礼花与兰花——评说全本《牡丹亭》和青春版《牡丹亭》

Fireworks and Orchids:A Commentary on the Full-version Peony Pavilion and Its Youth Version

1999年7月,全本《牡丹亭》首演于美国纽约的林肯表演中心艺术节,堪称是浩大的戏剧艺术制作。当年它曾先后在美国、欧洲、澳大利亚巡回演出,后来也在新加坡艺术节举行亚洲首演,可谓轰动一时。但是,全本《牡丹亭》出现了一些与昆曲无关的内容:部分剧目用苏州弹词(即曲艺)而非用戏曲的方式来表演,一些表演者是地方戏演员而非昆曲演员,出现了不少跟昆曲无关的中国民俗场景。青春版《牡丹亭》则从编剧、导演、表演、到音乐、舞美等方面,形成了一条龙的精英创作团队,在每一创作环节上都是精益求精。同时,青春版《牡丹亭》也不像全本《牡丹亭》那样求全、求大,而是只采撷汤显祖《牡丹亭》中的精华部分,彰显了汤显祖原作中最精彩、最有生命力的部分。虽然青春版《牡丹亭》也有轰动的海外演出,但它更多地是在中华本土大面积地巡回演出,尤其是大学校园,从而使得昆曲扎根于年轻学子的心中,这一举措对于昆曲的薪火相传,无疑具有更加深远的历史意义。

In July 1999,the full-version Peony Pavilion was premiered at the Lincoln Center Festival in New York,USA,which can be regarded as a massive theatrical production.At that time,it had toured the United States,Europe,and Australia,and later made its Asian debut at Singapore International Festival of Arts.In short,the full-version Peony Pavilion made a sensation overseas that year.Though the youth version of Peony Pavilion took a different approach,it also has had a sensational performance overseas.Yet,it mostly toured extensively on Chinese mainland,especially oriented towards many university campuses,making Kunqu opera deeply rooted in the hearts of young students.By thus,it undoubtedly has even more profound historical significance for the inheritance and development of Kunqu opera.