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Zhou Buqi asked: "What is the significance of a global tour?"

Bai Xianyong bluntly said, "Please please foreigners."

Zhou Buqi laughed and said, "That's it?"

"I believe that the artistic charm of Kun Opera is enough to move everyone who loves performing arts." Bai Xianyong sighed, "About 90 years ago, the Chuanzi generation was full, and they persisted in performing in the turbulent current situation, saving and inheriting the legacy. The art of Kun Opera is about to die. After the new century, Kun Opera has entered a new round of decline. This is my motivation for rewriting "The Peony Pavilion for Youth"."

Zhou Buqi said: "I don't understand the art of drama anymore, but based on my superficial understanding, Kun Opera is not Peking Opera. Peking Opera can lead an era with just a few actors, but Kun Opera cannot. Kun Opera relies on its works."

This was actually a compliment. Bai Xianyong smiled, and then sighed: "When I wanted to revise "The Peony Pavilion" at the beginning, I was opposed by the Kunqu opera community, but soon everyone came to support it. The most important thing is One of the attractions is touring the world.”

Zhou Buqi nodded.

This is indeed the biggest status quo.

It cannot be understood in the simple sense of "please foreigners", this is a legal understanding. In fact, it is a set of common sense formed by people over the years. Foreigners think that good things are really good.

The jargon in the industry is “exporting to domestic sales”.

Not only at the product level, but also at the public opinion level.

Foreign countries are very chaotic and dangerous. It is best and safest to do so at home. It is best for people not to go out. But how can people believe it?

Use foreign media to report.

If the foreign media reports that there is hunger and poverty in the United States, constant shootings, and homeless people on the streets in the United States, it will be very convincing and everyone will believe it.

In particular, there are many self-media that deal with public sentiment.

Quoting foreign media reports has the function of "argument" and "argument", and uses the public's mentality of admiring foreign things to gain their trust.

However, what should we do if there is often a lack of relevant reports in foreign media, or the reports are unsatisfactory?

That's even simpler.

There is no publishing censorship in European and American countries. Anyone can apply for a newspaper, magazine, website, TV station, etc., and then post what they write on, and it will be reported by foreign media.

Then use domestic media to reprint it.

This completes the transition from export to domestic sales.

Credibility comes out.

This set of rules is not only effective for the people at the bottom.

If you want to be a scientist within the system, you have to publish papers in foreign journals. If you want to be a singer within the system, you have to be invited to perform in foreign concert halls.

I don’t know if Bai Xianyong received some expert advice and gained support from the entire Kunqu opera community through a global tour strategy. This gave him the opportunity to rewrite "The Peony Pavilion" into "Youth Version of the Peony Pavilion".

Otherwise, as an outsider, he might not be able to push it forward.

Bai Xianyong said: "If Kun Opera wants to survive, it cannot rely on actors or scripts. I am just a lover. What can I change? If this opera type wants to develop in the long run, there is only one possibility, and that is to learn from Peking Opera." We need to get closer and let the country continue the industry. The support currently received by Kun Opera is still too small."

Zhou Buqi suddenly realized, "High!"

"This is what others told me..." Bai Xianyong smiled, "In the past, only Peking Opera can represent the country's dramatic image and is the most famous abroad."

Zhou Buqi said: "This is Mr. Mei's contribution."

Bai Xianyong said: "Yes, Mei Lanfang introduced the world to China and Chinese drama. However, there has always been a misunderstanding here. Mr. Mei is not a Peking Opera master."

"ah?"

Zhou Buqi was slightly startled.

Bai Xianyong quickly changed his explanation, "What I mean is that Mr. Mei is not only a master of Peking Opera, he is actually a master of Peking and Kunqu opera. He is good at Peking Opera and he is also good at Kunqu Opera!"

Zhou Buqi breathed a sigh of relief.

Bai Xianyong went on to say: "In ancient times, there were no Peking Opera families. Even in the Qing Dynasty when the Manchus were in power, Kun Opera was still the mainstream of drama. Kun Opera is inherited by the drama families, and only Kun Opera is the most worthy of inheritance. This includes the Mei family.”

Zhou Buqi asked: "Mr. Mei also trained in Kunqu Opera since he was a child?"

Bai Xianyong said: "Of course, the Mei family was originally a Kun Opera family. He later brought Peking Opera to a whole new level. In fact, he borrowed a lot of performance elements from Kun Opera. His lifetime performances were not only performed on the Peking Opera stage. The brilliance is equally stunning on the Kun Opera stage. However, the threshold for Kun Opera is too high."

Zhou Buqi nodded, understanding very well, "High threshold means low popularity."

Bai Xianyong said with emotion: "Yes, its popularity is low. In my opinion, the reason why Peking Opera quickly became popular all over the country during the Republic of China is mainly due to two reasons. First, the language of Peking Opera is Mandarin... that is what you say Mandarin is easier for the public to understand."

"What about the second one?"

"Mr. May's World Tour."

"Um."

Zhou Buqi nodded.

This is the root cause.

Bai Xianyong said: "The current situation was chaotic, the Japanese invaded China, and the country was destroyed. The people urgently needed a kind of spiritual food to boost the confidence of the nation. In that era of foreign invasion, not only the country was destroyed, but also the family was destroyed. Even the cultural circles were shaken, with many people suggesting that Chinese characters should be abolished and Latin letters used instead. This would be a huge blow to the nation’s self-confidence. Mr. Mei’s artistic performances overseas, which attracted thousands of people and detonated the entire Western world, greatly played a role in this Effect. My father said back then that one play by Mr. Mei is worth more than thousands of troops."

Zhou Buqi was in awe, "Yes, it is no exaggeration to say that Mr. Mei is a national hero."

Bai Xianyong sighed and said: "Mr. Mei's overseas tour greatly boosted national confidence, and also led to the national enthusiasm for Peking Opera. This was the quintessence of Peking Opera later, and the popularity of Peking Opera overseas. This is actually The choice Mr. Mei made back then. He is a master of Beijing and Kun Opera. When touring overseas, he can perform Peking Opera and Kun Opera. However, the threshold for Kun Opera is too high. Of course, he is worried that foreigners will not understand Chinese culture. The performance form of Kun Opera is not used, so the overseas tour is mainly based on Peking Opera. After all, Peking Opera performances include debut movements, making it easier to get started."

The so-called debut movement means that during a Peking Opera performance, one will stop on one movement and freeze as if posing. This is the "climax".

This leaves the audience with a chance to cheer.

Regardless of whether you understand Peking Opera or not, you can clap when you see a pose being performed.

Kun Opera is different. The performance of Kun Opera is "not moving for a moment", just like water, always in a continuous and gurgling state.

This greatly raises the aesthetic threshold, because no one knows when the climax will be.

Zhou Buqi now understood the entire idea of ​​Bai Xianyong's team.

If we want to completely save Kun Opera, relying on the strength of this group of people alone is simply not enough.

After all, this is an art form that has been around for hundreds of years and has long since expired!

It is already out of tune with the current era.

From a market perspective, there is no need to exist, and if it dies, it is dead.

But for many literati, it would be a pity if Kun Opera really withered and was lost. Just like many ancient masterpieces, "The Book of Songs", "Li Sao", "The Peacock Flies Southeast"... these are actually ancient "lyrics", but the specific how to sing, how to perform, and what language to sing have long been lost. , only the words are left.

The only possibility that can allow Kun Opera to continue for a long time is national power.

Let the country support Kun Opera in the same way it supports Peking Opera.

"This is a big plan, and it's not easy to make it happen. The theater industry doesn't make money, and if we all rely on the state to support it..." Zhou Buqi shook his head, "It's already very difficult to support a Peking Opera company."

Bai Xianyong said: "At least we can let the whole world see the pure artistic treasures of Chinese culture. Kun Opera is the ancestor of all operas and the authentic version of Chinese drama."

Zhou Buqi smiled and said, "This shouldn't be difficult."

"Isn't it difficult?" Bai Xianyong said bitterly, "This time we are touring the United States for four shows, two in Los Angeles and two in New York. I haven't checked the accounts yet, and I estimate that we will lose at least another US$300,000."

Zhou Buqi burst out laughing.

Bai Xianyong looked a little embarrassed and asked, "Mr. Zhou, why are you laughing?"

Zhou Buqi smiled and asked, "Mr. Bai, can we be considered friends?"

Bai Xianyong was very happy, "Forget it."

Zhou Buqi said: "Problems that money can solve are not problems. I will take over this matter!"