Cui Lantian's famous plays and famous segments

Author: Guo Guangyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Cui Lantian was born in Cao County, Shandong in 1926. A renowned Yuju (Henan Opera) performing artist, theatrical educator, and founder of the "Cui School" of art. She is a first-class actress. She is a member of the China Theatre Association and the vice chairman of the Henan Theatre Association. She grew up in poverty. At the age of five, she followed her parents to Zhengzhou during a famine. At the age of eleven, she joined the Taiyi troupe to study acting, learning the Xusheng (elder brother) role from Zhou Haishui and Jia Suo. She was able to perform on stage after only three months. Initially, she performed alongside her senior fellow student Mao Lanhua. Soon after, she starred in Xusheng plays such as The Great Revenge of Dongwu and Hu Di Curses Yan.
In 1942, after completing her training, she was invited to join the Luoyang Chu Gongmin troupe as the lead actress. She performed alongside other famous Yuxi (western Henan) artists such as "Dog's Tail," "Earth Mole," "Dog Head," and "Cui Zhao." Later, she became a disciple of the renowned Yuxi Dan (young female) actress Zhang Qingguan and began studying the Dan role, further honing her skills.
In 1944, she went to Xi'an and led troupes led by Gao Chengyu and Shen Zi'an, performing in cities such as Xi'an, Baoji, Lingbao, and Shanzhou. With the help of Mr. Fan Cuizhen, she had the opportunity to perform alongside famous actors such as Chang Xiangyu, the young male lead Chang Jinghuo, and the Xusheng actor Cao Zidao in plays such as The Peach Blossom Inn, The Horse Trade, The Butterfly Cup, and The Sale of Miao Lang. She gained great fame in the northwest theater world and became one of the Yuju stars alongside Chen Suizhen and Chang Xiangyu.
In 1949, she formed her own troupe, the Languang Troupe. In 1951, she returned to Henan and became the head of the Anyang Municipal Yuju Troupe. In 1956, she again became the head of the Anyang Municipal Yuju Troupe. That same year, she participated in the first Henan Provincial Theatre Observation Competition and won the first prize for actors. In 1957, she became a disciple of the renowned Kunqu Opera actress Bai Yusheng.
In 1959, she became the head of the Anyang Municipal Yuju Theatre and later took Zhang Baoying and Guo Huilan as her disciples. That same year, she won the outstanding actor award at the second Henan Provincial Theatre Observation Competition. In 1963, she also served as the principal of the Anyang Municipal Theatre School. In 1965, she participated in the Central South Modern Drama Competition. In 1980, she took part in the Henan Provincial Yuju School Competition.
The plays she performed, such as Qin Xianglian, The Peach Blossom Inn, The Sale of Miao Lang, and The Three Times to the Cart, are known as the "Four Tragic Plays of the Cui School." Her singing style is based on the five tones of the traditional Chinese musical scale, incorporating the upper five tones, while also blending elements from other theatrical genres such as Qin Opera, Qu Opera, Hebei Bangzi, and Kunqu Opera. Her vocal melodies are rich and diverse, with a strong nasal resonance and a wide vocal range. Experts summarize her style as "gentle breath, unforced voice, clear diction, harmonious tones, and natural expression." Her singing is straightforward, with minimal use of ornamental notes, and her performance is seemingly still yet full of movement.
She often portrayed virtuous, kind, and steadfast women with tragic fates, becoming a prominent representative of the Yuxi school and one of the "Five Great Dan actresses" of Yuju. Comrade Cui Lantian is a Yuju performing artist and educator. The "Cui School of Art" she pioneered is one of the five major artistic schools of Yuju in China. With profound artistic foundations and high levels of achievement, she is deeply beloved by the masses, much like Chang Xiangyu, Ma Jinfeng, Chen Suizhen, and Yan Lipin. Her direct disciple, the renowned young actress Zhang Baoying, has inherited her true artistry and has performed twice in Taiwan, achieving great success on the island. Under her teacher Cui Lantian's guidance, her film Bao Qingtian (Judge Bao) has become a hit in the gem of the motherland—Hong Kong.