By Xiao Wu, EDITOR
White-haired Girl is a time-honored red classic work in Chinese literature and art. It has a faithful follower in Japan - Matsuyama Ballet. On October 13 and 14, the Japanese Matsuyama Ballet Troupe delivered two consecutive performances of White-haired Girl ballet at the Chongqing Grand Theatre. This is the third time the ballet troupe has been to Chongqing. It is also the second time for Yoko Morishita- the heroin in the ballet- to stand on the stage of Chongqing. At the age of 70, she danced throughout the performance.
Yoko Morishita plays the heroin Xi'er in White Haired Girl ballet
The first White-haired Girl ballet in the world
Few people know that the world's first White-haired Girl ballet was not born in China. It was even earlier than the Shanghai Dance School rehearsal of White-haired Girl in 1964. It is the Japanese Matsuyama Ballet Troupe that put this story on the stage for the first time.
"This work was jointly completed by my parents then." Tetsutaro Shimizu, the director of the Matsuyama Troupe, recalled. In the autumn of 1952, his father - the founder of Songshan Ballet and his mother - known as "Japan's most promising ballet dancer”, happened to watch the Chinese film White-haired Girl. The couple was deeply touched by the film. Then they came up with the idea of adapting it to a ballet.
With the help of the Chinese Dramatists Association, Matsuyama Ballet completed the composition of the world's first White-haired Girl ballet. Shimizu's mother became the first "Xi Er", the heroin, in the ballet.
A performance with remorseful heart touches the audience
In 1955, White-haired Girl ballet was performed publicly twice in Japan. All the audience were moved by the story. "As my parents thought, this story is very touching. World War II was just over, this Chinese story happened during wartime made audience reflect on history."
This time, it is the 16th tour of the Japanese White-haired Girl ballet around China. How does the ballet maintain a long-lasting popularity among Chinese? Shimizu said that from his point of view, the reason was that the artists had a remorseful heart during the performance.
60-year friendship between Chongqing and Matsuyama Ballet Troupe
In 1958, the Matsuyama Ballet of Japan came to China with White-haired Girl ballet for the first time. Chongqing was one of the stops. At that time, Shimizu's father was the head of the ballet, and his mother was the leading dancer. They had a widely applauded performance at the People's Great Hall of Chongqing. Today, Tetsutaro Shimizu and his wife Yoko Morishita have taken their parents' dancing roles, and once again visited the city with White-haired Girl ballet.
Source: CQCB