In 50's and 60's, in order to raise a big family, parents at the military dependents' village had to work from day to night. Their leisure time was precious and enjoyable. Common entertainments included chess, mah-jong, or chatting under the trees; watching opera (performing Chinese opera) with couples of friends (people who like Chinese opera are called ticket friends) was also one of their major entertainments. |
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Through the connection and arrangement of Andy's father, we visited ¡§Ma Lan Chinese Opera Club¡¨ to understand what kind of art the Chinese opera is. Why could it attract so many people during 30's and 40's? |
¡§Ma Lan Chinese Opera Club¡¨ is inside a building. Just stepping out of the elevator, we heard the singing and music of Chinese opera; it sounded thrilling. There were more than ten grandpas, grandmas, uncles in the room watching the play. Some played jinghu (one kind of orchestral instrument), some played yueqin, some beat gongs and played drums, and one grandpa sang the opera songs. This moment was our ¡§first contact¡¨ with Chinese opera in our lives. |
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The person in charge as well as the director of ¡§Ma Lan Chinese Opera Club¡¨ is teacher Ma, Lan. She was born in Hsinjiang. Her father was from Jiangsu and very good at playing jinghu; teacher Ma, Lan learned to play jinghu with her father since nine. |
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¡§I certainly wanted to go out and play like other kids after school, but my father was strict and I was also has interest, so right putting down my study bag, I would sit on a chair and play jinghu for hours.¡¨ Teacher Ma, Lan recalled. |
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With great talent and hardworking, teacher Ma, Lan was found outstanding in the field of jinghu. She entered the composition department of Bejing Chinese Operal College with the highest grade, and stayed for teaching after graduation; she was promoted as instructor in his first year as an exception. She furthered study at France in 1994 to learn some western composition styles for Chinese opera usage. Since teacher Ma, Lan was so talented that she participated in the Chinese model contest and won the second place at Paris in 1995. She also took part in the movies and TV commercials, and was called ¡§talented female player¡¨ in the Chinese opera circles. |
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¡§She has the privilege of no need to be inspected at customs in China !¡¨ grandma Wang told us. |
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Teacher Ma, Lan got married with Mr. Hsieh, Chih-Jie and became a Taiwanese wife. She lived in Kaoshiung first and then moved to Taipei because more ticket friends, and ticket boxes (Chinese opera clubs) in there, and established ¡§Ma Lan Chinese Opera Club¡¨ at her place.
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¡§There is a pure singing (only practice without wearing costumes) every afternoon. Someone would come far from Keelong. Some come here seven times a week. There's an elder professor even moved in the same building for convenience.¡¨ Teacher Ma, Lan said with smile. |
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You can see how grandpas and grandmas of the first generation at the military dependents' villages are attracted to Chinese opera. We sat on the floor and listened to them singing. Sometimes they only sang one word with very long tone. It cannot be done with great breathing capacity. |
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As Chinese opera is declining in Taiwan , how do you react? |
¡§Chinese opera cannot always stay the same, it has to be improved, and otherwise, it has not attraction to young people or foreigners.¡¨ Teacher Ma, Lan thought, ¡§I learned western music and composition in France in order to bring western music into Chinese opera composition. Make the art of Chinese opera with Chinese feature is understood by western audience.¡¨ |
Although we still have little understanding of Chinese opera, we found it quite interesting. Three-hour contact in the afternoon revealed the first veil of Chinese opera. |
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