人們一定還記得，那出演紅江南半邊天的童話京歌劇《孔雀翎》。《孔雀翎》雖冠名為京歌劇，內(nèi)容卻大膽、前衛(wèi)、巧妙地運(yùn)用了現(xiàn)代舞、霹靂舞、流行音樂(lè)等現(xiàn)代藝術(shù)的一些表演元素，使沉悶的京劇舞臺(tái)首次出現(xiàn)了勁歌狂舞的場(chǎng)面。

《孔雀翎》在全國(guó)各地連演500場(chǎng)，獲得了上海全國(guó)優(yōu)秀兒童劇展演“最佳劇目獎(jiǎng)”、文化部?jī)?yōu)秀兒童劇匯演“優(yōu)秀劇目銀獎(jiǎng)”、“導(dǎo)演一等獎(jiǎng)”等。這無(wú)疑是一臺(tái)充滿藝術(shù)性、市場(chǎng)性的雙贏創(chuàng)新劇目，它呈現(xiàn)在有200多年歷史傳統(tǒng)的京劇舞臺(tái)上，不能不令人刮目相看。該劇的導(dǎo)演、主演便是當(dāng)時(shí)的浙江京劇團(tuán)副團(tuán)長(zhǎng)翁國(guó)生。

在這之后翁國(guó)生又推出了一部大型現(xiàn)代青春京劇《網(wǎng)絡(luò)戀曲》，這部戲在處理古老京劇表演體系與現(xiàn)代舞臺(tái)呈現(xiàn)手段的嫁接上更趨成熟。這兩部戲的上演，一改浙江京劇團(tuán)原先萎靡不振的演出市場(chǎng)，特別是青年學(xué)生蜂擁而至，連聲叫好?？梢哉f(shuō)這兩部戲的出現(xiàn)，是翁國(guó)生面對(duì)傳統(tǒng)京劇、演出市場(chǎng)和觀眾做出的深思熟慮的選擇，他將自己對(duì)古老京劇與現(xiàn)代人的審美關(guān)系的思考做了一次完美的顯示。

翁國(guó)生其實(shí)不是演京劇出身，他自11歲從藝以來(lái)一直與昆劇結(jié)緣，早先是浙江昆劇團(tuán)的武生演員、浙江昆劇團(tuán)的業(yè)務(wù)副團(tuán)長(zhǎng)，后來(lái)改變他命運(yùn)的是一出《尋太陽(yáng)》的兒童神話劇的上演。

這出取材于杭州西湖民間傳說(shuō)的故事，是翁國(guó)生作為業(yè)務(wù)副團(tuán)長(zhǎng)向當(dāng)時(shí)任浙江京昆藝術(shù)劇院院長(zhǎng)的汪世瑜提出的。當(dāng)時(shí)，浙江昆劇團(tuán)演出市場(chǎng)比較萎縮，演員登臺(tái)演出的機(jī)會(huì)非常稀少。翁國(guó)生認(rèn)為，要從困境中突圍出來(lái)，就得拓寬劇目路子，爭(zhēng)取青年學(xué)生甚至兒童進(jìn)入劇場(chǎng)。汪世瑜支持翁國(guó)生的設(shè)想，于是由翁國(guó)生主演并一起參與導(dǎo)演的《尋太陽(yáng)》，經(jīng)過(guò)艱苦排練終于如愿上演。

《尋太陽(yáng)》使昆劇團(tuán)的演出市場(chǎng)一下子打開(kāi)了，一連熱演了400多場(chǎng)。觀眾發(fā)現(xiàn)，古老的昆劇也可以演兒童劇，也可以變得那么青春、靚麗。此時(shí)，翁國(guó)生作為主演有時(shí)一天要演三四場(chǎng)，最多時(shí)要演五場(chǎng)，體力透支已到了極限，終于他病倒了。醫(yī)生向他發(fā)出了警告：即使病愈出院今后也不能從事武生行當(dāng)，不能當(dāng)演員了。

世事異中有變。翁國(guó)生想既然當(dāng)不成演員，那就改行當(dāng)導(dǎo)演，于是他考進(jìn)了上海戲劇學(xué)院導(dǎo)演系。也同在那一年，由杭州藝術(shù)創(chuàng)作中心和杭州越劇院聯(lián)合創(chuàng)排的童話音樂(lè)劇《寒號(hào)鳥(niǎo)》向他發(fā)出了邀請(qǐng)，請(qǐng)他擔(dān)任劇中一號(hào)主角“寒號(hào)鳥(niǎo)”，并請(qǐng)他一起參加導(dǎo)演組工作。

這是一出融進(jìn)了杭州地域文化的具有現(xiàn)代品格的音樂(lè)劇，同樣，也是一出閃爍著青春、具有強(qiáng)烈時(shí)代氣息的音樂(lè)劇。他主演的《寒號(hào)鳥(niǎo)》在全國(guó)一炮走紅，此劇榮獲了當(dāng)年的“文華表演獎(jiǎng)”和“白玉蘭主角獎(jiǎng)”，2002年他順利完成了上海戲劇學(xué)院近三年的學(xué)業(yè)后，被調(diào)入浙江京劇團(tuán)當(dāng)業(yè)務(wù)副團(tuán)長(zhǎng)。

進(jìn)入浙江京劇團(tuán)，翁國(guó)生將創(chuàng)新劇目作為浙江京劇的奮斗目標(biāo)，推出了《告別迷?！贰都t拂》《寶蓮燈》三臺(tái)大戲。這三臺(tái)大戲創(chuàng)新力度大，表現(xiàn)手法多樣化，它將古老的京劇與當(dāng)代的時(shí)尚、青春結(jié)合得更緊?！陡鎰e迷?！凡捎昧藗鹘y(tǒng)京劇的“四功五法”嫁接現(xiàn)代時(shí)尚與歌舞，形成一套嶄新的現(xiàn)代京劇的表演程式；《紅拂》大膽地采用了小劇場(chǎng)藝術(shù)，舞臺(tái)既無(wú)天幕又無(wú)欄桿，演員與觀眾近距離地交流、互動(dòng)，把這出古代青年男女之間的恩情、愛(ài)情、親情演繹得出神入化、淋漓盡致，催人淚下；《寶蓮燈》作為一部賀歲京劇，定位在“熱鬧、團(tuán)圓、開(kāi)心”上，全劇可謂五彩繽紛、美輪美奐，高難度的現(xiàn)代武術(shù)技巧與傳統(tǒng)京劇的精彩武打交相輝映，華麗典雅的京劇唱段配上交響型的音樂(lè)配器，盡顯雍容華貴的現(xiàn)代氣派，特別是翁國(guó)生主演的沉香，英姿勃勃，唱做俱佳，大有蓋派武生的風(fēng)范。

《紅拂》從2006年6月30日至2007年7月22日已完成百場(chǎng)演出，收入1147979元；《寶蓮燈》從2006年12月至2007年6月演出140場(chǎng)，收入1146185元。這一數(shù)字后面，折射出浙江京劇團(tuán)青春京劇的特色品牌，證實(shí)了浙江京劇團(tuán)完成了脫胎換骨的改造，已從計(jì)劃經(jīng)濟(jì)轉(zhuǎn)到了市場(chǎng)經(jīng)濟(jì)。

翁國(guó)生是浙江京劇團(tuán)的法人代表，是導(dǎo)演又是主要演員。他管理著全團(tuán)藝術(shù)生產(chǎn)、市場(chǎng)開(kāi)拓、人才培養(yǎng)，忙得團(tuán)團(tuán)轉(zhuǎn)，因而有“拼命三郎”之稱：論演員他是“梅花獎(jiǎng)”、“文華獎(jiǎng)”“白玉蘭主角獎(jiǎng)”的獲得者、國(guó)務(wù)院特殊津貼享受者；論導(dǎo)演他不僅一手策劃了浙京近五年來(lái)的所有青春京劇，導(dǎo)演了20多臺(tái)不同劇種的新創(chuàng)舞臺(tái)劇目，其中紅遍全國(guó)、享譽(yù)海外的白先勇版《牡丹亭》就是汪世瑜和他共同執(zhí)導(dǎo)的，他參與策劃、導(dǎo)演的第七屆中國(guó)藝術(shù)節(jié)開(kāi)幕式晚會(huì)上的戲曲篇章，也以古典、熱烈的演出效果受到文化部領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的好評(píng)。

翁國(guó)生在京劇的這塊土壤里辛勤耕耘，獲得了累累成果。今年已42歲的他，已將三年的工作日程排得滿滿的，他與省文化廳又簽訂了三年的任期合同。在這三年中他要辦幾件大事：明年是蓋叫天誕辰120周年，他要策劃和創(chuàng)作一臺(tái)“蓋韻流長(zhǎng)”的蓋派藝術(shù)主題晚會(huì)，并創(chuàng)作一部大型現(xiàn)代京劇《蓋叫天》，作為慶祝建國(guó)60周年的獻(xiàn)禮節(jié)目；他要推出浙江京劇團(tuán)“五朵京花主題晚會(huì)”，用嶄新的舞臺(tái)樣式，為浙京的年輕明星包裝打造；他要重新修建一座300多座位的古典小劇場(chǎng)，創(chuàng)排第二部小劇場(chǎng)實(shí)驗(yàn)京劇《聊齋·誘惑》，此外，把經(jīng)典劇目推向海外也是他的重要任務(wù)。

Gifted Man Rejuvenates Peking Opera

By Wang Anxiang

\"Peacock Feathers\"， a modern Peking Opera play staged first by Zhejiang Peking Opera Troupe in September， 2003， was a huge success. The avant-garde performance introduced snazzy elements of dance and pop music into the age-old operatic tradition and caused a sensation across the country. The play incredibly ran for 500 performances and grabbed top honors from the Ministry of Culture.

On the strength of the success， the troupe launched \"Internet Romance\"， another landmark new Peking Opera play. Experts remark that the second hit more skillfully integrates the traditional representation of Peking Opera and the brand-new stage techniques. The two box-office successes have invigorated the market for the troupe. Young audiences respond to the plays more enthusiastically.

The success of the two plays owes much to Weng Guosheng， director and lead actor of the \"Peacock Feathers\" and now deputy chief of the Zhejiang Peking Opera Troupe.

Critics say that the success of the two plays reflects Weng's profound understanding of the tradition of Peking Opera， market trends and audiences， and that the plays are the results of his examination of the century-old tradition and the modern aesthetics.

Weng did not start his career as an actor of Peking Opera. He started at the age of 11 as an apprentice of Kunqu Opera， another Chinese theatrical glory， and later became deputy chief of the Zhejiang Kunqu Opera Troupe. Seeing the drastic dwindling of the audiences of Kunqu Opera， Weng saw the urgent need to reform. The troupe did not have new plays to make its ends meet and actors did not have new plays to stage. Weng reasoned that the young audience should be the troupe's target.

The result was a new Kunqu Opera fairytale entitled \"Seeking the Sun\"， meant for the preteen and teenage audience. Weng introduced many modern elements into the play. He was the lead man and helped direct it. The play was a big box office success. More than 400 performances were staged. Weng was so heavily engaged in acting that the busiest day saw him appear in five performances. He fell sick. The doctor diagnosed that his acting career was over. Seeing the need to change for new breakthroughs in his career， Weng engaged himself in a course at Shanghai Theater Academy and began to study the art of stage direction.

During his college days， he helped direct a musical staged by the Hangzhou Creative Art Center and the Hangzhou Yueju Opera Troupe. As his health recovered miraculously， he acted the lead man in the musical. Again， it was a big success and won top government prizes. In 2002， upon graduation after nearly three years of studies at the academy， he was appointed executive deputy director of the Zhejiang Peking Opera Troupe.

With his innovative Midas touch， Weng was the motive power behind the three innovative Peking Opera plays: \"Goodbye to Confusion\"， \"Hongfu\" and \"Lotus Lantern\". Each of the three is a perfect combination of tradition and modernity， highlighting fashion and youth. \"Goodbye to Confusion\" combines the traditional representative formula with modern fashion and pop dancing; \"Hongfu\" defines itself in a small theater， interacting with audiences at zero distance; \"Lotus Lantern\" is a melodrama of breathtaking kongfu tricks， of luxuriant Peking opera arias accompanied by an orchestra band， and of elegant costumes in garish colors. The first 100 performances of \"Hongfu\" from June 20， 2006 to July 22， 2007 grossed 1，147，979 yuan at the box office; the first 140 performances of \"Lotus Lantern\" from December， 2006 to June， 2007 raked in 1，145，185 yuan at the box office. The record-breaking numbers convincingly testify to the troupe's artistic and business renaissance and its successful breakaway from the fetters of the outmoded planned economy.

Now， Weng Guosheng is famed as an innovative director who dares to rejuvenate Chinese operas. Since his appointment as the executive chief of the Zhejiang Peking Opera Troupe， he has produced five new plays and directed about 20 plays in different folk operas.

The 42-year-old Weng has just signed a new contract with the provincial authorities for his next three-year term as the executive chief of the troupe. The schedule for the next three years is full of big ambitions: Weng will produce a grand show in 2008 in memory of the 120th anniversary of the birthday of Gai Jiaotian (1888-1971)， the biggest Peking Opera master the province has ever had in its history of theater; a new play will be produced in 2009 to celebrate the master's life and career; Weng will produce an innovative show to promote five promising stage artists of the troupe; also on the schedule is a 300-seat small theater for the troupe; finally， he will direct an experimental Peking Opera play based on a story from \"The Strange Tales from the Liao Studio\"， authored by Pu Songling， a scholar of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In addition to all these concrete tasks， Weng looks forward to promoting his innovative Peking Opera plays in overseas markets.

(Translated by David)