Peking opera master's legacy lives on
Updated: 2008-09-24 13:53
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Decades after he passed away, Mei Lanfang has been enshrined as the iconic performer of Peking Opera for his lifelike portrayal of female roles.
A contest in east China city of Taizhou is looking for people who can imitate the master's style of singing and acting. The competition not only pays tribute to the great performer, but also seeks to unearth new talent in the field.
The finals of the contest were held over the weekend in the master's home city, with 29 contestants battling it out to simulate Mei Lanfang in every way. The participants are all amateur performers and die-hard fans of Peking Opera.
"They sing and pose beautifully. They present us a big feast of culture."
"They perform very vividly. We can really enjoy the art of the Mei Lanfang School of Peking Opera."
Mei Lanfang was revered as the artistic master of Peking Opera during his lifetime. During a half century on the stage, he inherited heavily from his predecessors while coming up with a number of trail-blazing revolutions for the art form. He elevated the practice of males portraying female roles to a new height... and established his own of school of art -- the Mei School.
Weng Sizai, a Mei Lanfang's disciple, said, "There were Mei Lanfang's die-hard followers when he was alive. Now there are three or four generations of his fans. They all knew this is a classical art."
Many of the participants have travelled from abroad to take part in the competition. They developed their love for Peking Opera even in foreign lands. Taizhou City will further promote the art of the Mei School during an art festival in November.
Editor: Feng Hui