Making Politics Serve Music Yu Huiyong, Composer and Minister of Culture Yawen Ludden

Scholars from both the East and the West have long argued that China was subjected to a musical famine under the hegemony of Mao Zedong’s wife, Jiang Qing, during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976).1 The common saying “8 works for 800 million people” reflects the widespread perception that the performing arts were severely restricted by Jiang’s oppressive political ambition. But in fact, this decade proved a heyday for yangbanxi (commonly translated as “model opera”), a new category of modern revolutionary performing arts designed to ener- gize the Chinese working class.2 Encompassing various performing arts, such as ballet, symphonic works, and Beijing opera, yangbanxi sparked mass participation as professional and amateur groups across the country emulated these revolutionary works on local stages. October 1976 precipitated a radical change. Just one month after Mao’s death, Jiang and several of her colleagues were arrested — including Yu Huiyong, the Minister of Culture (1975– 1976), who was in charge of all of China’s cultural affairs and a prominent architect and composer of yangbanxi. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution was declared over, denounced as a decade of disaster by the Chinese government, and condemned by intellectuals as the dark- est age in Chinese history.3 Academic research on the Cultural Revolution was strongly discour- aged, and all kinds of music from this period — including yangbanxi — vanished from radio, TV,

1. I am grateful to the Fulbright Foundation for the opportunity to carry out research in China during the 2010/11 academic year. Unless otherwise specified, all interviews were conducted between May 2005 and July 2011. All are listed in the references. All translations are mine unless otherwise indicated. 2. The Chinese term yangbanxi is preferable to the term “opera,” which does not have the broad meaning of the Chinese word xi. Some writers refer to these works as “revolutionary Beijing opera” or “modern Beijing opera,” but these terms are equally problematic. There were many revolutionary Beijing operas or modern Beijing operas in China and not all of them are properly called yangbanxi. For example, the recently produced Beijing operas in China could be understood as using similar techniques as yangbanxi, but could also be called modern Beijing opera. Yangbanxi is the only term that clearly defines the character of the genre and the historical time period. 3. In August 1977, during the 11th meeting the Communist Party, Hua Guofeng, Chairman of the Party, announced the end of the Cultural Revolution.

Yawen Ludden, a native of Shanghai, is completing her PhD dissertation in the Musicology and Ethno musicology Division of the University of Kentucky School of Music. Her thesis, entitled “The Chinese Music Revolution: From Beijing Opera to Yangbanxi,” focuses on the evolution and transformation of Beijing opera as well as its relationship with Chinese society and politics. She has presented her research at major national and international conferences such as the American Musicological Society (AMS), the Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM) and the European Foundation for Chinese Music Research (CHIME). She was also a Fulbright fellow at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 2010/11. [email protected]

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03 October 2021 Yu Huiyong 153 artistic Even though the Even though 4 performing arts Among the 50 or so composers and perform- 8 are extraordinarily wide-ranging and deserve to are extraordinarily wide-ranging China Youth Daily published a commen- China Youth On 13 October 2009, 7 5 - com a such on productions grand-scale such titles, suggestive the without Even jingju). the denunciations of the Cultural Revolution hang like a cloud over the Cultural Revolution hang like a cloud the denunciations of 6

memorative occasion served as a clear gesture to the public of the government’s support of and endorsement government’s the of public the to servedoccasion memorative gesture clear a as rerun were and 2009 May 31 and 30 on broadcast first performancesThese opera. were Beijing and yangbanxi www.tudou.com/programs/view/Sz4wy3ikWOQ. at viewed be can They television. on times several again” quality that match never “we’ll said, Delun, Li Orchestra, Philharmonic Central the of conductor The Cultural the after development its continued asserts:Liang 2000). Cai genre this “had Jingdong and Melvin (in contemporarynational a to led have would it certainlyand opera style of new a to Chinese in height Revolution, trans- cultural of status the to yangbanxi elevates Mittler Barbara recently, More (1985:158). tradition” operatic modernizing and reforming by precisely tradition, folk the saved Revolution Cultural the “that claims and mitter (2010:379). it” destroying than rather it 2008). (Xinjingbao yangbanxi from them of 11 total, in arias opera Beijing 15 were There at Schechner Richard by given theatre avantgarde American on lecture a by articleThis part, in was, inspired demon- Schechner theatre, avantgarde American Regarding October 2010. 14 on Academy Theatre Shanghai level high a reached it as idea, this challenges yangbanxi Yet coincide. rarely excellence and innovation that strated excellence. and innovation of Yangbanxi is now regularly performed in major cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, and its CDs are sold in in sold are CDs its and Beijing, and performed Shanghai as such cities major in regularly now is Yangbanxi and public popular most the of one remains Karaoke categorythe under Classic.” bookstores Chinese “Red of lists. on karaoke ubiquitous entertainmentsfamily are songs yangbanxi and China, in influ- most China’s 2009, May In importance indisputable. continuing is The society Chinese in yangbanxi of concerts the celebrate live to extravagant two broadcast CCTV network television state-owned largest and ential fea- which Symphony,” Opera Beijing Classic: “Red concert first The China. called was anniversary60th New of from music featured and Legend” concertsecond the yangbanxi; “Recreating entitled was from music tured ( opera Beijing traditional However, in scholarly circles, the merit of yangbanxi remains a controversial subject. While remains a controversial subject. the merit of yangbanxi in scholarly circles, However, The controversies surrounding yangbanxi The controversies surrounding Yu Huiyong (1925–1977) was yangbanxi’s main practitioner, chief composer, designer, and designer, chief composer, (1925–1977) was yangbanxi’s main practitioner, Huiyong Yu 6. 7. 8. 4. 5. many Chinese composers and performers credit yangbanxi with attaining the highest standards and performers credit yangbanxi with many Chinese composers in the performing arts, the debate, leading to negative critiques of yangbanxi, such as that it was “anti-cultural” (Chen (Chen “anti-cultural” as that it was such to negative critiques of yangbanxi, leading the debate, the Chinese In 2008, (Lu 1997:580). both Chinese theater and Chinese art” “tragic to 2010) or arias in the elementary received harsh criticism for including yangbanxi Minister of Education curriculum. to high school music tary titled “Why We Should Read Yangbanxi as a Record of History.” In this article, the author this article, In as a Record of History.” Yangbanxi Should Read We “Why tary titled 2009). (Ye in originality” “technically sophisticated but lacking as denounced yangbanxi be taken seriously in all their dimensions. The many shortcomings of the Cultural Revolution be taken seriously in all their dimensions. artists have been the object of much public and schol- and the suffering inflicted on individual article is based This But yangbanxi and its creators have long been overlooked. arly discussion. part directly in the Chinese performing arts during mostly on the testimony of those who took aesthetics and examines yangbanxi’s relationship to prevailing cultural the Cultural Revolution, and its socio-political context. transformed the centuries-old Yu Under the aegis of Jiang Qing’s cultural program, theorist. which functioned paradoxically yangbanxi, Beijing opera into the modern and revolutionary as both popular and avantgarde entertainment.

and concert halls. This blackout persisted for about 10 years. Beginning around 1990, yang- around 1990, Beginning 10 years. persisted for about This blackout halls. and concert in theatres, popular form of entertainment continues to be a a strong revival and banxi enjoyed such as karaoke. and private entertainments and in commercial on television, ers I interviewed, there was a marked consensus that yangbanxi represents the peak of there was a marked consensus that yangbanxi represents the peak ers I interviewed, and continues to influence the achievement during the Cultural Revolution Chinese government has been reluctant to rehabilitate those most involved in the creation of in the creation of those most involved reluctant to rehabilitate has been Chinese government in is regularly performed and it recognized, have been officially its artistic merits yangbanxi, as overseas. China as well Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03October 2021

154 Yawen Ludden popular orcriticalacclaim. few oftheearlyattemptstointroducecontemporarythemesintoBeijingoperametwitheither would bepeopledbythemastersofnewnation kings, generals, ministers, scholars, andbeauties” (Bo1993:1225), butthenewsocialist stage issue forthenewgovernment. InMao’svision, theoldstagesweredominatedby “emperors, 10. of Rencourtesy Ke) Cultural Revolution had not yet(Photo started. caused him so much trouble was now past, and the for Yu, as the Anti-Rightist Movement that had 1960s. This was likely a relatively peaceful time Figure 1. Portrait of Yu Huiyong from the early 9. ished and made into a film in 1975 (Lu 2006). Revolution. Before this, Lu was one of the composers of the yangbanxi and hardships of Miaoling), which was completed and in rehearsal by October 1976, at the end of the Cultural when the Cutural Revolution ended.” Lu was the principal composer of the Beijing opera the Chinese Musicians Association and one of the yangbanxi composers, “there were several nearing completion states that “there were in total 19 yangbanxi by 1976” (Dai 2010). According to Lu Zaiyi (2006), Chairman of Jiang Qing in 1975 claimed there were 18 yangbanxi. But Dai Jiafang, one of the leading scholars of yangbanxi, later generations of composers, himself among them (Ye 2011). 2011; Zhang 2011). Ye Xiaogang, Vice President of Music, of the Central Conservatory affirmed the influence on Beijingtheir music for new opera works created after 1977 still followed the yangbanxi model (Gong 2011; Yang Conservatory, and Zhang Jianmin, composer for the China Beijing Opera Company. All told me clearly that Guotai, composer for the Shanghai Beijing Opera Company, Yang Nailin, composer and professor at the Central cal expression Beijing was limited. Many opera composers worked with primary Yu Huiyong, such as Gong essence and power of Beijing opera, especially during a period when the opera themes were restricted and musi- with many of InYu’s interviews contemporaries, they all express their admiration for his ability to capture the ing Beijingopera, becameapressingpolicy China (PRC)in1949, theatrereform, includ- the establishmentofPeople’sRepublic and politicalrevolution(Mao1978:250). With olutionary theatretocomplementthesocial held in Yan’an, MaoZedongcalledforarev- opera companiesaswell. inspired newrevolutionaryworksbyregional amateur groupsacrossthenation, andthey were widelyperformedbyprofessionaland in Chinatothisday. theatrical elements. incorporating non-Chinesemusicaland and politicalrealities, whileatthesametime compositions inChina’ssocial, economic, ists alladmire Yu foranchoringhisyangbanxi gory ofyangbanxi. different workshadbeenincludedinthecate- the endofCulturalRevolution, atleast18 development ofnewrevolutionaryworks. By model (hencetheterm “model opera”)forthe up totheCulturalRevolutionandservedasa people” wereallcreatedintheyearsleading fact, theso-called “8 worksfor800million ists whowereloyaltothesocialistcause. In considerable productivityforperformingart- Revolution, thisperiodwasnonethelessoneof nated theChinesestageduringCultural — In his1942forumonliteratureandart While itistruethatyangbanxidomi- workers, peasants, andsoldiers. However, Panshi Wan 10 Furthermore, theseworks 9 Inparticular, theseart- (Panshi bay), which was fin- Miaoling Fenglei (Trials Yu Huiyong 155 - theorist , Mountain Tiger the protracted civil — (The red lantern) as well as well as lantern) red (The (Taking tiger mountain by strat - by mountain tiger (Taking Weihushan Zhiqu yangbanxi. 11 — Hong Deng Ji Ji Deng Hong and only —

egy), and Jiang made the decision to choose just one of them, now used in act 5. Also, Jiang told Yu to add sev- add to Yu told Jiang Also, 5. act in used now them, of one just choose to decision the made Jiang and egy), including operas, model earliest the of four to arias eral 2006). (Ren characterization the enrich to Ren Ke told me that Yu had written several movements for movements several written had Yu that me told Ke Ren Following its victory in 1949 over the Nationalists, the newly established Communist gov- Following its victory in 1949 over the Nationalists, In 1964, the two-month Modern Beijing Opera Trial Performance Convention (Jingju xian- Trial Modern Beijing Opera the two-month In 1964, It was only under the leadership of Jiang Qing (1914–1991) beginning in the early 1960s beginning in of Jiang Qing (1914–1991) under the leadership It was only Jiang stood apart as the only Chinese leader with extensive training in and exposure to both Jiang stood apart as the only Chinese leader integrating European musical practices with tradi- Although Jiang had a coherent vision for of age when two wars were being fought on Chinese soil came Yu war between the Nationalists and the Communists, as well as the war of resistance against the as well as the war of resistance war between the Nationalists and the Communists, the period, His patriotism aroused by the popular anti-Japanese songs of Japanese invasion. Army (PLA) in Shangdong prov- a performance troupe of the People’s Liberation joined Yu had been who Yu, where his many artistic talents were quickly recognized and put to use. ince, during and playwriting directing, learned musical composition, mainly self-trained in music, This wartime He even wrote song lyrics and drew propaganda pictures as needed. this time. and designer, experience prepared him for his future career as the principle composer, a rapidly of revolutionary Beijing opera by schooling him in how to adapt to the demands of changing environment. As a vet- ernment provided free educational opportunities to many working-class students. policy, was a beneficiary of the new educational Yu Army (PLA), eran of the People’s Liberation in the and he enrolled at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music without having to participate daixi guanmo yanchu dahui) was held in Beijing with performances of more than 200 operas. of more than 200 operas. dahui) was held in Beijing with performances daixi guanmo yanchu even though high praise, created under Jiang Qing’s direction received The four productions These works helped at the time. the Communist party was not very high her reputation within By 1967, future of her arts program. figure in the field and ensured the establish her as a central comprised one other Beijing opera, and a symphony, with two ballets, together these works, to be the eight what were considered that true reform of Beijing opera in line with socialist goals was achieved. Many leaders of Many leaders of goals was achieved. in line with socialist of Beijing opera that true reform of a bored housewife culture as the hobby her interest in establishment dismissed the cultural and her ability, seriously underestimated But her detractors sabotage her agenda. and tried to arts program revolutionary development of a comprehensive a crucial role in the she played opera into yangbanxi. of traditional Beijing in the transformation especially China, throughout Jiang Qing per standards, art form met her exacting artistic ensure that the new proletariat To sonally selected librettos, composers, and performers; she even specified the number of arias and performers; she composers, sonally selected librettos, for some of the works. and the size of the orchestra Chinese and Western performing arts. She had performed Beijing opera in her early career and She performing arts. Western Chinese and in the While in Moscow opera during her acting career in 1930s Shanghai. Western watched and she first undertook a she attended Russian ballets and operas, 1950s for medical treatment, Her before tackling the reform of Beijing opera. study of China’s various regional opera styles in order cultures Western in combining Eastern and background helps account for her interest to make a new hybrid theatre. into an art she lacked the theoretical knowledge to reshape Beijing opera tional Chinese forms, she turned to that end, To Chinese society. form with relevance to the realities of contemporary created model works that Yu Huiyong. Yu of Music, a professor at the Shanghai Conservatory art policies yet were infused with his individual stayed in line with the Chinese government’s and mod- ancient West, His unique approach to blending performing arts from East and style. his highly developed music theory built on many reflected high art and popular culture, ern, years of ethnomusicological research. 11. 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156 Yawen Ludden “I havereadyourarticles, anditshouldbesaidthatwe’veknowneachotherforalongtime. cal andtheoreticalpotentialtoimplementhervisionforarevolutionarytheatrethemasses. government policyandthegoalsofJiang’sculturalprogram. Thus, Jiangsawin Yu thetheatri- views ontheworkingclassandappropriatethemesformodernBeijingoperacoincidedwith material toestablishthecharactersofstory, especiallytheheroes(Yu 1965). Inaddition, Yu’s this operaforthewayitscomposershadcreativelyemployedtraditionalBeijingmusical (Theredlantern;1964). Yu1965 reviewoftherevolutionaryBeijingoperaHongdengji praised “pursuing bourgeoisfameandwealth.” instead gavefreecopiesofhismanuscriptstostudents, therebyavoidingtheaccusationof explain why Yu darednotpublishmorebooksafter1958, despitehiscontinuedwriting. He more hefocusedonhisresearch, themorehiscriticssawhimasabourgeoisscholar. This may skittish inregardtopoliticsandcausedhimthrowhimselfevenmoreintohiswork. Yet the politics werecitedasfurtherreasonforhisre-education, whichinturnmade Yu evenmore ested inpoliticsandcaredfornothingbutresearch. Ironically, hisattemptstoshyawayfrom altogether. Hewascriticizedforbeingabaizhuandianxing, atypicalscholarwhowasuninter the countryside. servatory. theless, hewasdistrustedbysomemembersofthePartybothinmilitaryandatcon- Beijing opera. and magazinesonissuesrangingfromdifferencesinChinese Western musicalpracticeto published duringhislifetime. division, andhisscholarshipculminatedintwobooksthatwerewidelycirculatedthoughnever of itsmusicensemble. Later, hewaspromotedtoresearcherandinstructorinthefolkmusic competitive entranceexams. 16. 15. 14. 13. 12. along. tion ofChinesefolk-music, bourgeois fameandwealth” throughhismeticulouslycompiled, transcribed, andeditedcollec- of folksongsweredenigratedasplagiarism. Hewasaccusedduringthiscampaignof “pursuing Jiang wasenthusiasticatherfirstmeetingwith Yu inShanghaiJune1965. Shetoldhim: Jiang Qingfirstbecameawareof Yu Huiyongthroughhispublishedarticles, inparticularhis Perhaps becauseofhisfraughtrelationshiptotheParty, Yu distancedhimselffrompolitics Yu’s working-classbackgrounddrovehiscommitmenttothestate’ssocialistcause;never political enemies, who would find any excuse to criticize him. name. Althoughthenameplacement in eachcasefollowed standard academicpractice,thisdidnotmatterto Yu’s mer student Zhang Zhongjiao. In As seen in Dai 1995:238). criticized political movement. by every In and movement Chinese, sport are exactly the same word, In Dai Jiafang’s book, Yu was described as a “sportsman,” using a Chinese pun, meaning Yu was the target to be preted by his superiors as indicating plans to defect (Kraus 1991:220). stemmed fromThis distrust a youthful indiscretion as a soldier involving a note Yu had written that was inter- of Musicexpected publication date of 2012, also by the Central Conservatory Press. of Musicin 2008 by the Central Conservatory Press, crediting Yu as the author. Research on Theatre Music Presspublished anonymously in 2005 as an internal publication through Shanghai Conservatory and republished special issue of the journal Academy Research of Art of published a portion Yu’s musicology. Many attempts were made to publish Yu’s books. In 1997, the Music Research Institute of the China Even today, these two works are considered milestones in the development the most important of Chinese ethno- others only agreed because they thought Yu needed to be humbled in such an environment (Dai 2008:65–66). Some leaders recommended that Yu because they considered him intelligent;study at Shanghai Conservatory 15 Forexample, duringthe Anti-Rightist Movementin1957, allhispublishedanthologies 14 Yu becamethebrunt ofattacksandridiculeforeachpoliticalmovementthatcame Anthology of JiaodongAnthology Folksongs , Yu’s name appeared first on the cover as editor above that of his - for Zhongguo yinyuexue 16 12 andforthishewassentencedtohardlabor “re-education” in 13 Upongraduation, hewasretainedattheconservatoryashead Additionally, Yu frequentlywrotemusiccritiquesfornewspapers Analysis of Folk Style Danxuan Paizi, Yu’s name was under the folk song singer’s (Musicology in China) (Han 2007). The entire manuscript was Studies on the Relationship between Melody and Lyrics in a yundong (see has an - - Yu Huiyong 157

- 20 Taking Tiger Tiger Taking (Kill the tiger and ascend the the ascend and the tiger (Kill (2011). Jin Yuehua, Shanghai Beijing Opera Opera Beijing Shanghai Yuehua, Jin (2011). Strategy by expressed the belief that Yu had composed the aria “Su feng chui” chui” feng “Su aria the composed had Yu that belief the expressed According to Ren, Jiang additionally requested that Jiang additionally According to Ren, 18 On the Docks, Docks, the On Taking Tiger Tiger Mountain Taking , Yu worked to improve projects Yu , Following the success of On the Docks 19 lution. The Red Guards seized him from the Shanghai Beijing Opera Company The Red Guards seized him from lution. o

Yu’s aria impressed Jiang Qing and won him an invitation to join the composition teamQing and won him an invitation to join the aria impressed Jiang Yu’s writings. Rather, in a contest resembling the old imperial exams that had required artists in a contest resembling the old Rather, writings. 17

in 1965. Premiering in 1965 and praised by both Mao and Jiang for its musi- in 1965. On the Docks Wang Yongjie, the conductor for conductor the Yongjie, Wang It is commonly believed that Jiang arranged outright for Yu to join the composition team to join the composition Yu for arranged outright believed that Jiang It is commonly Yu was not among the ranks of students and teachers at Shanghai Conservatory who was not Yu Wang’s account largely coincides with the one told by Yu’s wife Ren Ke (Ren 2007). Ren Ke (Ren 2007). wife Ren Yu’s coincides with the one told by account largely Wang’s Although Yu was well known in academia, in the mid-1960s he was still unknown in per was well known in academia, Yu Although (A cold wind blows) in act 4 of 4 act in blows) wind cold (A Huiyong, Yu by written was chui” feng “Su believed he that confirmed also conductor, and Company composer shan” shang hu “Da overture best-known Yu’s with radio the on broadcast first and (2011). mountain) has It Revolution. Cultural performed the widely during audiences was Chinese to familiar was and overture This instruments.other many and opera whole The accordion, violin, for piece solo a as adapted been well. as form symphonic into condensed was Strategy by Mountain is revision latest the and 1970, and 1969 in Huiyong Yu by revisions underwent opera The more many dated 1974. made Yu after But opera. this of composers the of one was Xintao Lin husband her Chunxia, Yang to According - rec only could He composer. the himself considered longer no Lin elsewhere, and arias the all in changes major the considered be to want not did therefore and there, and here used being fewa created he that phrases ognize 2007). (Yang Yu to credit full giving work, this of composer 17. (On the docks; 1965). Yet according to other versions Yet 1965). (On the docks; Haigang Shanghai project, of her first (Wang recollection Yongjie’s Wang Film Orchestra conductor such as Shanghai of the story, after read- of On the Docks to join the creative team Yu did not simply ask Jiang Qing 2011), ing his 20 composers at the Jinjiang Hotel Jiang gathered from a piece of poetry, to produce a painting an aria in Beijing opera styleand gave each of them the task of composing in Shanghai in 1965 by strategy; tiger mountain (Taking opera Zhiqu Weihushan from a lyric of the revolutionary 1964). Your articles are very well written, and our ideas are in total harmony” (Xu 1990:292). After that After (Xu 1990:292). are in total harmony” and our ideas are very well written, articles Your regarding music to discuss his opinions Yu to Shanghai she met every time Jiang came meeting, (Dai 1995:239). of Beijing opera in the modernization composition already underway as well as to originate new model operas. He was the sole creative force for He was the sole creative model operas. already underway as well as to originate new LongjiangDujuan Shan (Azalea mountain; 1973) and Song (Ode to the dragon river; 1971). joined the Cultural Revolution in the summer of 1966; instead, he became one of the targets he became one of 1966; instead, joined the Cultural Revolution in the summer of the Rev “cowshed,” where he was held for five months in the and brought to the conservatory, back was Yu again, Once kept (see Dai 2008:185–214). were “bad elements” a small room where hierarchy and accused of crimes such as prop- denounced for being part of the intellectual of traditional Chinese music and plagiarizing agating feudalism through his appropriation of the Shanghai Beijing Opera Company. Opera Company. of the Shanghai Beijing for Jiang Strategy Mountain by Tiger several movements for Taking had written Yu claimed that shang shan” “Da hu to use his overture for act 5, Jiang decided them over, After looking Qing. (Kill the tiger and ascend the mountain). was the final stage work to join the ranks of the eight pre-Cultural was the final stage work to join the ranks On the Docks cal innovation, Revolution yangbanxi. formance circles. Yu was at first dismissed as a “Western devil” on account of Shanghai on account of Shanghai devil” “Western was at first dismissed as a Yu formance circles. and he was initially ignored at music, Western Conservatory’s reputation for emphasizing soon won him the however, His compositional skills, the Shanghai Beijing Opera Company. was named principal composer Yu On the strength of his abilities, respect of his colleagues. for , by adding more arias to enrich , Strategy Mountain by Tiger The Red Lantern revise and Taking Yu the main characters. 18. 19. 20. Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03October 2021

158 Yawen Ludden Yawen Ludden) expanded the orchestra, (Photo but still only included Chinese instruments. by cipher notation commonly used in China. At this stage of development, Yu had Figure 2. A page from the score of doing agoodjob” (2011). around spreadingrumorsorreportsaboutothers, and the onlypoliticswecaredaboutwas the bestworkpossible” (2011). Similarly, Yu’s assistant, GongGuotai, statedthat “no onewent and opencommunity. We helpedeachotherandworked towardthecommongoalof suit oftheircreativeendeavors. Forexample, Wang Yongjie commented: “It wasaveryunited panies undertheMinistryofCultureprovidedarelativelypeaceful environmentforthepur 22. 21. (red safe box) (2008:247). almost 10 years (Gong 2008 and 2011). Dai as being in a describes the yangbanxi performers Gong Guotai was a composer and conductor for the Beijing opera Company. He was one of Yu’s assistants for ( he was arrested by Red Guards humiliated at Shanghai and was further Conservatory’s “criticism meeting” while others were in sleeper-cars, even though he had stomach pains. As soon as Yu arrived at Shanghai Station, group to be greeted by Chairman Mao. On the train from Beijing to Shanghai, Yu was put in a hard-seat car tinued to treat Yu as a “bad element.” They forbade Yu Huiyong from going to Tiananmen with the performance However, Jiang Qing had limited influence and couldthe only leaders docon- so much. After the performance, pidouhui ). For more details, see Dai (1995:207–12). On the Docks (1965), written in the 22

that thevariousyangbanxicom- of artistsremarkedininterviews Cultural Revolution. A number constant surveillanceofthe tioners fromtheparanoiaand ronment thatshieldedpracti- Yu cultivatedanartisticenvi - Culture in 1975. as theChineseMinisterof culminating inhis his careerflourishedoncemore, released fromthecowshed, and applauded. the endofperformancetobe bringing himonstagewithherat he be seated next to her and even sonally intervene, and onceagainJianghadtoper he wasbannedfromthevenue, to revise. Butwhenhearrived, by Strategy, whichhehadhelped duction ofTaking Mountain Tiger to Beijingattendanewpro- release Yu sothat he couldtravel arranged fortheRedGuardsto tions tothemodeloperas. She forget Yu’s invaluable contribu- and writings, wereconfiscated. belongings, especiallyhisbooks the RedGuards, andmostofhis Mao,” hishomewassearchedby anti- as “anti-communist,Condemned folk musicinhisanthologies. At theMinistryofCulture, Jiang Qing, however, didnot socialist andanti-Chairman 21 Eventually, Yu was hongse baoxianxiang insisting that insisting that appointment appointment creating - Yu Huiyong 159 - - in 1969. It is difficult to pinpoint what he Red Lantern in 1969. The Red Lantern. Jiang was unable to attend its rehearsal and sent 1964). Most of the music in these early works was composed early works was of the music in these Most 1964).

The evolution of yangbanxi can be divided into three stages based on the quality and matu- stages based on the be divided into three of yangbanxi can The evolution , pri- as exhibited in The Red Lantern and Among the Reeds, the first stage, The early reforms of from the works representing this first stage of yangbanxi underwent little revision Overall, Xu Chen tells a story about Jiang In her book Rensheng Dawutai (The big stage of life; 1990), criti- Liu’s inability to convert Jiang’s wish into the desired musical effect brought him rity of its musical composition. The first stage includes works such as The Red Lantern includes works such The first stage and composition. rity of its musical reeds; (Among the Shajiabang prior to their inclusion in the Modern Beijing Opera Trial Performance Convention (Jingju Performance Convention Trial Beijing Opera inclusion in the Modern prior to their the music still this is changes, and except for minor Dahui; 1964), Yanchu Xiandaixi Guanmo and On the Strategy by Mountain Tiger like Taking stage includes works The second known today. The final stage refers to original extensive revision from 1965 to 1972. which underwent , Docks and Azalea River Mountain. such as Ode to Dragon works created after 1969, While early works innovation. technique and less on musical marily focused on performance their major challenge styles, strong traditional Beijing opera singing such as these maintained For example, classical tradition. to represent working-class heroes in a was figuring out how characteristics of traditional one of the most distinguishing sleeves”), “water shuixiu (literally, The long sleeves rep- realism. appeared absurd in the new revolutionary would have opera, and no modern to overthrow, order that the Communists had fought resented the old social - and equal practical, the efficient, The new costumes of yangbanxi reflected worker wore them. basic walk for female roles the suibu (broken steps), Likewise, in daily life. izing uniforms worn as it refer was similarly deemed inappropriate in modern opera in traditional Beijing opera, China Modern women in socialist of foot binding. enced the outdated and outlawed custom in yang- and their steps were therefore theatrically staged were supposed to be equal to men, The than those of their male counterparts. banxi productions as no less strong and confident model operas as first stage was made to the arias, most significant musical change during this The in which the music is closely tied to character. from this period are the earliest examples in which one melody was recycled for multiple scenes , traditional arrangement of yiqu duoyong in which an individual melody was written , was replaced by zhuanqu zhuanyong and characters, opera. Western as in for each scene and character, Qing asked when Jiang adapted for film in 1971, their first staging in 1964 until they were be condensed into two-hour movie ver that the original three-hour stage performances They have class people are hard workers. “Working Jiang said: According to Dai Jiafang, sions. Huiyong was Yu (Dai 2010). to make a long movie” It is not desirable to work the next day. but he was production of these two early operas, involved in neither the conception nor the asked to make some revisions to The (On the road), Shang” “Yilu but Ren Ke confirmed that he added at least one new aria, revised, 2010). (Ren Yuhe Li for the main character, would come to play in opera modernization Yu Qing’s vision for The Red Lantern and the role A Jia, and its director, Liu Jidian, Jiang reportedly asked the opera’s composer, (Xu 1990:312). where the protagonist is for the scene “L’Internationale” to adapt the French socialist anthem Western Jiang that Chinese instruments could not play Liu explained to about to be executed. but Jiang accepted this at first, music because they were configured for the pentatonic system. she once again asked Liu to then after watching a Shanghai performance of the opera in 1966, for arrange “L’Internationale” to Liu’s True as her representative. Lin Mohan, Minister of Culture, Vice her colleague and and Lin reported back to Jiang that the opera was better the result was disastrous, prediction, off without it. They cism by his peers at the China Beijing Opera Company during the Cultural Revolution. Liu wrote to “L’Internationale.” accused him of being against Jiang Qing and against using Jiang forwarded the let- Jiang to explain the situation with the hope of obtaining her assistance. incriminate them. who considered it evidence of an attempt to ter to the leaders of his company, They stepped up their attacks on Liu and labeled him the destroyer of The Red Lantern. Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03October 2021

160 Yawen Ludden alter theirexpectations oftheatricalarts. When revisingOntheDocks from1969to1971, Yu Beijing opera. tet (twoviolins, viola, celloandpiano), whichneverwouldhavebeenpossible intraditional ments, makingtheminmany waysmorecomplex. Forexample, OntheDocks hadastringquin- singer tointerpretandcreate, Yu’s ariasdeparted fromtraditionanduseddifferentinstru- ditional Beijingoperaariascorewasonlyabareskeletonfor the singer, leavingroomforthe train theleadactorshowtoreadhismusicalnotationand tosingthearias. While atra- niques. Sincehisworkhadnoprecedentsintraditional Beijingopera, Yu hadtopersonally began toadvocateforimplementingahybridizationofEastern and Western musicaltech- popular asindependentpiecesofmusic. his timetounderstand, withoutsacrificingadistinctBeijing operaflavor. Manyofhisariaswere his theoryintopractice, Yu wroteariasthatweremorecolloquialandeasier fortheaudienceof Theatre Music, Yu composedariasdesignedtobemoreappealingnewaudiences. Converting unpublished 1960books, StudiesontheRelationshipbetween Melody andLyricsResearch on to breakfreefromthehighlystylizedmelodicsystem. Using thecompositionalrulesfromhis works, whichalludedtotraditionwhilechallengingtheirformulas. Hisfirstinnovationwas ative process. Hisprofoundunderstandingoffolktraditionsaidedhiscompositionnew and newmusic. that byincludingawealthofnewarias. Under Yu, thesenewariaswereauniqueblendofold lyrics. Rarelywasanentirelynewariacomposedfortraditionalopera. Yangbanxi changedall little distinctionbetweennewandoldworks;operasrecycledmelodiesjustadded mance troupes;actorsandmusiciansdoubledasbothcreatorsperformers. There wasalso out everbeingsetonpaper. Noconceptofintellectualpropertyrightsexistedwithin perfor works wereshapedthroughimprovisationinworksessions, rehearsals, andperformanceswith- visation. Traditional Beijingoperatroupeshadnopositionsforcomposers orlibrettists. New early revolutionaryoperas, andAmongtheReeds. suchasTheRedLantern and Western elements, resultinginmoresophisticatedcompositionscomparedwiththeother Revolution, ness shapedthetwooperastowhich Yu mademoremajorcontributionspriortotheCultural theatre with Western artisticformsintheserviceofanewrevolutionaryart. This open- had seentheoperainGuangzhou: spread toHongKong, whereaCantonesenewspaperreportedthereactionofsomeonewho and evennamedhisdaughterafterit(ShiZhang2009:86). ’s popularityalso The RedLantern development. The writerSha Yexin, afanoftraditionalBeijingopera, praisedTheRedLantern greater musicalinnovationandtheexpansionoflanguageBeijingopera. poraries, Yu’s mixedorchestrationimprovedtheoverallsoundqualityandpavedwayfor ing anorchestraofmixed Western andChineseinstruments. Intheopinionofhiscontem- Huiyong wasgiventhechallenge. Hesolvedtheproblemofdisparatetonalsystemsbyemploy- Yu furtherpushedtheboundariesofwhatcouldbeexpressed, challenginghisaudienceto As Yu graduallygainedtrustandpowerinthecampaigntomodernizeBeijingopera, he Yu turnedtohisownextensive researchinChinesefolktheatreandmusictoguidehiscre- The mostdistinctivecharacteristicoftraditionalBeijingoperawasitscollectiveoralimpro- Yu’s successwith “L’Internationale” derivedfromhisopennesstofusingtraditionalChinese ern opera. (inShiandZhang2009:86) totally foiled. Instead, welearnedameaningfullessonandfellinlovewiththismod- land. Butweweredrawnintotheplay, andbeforewerealizedit, ouroriginalplanwas that Icouldmakefunof, aswehadheardofCommunistpropagandafromthemain- To behonest, thiswasnotanoperaticformthatIlike, andIexpectedtoseesomething In theeyesofmanyfans, thequalityofyangbanxireacheditspinnacleinfirststage The disputeovertheinclusionof “L’Internationale” intheoperawasnotresolveduntil Yu On theDocks andTaking Tiger Mountainby Strategy . BothofthesemeldedChinese - Yu Huiyong 161 from from On the Docks Docks the On was their their was What I love most is Yu’s Yu’s is most love I What On the Docks Docks the On Yu’s composition really reached the pin- the reached really composition Yu’s Taking Tiger orchestra the counterpoint in the all hear can I Tiger Mountain. Taking Figure 3. A page from Yu Huiyong’s manuscript revision of revision manuscript Huiyong’s Yu from page A 3. Figure around 1970, this time written in Western notation. This is the final version version final the is This notation. Western in written time this 1970, around by (Photo orchestra. East-West mixed a for composed was which opera, the of Yawen Ludden) - - - Yu’s Yu’s 23

). The yangweizhongyong).

favorite model opera. Chen said: “To those of us trained in the Western music tradition, the traditional Beijing Beijing traditional tradition, the music Western the in trained us of those “To said: Chen opera. model favorite opera Beijing a Chinese asking as difficult as just is verysounded opera It beginning. the at ear the to unpleasing [...] composition piano a in layers harmonic hear to singer song folk or - bow jinghu use to violin required passages some example, For features. music West and East dissolving of nacle Western of trace a hear can You violin. of technique bowing up-and-down the from opposite totally is which ing, example, for procedures; melodic ruledChinese was music by Yu’s overall But structure. and treatment chromatic aria. theatrical the instrumentalof his formula the hear can imitating way a in music you of 5 act for overture his and Docks the On writ- partswhat tell instrumentwhich can and I note. bass the were playing was moving was each voice how and crucial a language” was music This compositional music. my forming yangbanxi in for time Huiyong Yu by ten 2010). (Chen Many of the fifth-generation composers (those who were born in the 1950s and began their careers after the the after careers their began and 1950s the in born were who (those composers fifth-generation the of Many that stated Xiaogang, Ye and Yi interviewed,I that Chen as such Revolution) Cultural The accompaniment for 23. put the entire composition into composition into put the entire for an orches- notation Western Western Chinese and tra of both and added more instruments On the passages. instrumental admired of is the most Docks works among China’s fifth- Yu’s generation composers. new version combined Eastern new version combined music features, Western and which satisfied the aesthetic needs of different audiences, follow- while at the same time slogans ing the standard Maoist inclu- of the time calling for in all siveness and innovation the past “making artworks by making for serve the present, - (guwei eign things serve China” , jinyong original overture of act 1 was for using Chinese instruments only, little harmony and utilizing a “L’Internationale”; large part of version called for revised Yu’s orchestra, a mixed East-West with a full and balanced har mony, employing only frag- mony, to “L’Internationale” ments of The music mir suggest themes. rors not only the narrative of newly empowered dock workers but also the in 1950s Shanghai, idealism embodied in China’s socialist society. traditional Beijing opera was commonly referred to as the san- “three major literally the dajian, Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03October 2021

162 Yawen Ludden successfully harmonizeanEast-West orchestra. ing Western musicaltechniques. resulting inanorchestrathatretainedtheauralprominenceofsandajianwhileincorporat- sandajian ensemblebyaddingmoreChineseinstrumentsandintroducing Western instruments, musical transitionsforcontinuitybetweenscenes. Healsoincreasedthesizeoftraditional ditional Beijingopera, revisingandaddingariastostrengthencharacters, aswellcomposing tion andcalledon Yu forhelp. Yu wentfurtherthanJianghadenvisioned. Hebrokefreeoftra- written forChineseinstruments. JiangQing, however, consideredtheoperaripeformoderniza- ters. Stagecombatwaschoreographedtocymbalsandotherpercussion instruments. melodies andwasnotintendedtobringinterpretivedepthorcomplexitytheplay’scharac- set thesingingpartstomusic;instrumentalmusicwasdrawnfromastockofpre-composed jing-erhu aswellthepluckedinstrumentyueqin. The mainfunctionofthesandajianwasto instruments,” becausetheensembleusuallyusedChinesetwo-stringedfiddlesjinghuand 26. 25. 24. tems. Hegaveallthestringplayersajinghusothatthey couldunderstanditscharacteristicsand ten totheBeijingoperadrumbeatandunderstanddifferent Chinesemodesandmetricsys- and subtlestgradationsoftimbretotheplayers Western instruments. Healsohadthemlis- the fundamentalsofBeijingopera, includingitsperformancetechniques, rhythmicconcept, Yu becausemostofhismusicians wereonlyfamiliarwithoneortheothersystem. Yu taught sound oftheorchestra. the musicthatcontributedtofinaleffectandtookahands-onapproachengineering a softerandmellowersoundthanthetraditionalbrass. Yu, infact, lookedintoeveryaspectof tomed. The percussivesoundwasfurthertemperedbyaddingsilvertotheinstruments, yielding the percussionsectiontoreduceitsvolume, allowingthemusicianstoplayastheywereaccus- ger wasthesoleaccompanimentforchoreographedsequences. Yu placedplasticwallsaround the percussionistsneededtoplayintandemwithfullorchestra, becausepercussionnolon- form indoors, itwasnecessarytoreducetheoverpoweringeffectofpercussion. Moreover, formed outdoorswithpercussionfillingtheatmospherealarge, boomingsound. To per of mixedorchestration(Dai2008:263–65). Zhou Enlaipraised Yu’s orchestrationandcalledonotheroperacompaniestoadoptthissystem that theyweredeeplymovedbytheeffectofmixedorchestration. experimental approach. MusicologistLianBoandconductorJin Yuehua eachtoldmeseparately The performanceTaking Tiger Mountainby Strategy in1968wasthefirstproductiontotest Yu’s toire oftraditionalBeijingoperatomusiccomposedfittheneedseachparticularwork. Like itstraditionalpredecessors, Taking Tiger Mountainby Strategy, composedin1964, was Fusing traditionalChineseand Western performancetechniqueswasaspecialchallengefor Integrating Western instrumentsintoyangbanxiwasnoteasy. Beijingoperawasinitiallyper (Jin 2011; Lian 2008). (Jin the work of Yu Huiyong.” Jin said that the music made him feel that “there was hope for Chinese Beijing opera” the Mountain” and an aria by Yang Zirong and Shao Jianbo. Lian right Bo away said that that “thishe knew was with JinIn interviews Yuehua and Lian Bo, both remembered that the radio played “Kill the Tiger and Ascend 2011; Shang Changrong 2011). was a lot of resistance to change within the Beijing opera society (Jin but also understood Western Secondly, harmony and instrumentation. prior to the Cultural Revolution, there Huiyong was more knowledgeable than his predecessors; he not only played most of these Chinese instruments was never There widely performed. were twomain reasons that Yu succeeded where others hadfailed. Firstly, Yu Xiaoyun) was probably the first and only Beijing opera to employ piano and violin for its accompaniment, but it There were suchattempts before the 1950s. For example, Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy. On the Docks was the first model opera to incorporate which became standardWestern instruments, practice after For example, the standard was four violins, threenumber of string instruments violas, two cellos, and one bass. Yu’s revolutionaryorchestration alsosignifiedashiftawayfromthestockmusicalreper 24 Becauseofthis, itiswidelybelievedthat Yu wasthefirstto 25

Modeng Jianü (Modern by nun; 1927, performed Shang 26 JiangQingandPremier - - - Yu Huiyong 163 - Yu’s solu- Yu’s , decrescendo 27 In Azalea Mountain, 29 fortissimo, Taking Tiger and 2011 February in Tiger Mountain Taking Yang’s voice is heard in the distance as the orchestra voice Yang’s 28 utilized both songs, which were familiar to many Chinese people at the time. at people Chinese many to familiar were which songs, both utilized Docks the On , Jiang stated: “The art of [the new] Beijing opera should depend on music “The art of [the new] Beijing Jiang stated: , Strategy by

According to Gong, the technique, the sound, and the aesthetic concepts of jinghu are totally different from those from different totally are jinghu of concepts aesthetic the and sound, the technique, the Gong, to According 2011). and 2008 (Gong compromise a reach instruments.string performers the for task The to was Western of performance a to went of I today. even received well is overture This witnessed the enthusiastic Shanghai audience who not only applauded when the beautiful arias were sung but but sung were arias beautiful the when applauded only not who audience Shanghai enthusiastic the witnessed overture. the playing was orchestra the when 5 act of beginning the at also of overture The Besides trying to balance the traditional percussion section with a mixed orchestra and flesh- the traditional percussion section with Besides trying to balance - these same ideas in his earlier writing and implemented them in his com had advocated Yu It was by no means simple for Chinese players to adopt the Western tuning system or for tuning Western the Chinese players to adopt means simple for It was by no Yu made his most far-reaching innovations during the final developmental stage of yang- made his most far-reaching Yu

) to set the scene’s dramatic tension. It eloquently articulates the and back to fortissimo) to set the scene’s dramatic tension. , crescendo The main the gravity of what is at stake. emphasizing Yang’s mission, urgency and difficulty of contrasts with the dramatic inten- played by a solo French horn in its soft middle range, theme, is conveyed in the theme’s distinctive long- air of confident ease Yang’s sity of the introduction. held notes and the horn’s mellow timbre. tion in this case was to have Western players follow the Chinese quartertone system here. But quartertone system here. players follow the Chinese Western to have tion in this case was adapted in rehearsal to follow of the Chinese instruments was usually the intonation in general, 2011). (Wang tonal system Western the orchestra allowed for the compo- the expanded of operatic roles, ing out the characterization for the first time as a unifying Instrumental music was used interludes. sition of overtures and establishing the mood, the plot, as an important force for advancing medium in Beijing opera, Tiger In a meeting about the production of Taking and expressing the characters’ emotions. Mountain be well organized The music and arias have to not dance. to build the image of the characters, (in Dai 1995:67). as a unified whole” Mountain by Tiger composed for act 5 of Taking Yu that the overture For example, positions. It for the action that is about to unfold. plays a crucial role in establishing the setting Strategy trees and builds up to the dramatic entrance reinforces the heroic symbolism of the towering The overture to act 5 is rhythmically and Zirong. Yang scout platoon leader of the protagonist, in who has to disguise himself Yang, vividly portraying the multifaceted melodically complex, The overture begins with the out a secret mission. order to infiltrate the enemy camp and carry quick notes with frequent volume changes ( full orchestra playing short, 27. 28. 29. ament, which meant having to adjust their instruments away from the modal systems they were modal systems they away from the adjust their instruments meant having to which ament, to playing. accustomed It required to Chinese timbres. rhythms and acclimate to learn Chinese musicians Western Tiger of Taking in act 5 example, For from each other. compromise and learning a process of spring) where (welcome “yinglai chunse” the phrase there is an aria with , Strategy Mountain by being neither the Chinese system, is sung on a characteristic note within “chun” the syllable tuning system. Western and therefore not belonging within the natural nor sharp, performance techniques. To the Chinese players, he explained the Western concept of temper concept Western the he explained players, the Chinese To techniques. performance brings the overture to a close, moving directly into the aria “Chuan linhai” (Speeding through “Chuan linhai” moving directly into the aria brings the overture to a close, Instrumental passages in his mission. bold and confident appears on stage, Yang the woods) as Any Chinese audience of that time would total length. account for nearly one third of the aria’s tradition that had left little room for instrumen- break with a Yu’s have immediately understood tal music of this length or complexity. employed recurring motifs for the main Yu , In his original composition Azalea Mountain banxi. “Our and had incorporated well-known songs (“L’Internationale” Yu , In On the Docks characters. Have Strength”) to weave together the themes of a united international socialist cause Workers and the industrious spirit of Shanghai’s longshoremen through the opera. Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03October 2021

164 Yawen Ludden well. (Photo by Yawen Ludden) in China. Fragments of Ke Xiang’s theme appear multiple times in this section as Act 3 of Figure 4. A page from the aria “Pu tian xia” (Everywhere under the sky) from Azalea MountainAzalea no evidencethathewasfamiliarwith Wagner’s oeuvre. Wagnerian leitmotif. Yet itseemsthat Yu cameupwiththistechniqueonhisown, asthereis and reinforcingherpositiveimage. Azalea Mountain,appearinginvariousguisesthroughouttheopera, permeatingeachofherarias that unitedmelodywithexpression. Inhisyangbanxi, theorchestraplaysacrucialroleindefin- tional aesthetic, heemphasizeddramaticprogressionin hisorchestration, resultinginawork ditional Beijingopera, placingmelodyatthecenterof his yangbanxi. Inadditiontothistradi- it intoaneffectivemodernartwork. Hefirmlyapplied theguidingaestheticprincipleoftra- structure andsound. Yu possessedaremarkableabilitytotaketraditional frameworkandturn musical anddramaticheights, hiscompositionsaredeeply rootedintraditionalBeijingopera’s Beijing operasound. Although herejecteditsstrict stylisticboundariesinordertoreachnew final compositionforyangbanxi, becameoneofhismostpopular. guides bothperformerandlistenerthroughvariousemotionalchanges. AzaleaMountain, Yu’s ine anddeepeningherpersonality, KeXiang’smotifbridgesgapsbetweenariasandaction 31. 30. development inarecurringmotif. a naturalprogressionfromtheunifyingthemeof “L’Internationale” totheheroine’scharacter The recurringmotifisacommonpracticein Western opera, andcloselyresemblesa Yet throughallhisinnovations Yu neverfullyabandonedtradition, always retainingadistinct In Yu’s first opera somewhere else. included. However it is possible that Yu may have heard or read about Wagner’s technique indirectly from Chinese and Western compositions in 1964/65, but from 1966 to 1976 only Chinese compositions were In programs the early 1960s, concert consisted predominantly of Western music, with a good balance of both include a wide selection of works by Western composers, especially from the Romantic period, but no Wagner. and programsthe Shanghai Concert from the SpringShanghai Conservatory Music Festival during his (1973), written in the cipher notation commonly used On the Docks, he created a motif for the main character and used some theme music. 31 Besidesportrayingapositiveimageoftheproletarianhero- 30 Regardless, thisholisticapproachwas tant organizationalfeaturein Xiang’s motifisthemostimpor courageous, andconfident. Ke is graduallyrevealedaswitty, bination withvocallines, she and alteredrecurrence. Incom- through variedinstrumentation gests gradationsinhercharacter final curtain. Themusicsug- first appearancetotheopera’s plex characterevolvingfromher Xiang isdevelopedintoacom- and variationsofhermotif, Ke through subtlefragmentations at thebeginningofact2, and yet simplemotifintroducesher character, KeXiang. A powerful tively employedforthemain The techniqueismosteffec- version of Wagner’s tral tothework’splot motifs forthecharacterscen- opment bycomposingrecurring cally deepenedcharacterdevel- completed in1973, hemusi- leitmotif. — tenure Yu’s - Yu Huiyong 165 On -

33 stated: a choice that Citing Yu’s Yu’s Citing 34 — classical, youth, and chil- youth, classical, — Yangbanxi’s chief creator, designer, organizer, theorist, and theorist, organizer, designer, chief creator, Yangbanxi’s 32 only with Yu’s systematic and deliberate plan of modernization did systematic and deliberate plan of Yu’s only with — setting a new standard for the presentation of Beijing opera. setting a new standard for the presentation — production cost was RMB 40,000,000 (USD 6,000,000). (USD 40,000,000 RMB was cost production

Its

The classical version used seasoned performing artists; the youth version used young performersyoung and 20s their in used version performing seasoned used version artists;youth classical The the 14. under children used version children’s a and 30s, The perfection of Yu’s music and balance of its orchestration is still our model, which which orchestration is still our model, music and balance of its Yu’s The perfection of and the newly produced Beijing operas remains the biggest gap between yangbanxi new works all musically these modern or historical, Whether the theme is since his time. the Docks. Docks. the In China, where honor is the ultimate virtue, suicide can be seen as an “honorable” death. However, according to to according However, death. virtue,ultimate “honorable” the an as is honor seen be can suicide where China, In rebellion of act an as viewed is suicide Yu’s I interviewed official anonymous, remain to wished who government a restore is, that him, rehabilitate to ever unlikely is government the therefore and Party, Communist the against reputation. his the Company, Opera Beijing China the including companies, opera Beijing six among collaboration a was It Company, Opera Beijing Shanghai the Company, Opera Beijing Tianjing the Company, Opera Beijing National performingother as such institutions, and companies dozen a about and Company, Opera Beijing Shanxi the and performingbest the artists employed It Orchestra. Symphony Guolian Beijing the and School Ballet Beijing the of director chief deputy the Jugang, Zhang including directors, and composers top China’s and nation the from of conductor former Yongjie, Wang and Ceremonies, Closing and Opening Games Olympic Beijing 2008 the The reversal of the Cultural Revolution was swift. Jiang Qing was arrested in October 1976, was arrested in October 1976, Jiang Qing Revolution was swift. The reversal of the Cultural Yu’s yangbanxi compositions display a remarkable synthesis of tradition and innovation display a remarkable synthesis of tradition yangbanxi compositions Yu’s following the yang- Beijing opera, First, today. The influence of yangbanxi is still evident 34. enduring influence on these new productions, Wang Yongjie, conductor of Red Cliff conductor Yongjie, Wang enduring influence on these new productions, 33. 32. one month after Mao’s death. Tried and convicted of crimes against the Party and against of crimes against the Party and against and convicted Tried death. one month after Mao’s per Yet she took her life 1991. she remained in prison until shortly before socialism in 1980, Because Huiyong. Yu was musical loss at the end of Cultural Revolution haps China’s greatest Mao’s death; and like was also arrested shortly after Yu Jiang Qing, of his association with prison. killed himself in Yu Jiang, ing temporal space, shaping narrative, and introducing psychological and symbolic meaning. and symbolic meaning. psychological and introducing narrative, shaping space, ing temporal creating shifts action, reigns over the stage with and alternately intertwines The orchestration and tools to deepen become complimentary Melody and orchestra signified. in the emotions opera aesthetics and a core of Beijing By preserving content and characterization. expand the Chinese prole- and space which defined a musical moment Yu established his works, flavor in all general. symbolism in and socialist impetuses, their historical tarian heroes, Furthermore, Cai Fuchao, a top government minister, served as the librettist minister, a top government Cai Fuchao, Furthermore, the development of new Beijing opera produc- reveals the government’s intention to encourage in parallel productions the work was launched Furthermore, tions. dren’s versions principle composer became one of the last victims of the Cultural Revolution. All the people Revolution. one of the last victims of the Cultural principle composer became Association to the presi- from the chairman of the China Musicians’ that I have interviewed, for the loss of China’s and their regret Yu expressed their respect for dents of conservatories, greatest composer. of His radical transformation musical expression. and an impressive integration of East-West Changes but also its entire artistic concept. Beijing opera modernized not only its content, would not have led to the extensive revitalization to content alone within an existing format accomplished Yu that and acting, costumes, in all of its aspects: staging, Beijing opera find a truly modern expression especially music. among retains its prominent position talent, banxi model of assembling the nation’s greatest Arts the National Center for the Performing In December 2008, Chinese performing arts. Chi Bi (Red cliff).produced the new grand epic Beijing opera Red Cliff was Like yangbanxi, bringing together top artists from around the country. a national project from the start, Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03 October 2021 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/DRAM_a_00172 by guest on 03October 2021

166 Yawen Ludden their formativeyears. learned compositionaltechniquesandskillsfrom Yu Huiyong, whocomposedyangbanxiduring forming arts. Manyofthefifth-generationcomposers, suchasChen Yi, informedmethatthey dynasty, themessageitconveysisrelevanttocontemporaryChinesesociety. facing widespreadcorruptionamongitsleaders. And eventhoughtheoperaissetinQing model forcurrentCommunistpartyofficialsduringatimewhentheChinesegovernmentis selfless inhisfightagainstcorruptionanddevotedtopublicduty, clearlydesignedasarole sive powerofmusicgesturesfromBeijingopera” (2007:511–27). 21st century, contemporaryChinesecomposers’musichasexhibitedagreatdebttotheexpres- manifestation ofChinesepopularculturethatwasfarfromsimplepropaganda. This newform adopted Western practicestotransformanesotericculturaltraditionintounprecedented styles thatfelloutsidehervisionofrevolutionaryart. The creatorsofyangbanxiselectively programs andpolicies, forindeedyangbanxiwasdevelopedattheexpenseofothergenresand tedly generousviewdoesnotimplyapprovaloftheCulturalRevolutionorallJiang’sart be ignored. these scholarshavedifferentperspectives, theyallagreethattheimpactofyangbanxicannot 39. 38. 37. 36. 35. (Honest officer Yu Chenglong), premieredinShanghai. engineering roleinChinatoday. InJune2009, anewBeijingoperafilmLianliYuChenglong stage directingworkstoborrowtechniquesfromBeijingopera’sperformances. include theyangbanxiballetBaiMaoNü(Thewhitehairedgirl;1965), askedactorsinhislater global artworldtoday” (2007:2). HuangZuoling, aveteranstageandfilmdirectorwhoseworks opment ofcontemporaryartinChinaandacrucialsourceidentityforChinesethe Revolution iscomplexandexistsatvariouslevels” andthat “it isthefoundationofdevel- sion (2003:6). Additionally, JiangJiehongarguesthat “the influenceoftheChineseCultural opera ensemblesnowinclude Western instrumentsorhaveexperimentedwiththeirinclu- Jonathan Stockhasobservedthat, followingthetraditionofyangbanxi, manyregionalChinese Furthermore, theinfluenceofyangbanxihaspermeatedotherfieldsmusicalandper The legacyofyangbanxianditsculturalpertinenceisevidenttoday. However, thisadmit- New productionsofBeijingopera, likeyangbanxi, continuetoplayapoliticalandsocial uality ofyangbanxi. (Wang 2011) remain Revolution, acknowledged that there is a lot to learn from yangbanxi Dasheng, Huang’s grandson, who directed the first film of Beijing opera made after the end of the Cultural eran stage and film director, director artistic of founder and honorary Shanghai People’s Theatre. Art Zheng For details about the use of Beijing opera techniques in stage drama, see Huang (1994:22–23). Huang is a vet- during these composers’that was performed formative years, it is not unreasonable to make this connection. their experiences to yangbanxi many more in Mainland China exhibit such trends in their compositions. Although Rao does not directly credit composers, such as Chinese contemporary Tan Dun and Zhou Long (who are active in the United States), and Rao’s traces several article significant musical gestures in Chen Yi and Chen Qigang’s works. The majority of Xiaogang, and Wen Deqing. All of them voiced similar opinions to Chen Yi. Chen I Yi interviewed in August 2010, as well as about two-dozen composers, including Zhou Long, Ye [For more on this production by see the article Li Ruru in this issue. (Dai 2010). the resources to double or triple the size of the orchestra but found a smaller orchestra to be more effective” not know that Yu Huiyong’s system came after many experiments that created a well-balanced sound. Yu had Music, remarked that doubling the size of orchestra did not lead to a better effect and was a mistake: “They did but with the size of the orchestra doubled (Yang 2011). Dai Jiafang, of professor at the Central Conservatory Yang Nailin, one of the composers of laoqiang laodiao(oldsoundandoldtone)tome, withoutthefreshnessandindivid- 37 NancyRaohasnoted, “from thedecadesaroundbeginningof during the Cultural Revolution, given that it was the only form of Beijing opera Red Cliff, confirmed that the orchestration also followed Yu’s system, 35

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