By Xu Kuang

邁阿密旅游董事局主席布魯斯（右）和當地知名人士勞拉體驗京劇戲服Bruce Orosz, Chairman of GMCVB and Lauren Marks, a local celebrity in Peking Opera costumes

In recent years, the Hubei Peking Opera Academy(HPOA) has made a series of wonderful performance tours across American, British,Russian, and Japanese cities.Their excellent debuts on the international stage adds glamour to the quintessence of Chinese culture and to the Hubei local culture.

Helping the Audience Understand Peking Opera

On March 2, 2018,the art troupe organized by HPOA presented a Chinese cultural gala, the highlights of classic Zhezi Xi,1to a sell-out crowd in the Mees Auditorium of Capital University in Columbus,Ohio State. The joyous performance attracted about one thousand local audience.

Traditional Peking Opera stage may simply consist of one table and two chairs. However, the performers are likely to lash a whip to denote horse-riding and a paddle to evoke boat-sailing. Their performance and movements invite the attendees to envision the seemly parades of thousands of soldiers and horses marching before them, which leaves the audience with great room for imagination.

國家一級演員江峰為觀眾勾包拯臉譜Jiang Feng, national first-level actor, drawing the opera make-up of Bao Zheng on an American girl

攜一出出好戲走向海外，美國、英國、俄羅斯、日本……近年來，湖北京劇院頻頻赴海外交流，一次次精彩亮相國際舞臺，展示出國粹的無窮魅力，也展現了荊楚文化的炫麗風采。

讓觀眾看懂京劇

當地時間3月2日，美國俄亥俄州哥倫布市首府大學劇場座無虛席，該院京劇藝術團獻演中華文化大餐——經典折子戲。晚會歡樂喜慶，近千名當地人士觀看。

那一桌二椅的簡單舞臺，以鞭代馬、以槳代船，演員一舉手一投足間，仿佛就有千軍萬馬，京劇的虛擬寫意營造出充滿想象力的藝術空間。

有些外國觀眾對中國京劇認識模糊，認為京劇就是穿上中國古代服裝、化了妝的雜技，并不明白什么叫做唱、念、做、打，手、眼、身、法、步，更不明白什么叫傳統(tǒng)審美、寫意虛擬、程式表演，等等。

如何讓外國人看懂京??？

“前期需要反復溝通?！焙笔【﹦≡焊痹洪L周琥說：“不能一上來直接表演，先要給主持人講解京劇的流派、行當等基本知識，這便于主持人能夠生動活潑地對觀眾進行講解。而且，每一出劇目演出之前，都需要主持人講解故事背景?！?/p>

有了前期的溝通鋪墊，雖然語言不通、文化背景相異，但從京劇藝術獨特的唱腔、動作、服裝中，外國觀眾能看懂表演的故事，體會到其中所蘊含的中華文化精髓，并由衷感嘆東方藝術的魅力。

湖北京劇院為此次巡演，精心挑選經典劇目《雙陽公主》、《泗州城》和以三國故事改編的傳統(tǒng)劇目《戰(zhàn)馬超》、《壯別》等四幕折子戲。

“劇目選擇上，我們盡量挑選國外觀眾熟悉的中國故事，比如《壯別》，講述的是周瑜打黃蓋的故事。外國觀眾知道中國小說《三國演義》，三國故事有很深的荊楚文化背景?！敝茜榻B。

京劇虛擬、寫意、深刻、獨到，西方歌劇側重寫實，這是中西文化碰撞的地方。觀眾互動也體現著東西方戲劇欣賞方面的差異。西方觀眾習慣于靜默欣賞歌劇，待一幕終了及演員謝幕時才報以掌聲。“京劇講究演員和觀眾從始至終、融為一體的熱烈互動，觀眾的叫好聲會激勵演員更賣力地展現技藝?！敝茜f。

演出現場座無虛席（左圖）　王銘、江峰《壯別》分飾周瑜、黃蓋（右圖）Audience applauding the performance (left)　Actors Wang Ming and Jiang Feng playing Zhou Yu and Huang Gai respectively in Farewell to a Hero (right)

Local audience are fascinated by the art of Peking Opera. Some of them regard Peking Opera as nothing but a combination of beautiful traditional costumes,elaborate make-up, and lively combat scenes. And they are perplexed about some technical terms in singing, recitations,acting, and acrobatics and the synchronization of hand,eye, body, and steps, let alone the appreciation of Chinese aesthetics, of symbolic connotations, and of how to differentiate between different characters.

How could the performers help local audience understand Peking Opera?

“We need to explain again and again in the preparatory stage,”said Mr. Zhou Hu, vice president of HPOA. “The actors need to introduce various schools, roles and other basic knowledge of Peking Opera to the local host before the performance, and the host will explain to the audience in his particular way. Moreover,he will also introduce the background of each opera when it is performed.”

With timely explanation and careful preparation, local audience could finally understand the essence of the story by judging the performers’ enchanting voices, movements, and costumes despite differences in language and culture. As a result, this enriches their understandings of Chinese culture and allows them to savor the glamour of eastern art.

HPOA singled out four traditional Zhezi Xi for the performance tour, including two classic plays of Princess Shuangyang, Sizhou City, and two traditional plays of Fight with Ma Chao and Farewell to a Hero which were adapted from the novel Romance of Three Kingdoms.

“In selecting the plays, we chose Chinese stories which are famous around the world. Take Farewell to a Hero for example,it narrates how General Zhou Yu deliberately whipped Huang Gai, his fellow general, to deceive General Cao Cao’s spies, a story many local audiences know about,that happened to take place in Hubei,” said Mr. Zhou Hu.

科學與工業(yè)博物館館長伯特利博士與演員楊帆合影Dr. Frederic Bertley, President and CEO of COSI, and actress Yang Fan

Peking Opera emphasizes imagination and performance,while Western opera puts weight on concrete storylines. And the mutual interaction between audiences and performers is another difference between Chinese culture and Western culture. When appreciating an opera performance, Western audiences usually watch it quietly and applaud at the end of one act or when performers bow at the end of a play. “In watching Peking Opera, performers and audiences have intimate and continuous interactions from the beginning to the end. The audience’s applause and cheers will inspire the performers to display their talents to the fullest,” said Mr. Zhou Hu.

Co-hosted bilingually by Mr.Pat McAloon, a famous MC in Columbus, and Ms. Xia Liping,the audience quickly learned how to appreciate Peking Opera and at times extended their thunderous cheers and applause, rising with the climax of the play.

At the end of the performance,all the audience were standing to indicate their respect and love to the performers. Some of them even stepped on stage to take photos with the performers,which lasted for nearly an hour.

Bringing Eastern Art into School

The day beforethe performance,the art troupe went to Columbus School for Girls, Wittenberg University and Ohio State University respectively in three groups to bring Eastern art to the campus.

演出交流合影留念　Group photo after the performance

國家二級演員于巧云在哥倫布女子學校教學生們京劇Yu Qiaoyun, national second-level actress, teaching students Peking Opera at Columbus School for Girls

Mr. Zhou knew that students in Columbus School for Girls had once performed the play, Legend of the White Snake, an English edition conducted by a Chinese teacher in the school. “Since Ms. Wang Ming played a part in the opera of The Tale of Green Snake,2I intended to arrange her to visit this school and hoped that they would have a meaningful exchange.”

The performers tended to interact with the American students in a variety of ways,such as through demonstrations,drawing and guessing the meaning of facial make-ups,allowing them to try on costumes,and teaching them steps, etc. In so doing, all faculties and students could feel the magic power of traditional Chinese art treasure.The whole auditorium was then full of laughter, enjoyment and warm feelings.

Two hours passed when all of them were still in a cheerful mood. Some students who hadn’t got the chance to experience on stage said they still wanted to have a try, while many other students said this was the first time they encounter Peking Opera and would like to learn more if possible.

In Wittenberg University,Mr. Jiang Feng, a top actor in China, drew a facial make-up of Bao Zheng3for an American girl and told her the meanings of each make-up design in details.“Foreign audiences could learn about Chinese stories through our performance. They need to understand why Guan Yu was red-faced, Bao Zheng was black-faced and Cao Cao was white faced. Because red means loyalty, black means upright and justice, and white means cunning in China. There are over one thousand facial make-ups, and you can’t make any mistake. This is a distinctive feature of Chinese traditional culture.”

Strengthening Friendship through Opera

在當地金牌主持派特·麥卡龍（Pat McAloon）和夏莉萍中英文特色主持和帶動下，現場觀眾很快學會看京劇，每到精彩片段和唱段，都響起震耳欲聾的掌聲和叫好聲。

演出結束時，臺下觀眾全體起立向演員們致敬，以熱烈持久的掌聲表達內心真摯的喜愛與贊嘆。一大批觀眾走上舞臺挽留喜歡的演員，與他們合影留念，持續(xù)近一個小時。

讓師生體驗東方

此前一天中午，藝術團一到哥倫布市，便兵分三路，分別前往該市女子學校、文博大學、俄亥俄州立大學，向師生展示東方藝術。

周琥了解到，哥倫布女子學校的學生們曾排練過話劇《白蛇傳》，話劇由該校中文老師自己改編，用英語演出?！巴蹉懷葸^京劇《青蛇》，我特地把王銘這一組分到女子學校演出，希望雙方有更深入的交流?！?/p>

演員們通過表演示范、勾臉譜、穿戲服、教身段、猜臉譜等形式多樣的交流活動，讓師生們感受東方中國藝術的神秘，驚喜、激動、快樂、溫暖，縈繞學校禮堂。

學生們熱情投入，兩個多小時不知不覺過去。由于時間有限，沒得到上臺體驗機會的學生表示還沒看夠。許多學生表示，這是第一次接觸京劇，有機會一定會更加深入學習了解中國京劇。

文博大學演出現場，國家一級演員江峰給美國女孩勾了一個包拯的臉，并給女孩詳細講解各種臉譜的含義?！白寚庥^眾通過戲曲的表現形式來了解中國故事，為什么關羽是紅臉，包拯是黑臉，曹操是白臉？紅臉代表忠義，黑臉表示剛正不阿，白臉表示奸詐，上千張臉譜，一個都不能錯，這體現出中國傳統(tǒng)文化的鮮明特色?！?/p>

讓戲劇增進友誼

湖北省和俄亥俄州是中美建交后第一對友好省州，迄今已39年。得知湖北省京劇藝術團來訪, 該州州長專門寫來賀信，將3月2日命名為“2018湖北京劇之夜”。

州長代表凱西·布拉德（Kacy Bullard）和大衛(wèi)·沃德（David Ward）到首府大學劇場觀看演出。凱西說：“演出非常美妙，非常優(yōu)秀，謝謝你們。很高興有親身體驗京劇之美的機會，希望能更多地了解友好省湖北?！?/p>

當日開車兩個多小時從克利夫蘭趕來的“2018俄州中國節(jié)”組委會主席湯年發(fā)，看完演出后，熱情邀請湖北藝術團到克利夫蘭訪問演出。

專程從辛辛拉提趕來看演出的“全美中文學校協會”名譽會長廖啟紅女士說，“這么精彩的京劇表演，我在美國是第一次看到。今天我專門帶小孩來觀看，讓她知道中國文化有多么好?！?/p>

一位20年前移民到當地的觀眾，走上臺激動地與演員握手合影。她滿含熱淚地說道：“我的家鄉(xiāng)是湖北，當看到湖北省京劇院在此演出的宣傳時，非常高興?？赐暄莩龊?，更是感動不已。 離開家鄉(xiāng)這么久，在新春佳節(jié)之際，能在異國他鄉(xiāng)以這種形式感受來自祖國的新春祝福，讓我倍感溫暖?！?/p>

京劇樂隊表演現場　The HPOA orchestra performing on stage

39 years ago,Hubei and Ohio became the first pair of sister provinces/states since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States in 1979. On hearing about the arrival of the HPOA art troupe, the Governor of Ohio wrote a letter of congratulation and named March 2 as “2018 Hubei Peking Opera Night.”

On behalf of the governor, Ms.Kacy Bullard and Mr. David Ward came to the Mees Auditorium of Capital University to watch the performance. Kacy said, “It was amazing. Awesome! Thank you. I’m very glad to have the opportunity to experience the beauty of Peking Opera. We hope to learn more about our sister province Hubei.”

Mr. Tang Nianfa, chairman of 2018 Ohio Chinese Festival Organizing Committee, drove more than two hours from Cleveland to the theater. After watching the performance, he warmly invited the troupe to perform in Cleveland.

Ms. Liao Qihong, honorary president of the Chinese School Association in the United States, also came here for the performance from Cincinnati.She said, “It’s my first time to watch such wonderful Peking Opera performances in America.I brought my daughter with me to let her know how great Chinese culture is.”

Actress Yang fan playing Shuimu (the Old Mother of the Waters) in Sizhou City楊帆《泗州城》飾水母

Actors Wang Ming playing Zhou Yu in Farewell to a Hero王銘《壯別》飾周瑜

Tang Kai playing Ma Chao in Fight with Ma Chao唐愷《戰(zhàn)馬超》飾馬超

An overseas Chinese person who immigrated to the U.S.20 years ago came on stage to shake hands with the performers excitedly and took photos with them. She said with tears, “Hubei is my hometown. I am very happy when I see the advertisement of your performance and I am deeply touched after watching it. I feel warm to receive Spring Festival blessings from my motherland in such a unique way after leaving there so many years ago.”

Notes:

1. Zhezi Xi, a one-act performance of a play that originally included multiple acts.

2. Green snake, a figure in Legend of the White Snake. Both white snake and green snake transformed into two young women. Green snake treated white snake as her sister because white snake once saved her life and decided to help white snake to find Mr. Xu Xian, a man who once saved the life of white snake.

3. Bao Zheng (999-1062), an upright government officer in Song Dynasty. He is often portrayed with a black face and a white crescent shaped birthmark on his forehead.

On the morning of March 2,2018, the art troupe was invited to be special guests in live studio of Fox 6 and received interview in the program of Good Day Columbus. They performed a classic episode of Divergence in the program and received positive feedbacks.

3月2日早上，演出團還應邀走進?？怂闺娨暸_新聞6頻道(FOX 6 )直播室，接受“早安哥倫布”節(jié)目采訪，現場表演《三岔口》經典片段，引起熱烈反響。

“優(yōu)秀文藝作品是文化自信的載體，京劇藝術也要與時俱進，講好中國故事。我們去年原創(chuàng)現代京劇《在路上》，入選2018新年戲曲晚會，取得喜人成績。在傳播中國傳統(tǒng)文化上，我們任重道遠?！彼囆g團團長、湖北省文化廳外聯處調研員任俊說。

濃墨重彩的妝容、精美繁復的衣飾、鏗鏘激昂的配樂、奇特華麗的唱腔、跌宕起伏的劇情、優(yōu)雅灑脫的表演，今天，中國京劇正以其獨特魅力在全世界收獲越來越多的“粉絲”。

湖北京劇走出去，展示國粹藝術，宣傳荊楚文化，不僅促進東西方戲劇藝術的交流，增進湖北與俄亥俄州之間的友誼，也彰顯出中國優(yōu)秀傳統(tǒng)文化的感染力，讓當地僑胞備感激動和自豪?！?/p>

觀眾與劉備扮演者沈紅合影An overseas Chinese woman took her kid to the stage and took a photo with actress Shen Hong

“Excellent art work is a medium of cultural confidence. Peking Opera also needs to go with the tide and tell good Chinese stories in an artistic way. The original modern Peking Opera On the Way made by us last year was on the list of 2018 New Year Opera Gala,which was a great achievement.But there is still a long way to go to promote traditional Chinese culture.” said Mr. Ren Jun, head of the art troupe and consultant of International Cultural Liaison Division, Hubei Provincial Department of Culture.

With colorful make-up,exquisite costumes, sonorous music, unique and beautiful singing styles, intriguing plots,and elegant performances, Peking Opera is attracting more and more fans in the world for its glamour.

The HPOA art troupe displayed on international stages the quintessence of Chinese art and promoted Hubei culture to the world, which not only facilitated the exchanges between Eastern and Western artists, strengthened bonds between Hubei and Ohio,but also showed the influence of excellent traditional Chinese culture, making Chinese people overseas feel excited and proud of the place from which they came.◆

(Translation: Li Li)