In April this year, the China Grand Theatre on Niuzhuang Road near Guangxi North Road ushered in a grand performance - the stage play "Meng Xiaodong" produced by Huangpu Cultural Tourism Group returned to the curtain call venue after more than 70 years of floating clouds and dust. It is said that the stage play was full of friends on the night it was staged, which made people involuntarily think of the scene of thousands of empty alleys when the "Winter Emperor" took the stage here for the last time, and it was really silly and indistinguishable from the play!
Meng Xiaodong, known as the "Winter Emperor", is a disciple of Peking Opera veteran Yu Shuyan and one of the outstanding descendants of the Yu School. Her appearance is majestic and vigorous, her singing tone is strict and heavy, and Kun Sheng has no female voice. On September 7 and 8, 1947, Meng Xiaodong performed the Peking Opera "Searching for Orphans and Saving Orphans" at the China Grand Theater. This drama is adapted from the classical Chinese drama "Zhao's Orphan", which tells the story of the Spring and Autumn Period after the Jin State doctor Zhao was tragically destroyed due to the traitorous ministers, the doctor Cheng Ying raised the Zhao orphan and took revenge. Meng Xiaodong plays Cheng Ying, and this version of "Searching for Orphans and Saving Orphans" has also become the most classic version so far, with audio and video recordings.
And behind this history of "the premiere is the curtain call, and the stage is to hang up the boots", there is another important figure, that is, Du Yuesheng, the leader of the Shanghai Youth Gang in modern China. In August of that year, Du Yuesheng ushered in his 60th birthday, which coincided with the flood in Shaanxi, so he funded and organized a ten-day charity performance, and all the income was used for disaster relief. The performance lasted ten days, and Meng Xiaodong performed for two days. Due to the news of farewell to the stage before the performance, many theater fans came for her voice and figure, and did not hesitate to buy "scalper tickets", so that the ticket price increased tenfold. Those who didn't get tickets had to scramble to buy radio to listen to the live broadcast. For a time, the huge Shanghai Beach was out of stock! The charm of the "Winter Emperor" can be seen from this.
It is said that after bidding farewell to Jutan, Meng Xiaodong returned to Beijing until the Battle of Pingjin began, and Du Yuesheng sent someone to pick her up and move to Hong Kong together. In 1950, the two held a wedding in Hong Kong.
In fact, in addition to the last stage, a generation of celebrities is still inextricably linked with Shanghai and Huangpu. Trace back in time: In the winter of 1908, Meng Xiaodong was born in Guanshengli, Renmin Road; In the autumn of 1916, he staged the first stage in Shanghai to perform the drama "The Legend of Wu Pen"; In the winter of 1919, he joined the Qiankun Dajing Class of Shanghai Great World Playground and became an official actor......
In Chinese history, there are countless talented and beautiful women, and the glimpses they leave behind in all corners of the world have become legends. The love and marriage of a generation of Liyuan "Winter Emperors" are just like her opera life, which is also extremely gorgeous. But that story is too long, after all kinds of grievances and love and hatred come to an end, you might as well pick a light day and tell it from the beginning!