 Brief Introduction
Mei Lanfang(1894-1961),the outstanding exponent of Beijing Opera, was the great master of China's dramatic art.
With patriotism and a deep love for his people, Mei Lanfang dedicated his whole life to the art of Beijing Opera. During his stage career over half a century, he showed great skill inheriting the best traditions of the past and adapting them to alnew stage To enrich and ameliorate the Chinese stage he constantly and conscientiously sought to improve his art and created many lively and unforgettable artistic images by gathering together the best of the local and national operas. He blended acting, singing and dancing in one performance,turning the Beijing Opera into a colorful, comprehensive art of the highest stage effects. As a result, he had a wide repertoire,formed his own original style and developed what has become unanimouly accepted as the"Mei Lanfang School"--a school with unique characteristics and subtle dignity. Mei blazed a new path for his Beijing Opera contemporaries. He was accepted worldwide and applauded as a great artist and the embodiment of beauty.
Mei Lanfang was the first to introduce Beijing Opera to the world and made successful tours to Japan (1919,1924 and 1956), the United States (1930) and the Soviet Union (1935 and 1952). In recognition of his literary and artistic achievements, two American universities, the University of Southern California and the Pomona College, conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters. During his tours in these countries, which earned him international fame, he popularized the Chinese classical drama among foreign audiences, guiding them to a better appreciation of Chinese art and culture. Through his performances Beijing Opera obtained world renown and in return exerted much influence to the foreign stage. He became good friends with many of the world's famous artists, dramatists, writers, vocalists, dancers and painters. Among his international friends were Maxim Gorky, Konstantin Stanislavsky, Nemirovich-Denchenko, S.M. Eisenstein, Galina Ulanova, Stark Young, Charles Chaplin, paul Robeson, Douglas Fairbank, Mary Pickford, Bernard Shaw, Edward Gordon Craig, Bertolt Brecht, Amelita Galli-Curci, Rabindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Tadashi Aoki, Koshiro Matsumoto, Biko Onoe, Matsuo Kunizo and Ennosuke Ichikawa.
Throughout his life he made outstanding contributions in promoting cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. The performing art of the Chinese theatre represented by Mei Langfang is now recognized as one of the three world contemporary main systems of performing art.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Mei Lanfang was elected a deputy to the National People's Congress and a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the People's Political Consultative Conference. He was also elected a vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and of the Dramatists' Union. He became president of the Institute of Chinese Opera Research and of the College of Chinese Opera, as well as Director of the National Beijing Opera Theatre. Having participated enthusiastically in social work and various activities, he was accepted into the Chinese Communist Party in 1959 and made significant contributions to the socialist construction of his motherland in his late years.
Mei Lanfang is the symbol of China's performing art and the pride of his people and nation. |
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