’an Grand Theater
Cast:
Carp Fairy: Feng Yun (冯蕴)
Lü Dongbin (sword): Wang Lu (王璐)
Zhongli Quan (palm-leaf fan): Zhang Yandong (张艳栋)
Tieguai Li (iron crutch, hulu bottle): Bi Jiawang (毕佳旺)
Han Xiang Zi (flute): Zhu Lingyu (朱凌宇)
Lan Caihe (flower basket): Wang Daxing (王大兴)
He Xiangu (lotus leaf): Liu Qi (刘琪)
Cao Guojiu (jade tablet, castanets): Tan Yuan (谈元)
Zhang Guo Lao (fish-drum): Sha Hao (沙浩)
(In the video Zhu Lingyu and Wang Daxing are mixed up. The cast list above is the correct one.)
Too bad that many boys and girls on stage remained uncredited, some faces are familiar from the crustacean army, but I’m not sure.
Summary:
The story isn’t too complicated: a jolly pack of boozy Daoist Immortals meet in the Penglai Pavilion, and decide to have some maritime fun. Each of them uses his special skill to cross the ocean. This article gives a nice description of the items that serve as unique attributes of the Immortals.
Zhongli Quan, Iron-Crutch Li, Cao Guojiu, Elder Zhang Guo, Philosopher Han Xiang
Zhongli Quan tosses his big fan into the sea, lies down on it and the Immortals drift away on the makeshift boat. He Xiangu drops her lotus flower into the water, and suddenly red light appears. One after another, everyone casts an item and they “sail” away to the East.
Actually, I think they like each other…
However, their trip causes disturbance in the palace of the Dragon King, who sends out his army of shrimp soldiers and crab generals. The conflict just gets worse as they talk, a fight starts and the Carp Fairy takes away Lan Caihe’s little basket.
“Wave Goodbye to your property!”
After a long fight, the Carp Fairy gives the basket back when Lü Dongbin asks for it nicely. Hurray!
The last ten minutes are just crazy!
The best part of all posts: pictures!
Teacher Li Guang contributes to the cheerful mood of the rehearsals.
Immortals in training clothes.
Immortals in costume.
Wang Lu as Lü Dongbin.
Fairy Feng.
Wang Daxing with magical flower basket. Be still my beating heart.
Spear-kicking extravaganza – it’s a pity this excellent team made three little mistakes.
Those nasty spears tricked Feng Yun a few times, but all in all, this performance was very likable.
Bravo guys and girls!
Photos are courtesy of 鱼人捷, bluemirage, 戏剧像素, 初七在这儿呢.
Mon 23 Apr 2012
Backup plan — is Lü Yang still unmarried?
Posted by Bertrand under Lü Yang 吕洋
[5] Comments
Hard to say. Fern is bound to email me more bad news.
Here is a nice MP3 of her singing an aria from the Unicorn Purse.
Enjoy!
Sun 22 Apr 2012
They keep doing that!
Posted by Bertrand under Favorite performers, Photographs, Zhao Huan 赵欢
[8] Comments
My current crush, Zhao Huan, and her brand new husband Wang Xilong from just a few days ago. Thank you to Fern for the photo which came from here. Fern adds that Wang Xilong is a wusheng Beijing Opera singer as well.
This might never have happened had I been in China!!!
Oh well, congratulations to the new couple! Many more operas, please.
Sun 22 Apr 2012
Autumn in Late April
Posted by Bertrand under Favorite performers, Zhang Huoding 张火丁
[3] Comments
Hello,
The pelting rain outside has turned to snow, but that’s all right because here is Zhang Huoding in “Autumn”, a CCTV performance from a few years ago.
The title of the original file is 《秋江》张火丁 张春华 CCTV.mkv
I found the download link at:
http://www.xiqupu.com/adslbbs/o_map.asp?type=content&cid=10&id=9644
By googling for “张火丁 mkv”.
Fern and I have all the files listed there already, mostly in RMVB format. The .mkv files on that site look identical to, and are no doubt the same RMVB files converted to another format.
However this file is one I had not seen before. The video quality is a less than great (blown up from a smaller size?) and audio has a slight hum but is very good. The ending is missing a minute or two.
Otherwise, it’s Zhang Huoding in tremendous and very precise voice in a play that has a boat scene a lot like the White Snake.
A splendid way to spend 28 minutes.
File size is 332 MB.
Enjoy!
Sat 21 Apr 2012
Opera scenes for a rainy day
Posted by Bertrand under Lü Yang 吕洋, Wang Ping 王平
[3] Comments
Hello,
Today a video of Cheng School opera scene highlights featuring lots of Lü Yang.
Three hours worth! Too much of a good thing? Probably! But hey, it’s pouring freezing rain outside. “Quelle peste, ce temps!”
Original file name was:
京剧-折子戏-2010-09-18北京-吕洋-骂殿.春闺梦.武家坡-凌珂-搜孤-王大可-白水滩.mkv
According to the Fern Guide, the operas are:
– Empress He Accuses the Usurper (Lü Yang, Chang Dong)
– The Story of the Orphan (Ling Ke, Wang Jiaqing, Wei Yigang)
– Dream in a Girl’s Chamber (Lü Yang, Jiao Pengfei)
– White Water Beach (Wang Daxing, Bai Xianglong, Han Yansong)
– The Wujia Slope (Wang Ping, Lü Yang)
Video is very watchable and the file size is a friendly 891 MB mkv playable with VLC.
Hey, I’m enjoying it. You will too.