Ke Jun

A Kunqu Opera performing artist， specializing in playing martial roles in Chinese operas， sometimes playing the part of an older gentleman in Chinese operas in both “civil plays” （Wenxi） and “martial plays” （Wuxi）， he was the top winner of the 22nd Plum Performance Award， and currently serves as the artistic director of Jiangsu Performing Arts Group.

Zhang Zhiwei

Obtaining her Ph.D. in literature， she is an associate researcher at the Institute of Chinese Opera， Chinese National Academy of Arts， and a council member of the Chinese Opera Society.

This book explores the creation of pioneering Kunqu Opera by contemporary dramatists. The book contains 7 original Kunqu Operas directed and performed by the authors over the past 20 years， including director’s interpretations， scripts， and dialogues. Performing in full makeup is a routine for opera actors. Of the Kunqu Opera performances included in this book， the authors put in appearances without wearing makeup. They take into consideration the meaning of the stage for the actors， give free rein to theater creation， interpret the dialectical relationship between tradition and innovation， and construct a spiritual space for artists as intellectuals through minimalising the use of makeup.

Kunqu Opera

Ke Jun， Zhang Zhiwei

Jiangsu Phoenix Fine Arts Publishing House

May 2020

298.00 （CNY）

Performing in full makeup is a routine for opera actors. It is the face of the character they perform on stage， indicating the type of role. For many actors， they can only perform with confidence if they wear makeup. In other words， they can only show the “self” through the role， but this “self” is not the real self. The character helps “me” achieve the goal， but at the same time hides the real self. My new concept of Kunqu Opera is to find an outlet for myself， so that I will not just passively accept my given role. I speak for myself instead of others， conduct self-inspection and self-questioning， and determine my own thought process.

Chinese opera actors need to make bold explorations. Performance without wearing makeup is a new venture for me， which is in fact a return to the original mindset. If the creators perform in the rehearsal room without makeup， can it be said that the actors lack artistic appeal？ Obviously not！ The actors during rehearsal are at their most real and natural state. The facial expressions and sweat are clearly visible， and the control of their body is more intuitive. It is more visually powerful for the audience. I just hope to use this plain face for direct dialogue with the audience. Of course， I was reluctant when I first faced the audience without the performance regalia and makeup， but I felt the magical charm from such a plain performance. I believe that this is a way of challenging oneself.

Take the creation of the experimental version of Fleeing by Night. We are no stranger to the appearance of Lin Chong in the traditional Kunqu Opera Fleeing by Night. The helmet， armor， red waistcoat， red belt， and sword are what Lin Chong wears and has in the Kunqu Opera The Story of the Sword. However， in the experimental version of Fleeing by Night， Lin Chong does not wear the costume as he does in the traditional opera performance， only wearing a long gray gown. My partner Yang Yang even performed shirtless. However， I keep the red belt he wears， which serves as a witness to the roles of Lin Chong in different eras. Lin Chong， who flees at one starry night， can also be seen as my “night fleeing.” The choice， hesitation， contradictions， and pains Lin Chong experienced in the play are also what I face in life. Lin Chong is me， and I am Lin Chong！ Through the plain performance， I can make expressions and retorts based on the emotions felt by Lin Chong. This way， contemporary people can perform and think about the characters in traditional Kunqu Operas.