Play the Universe： Traditional Cultural Program ＂Breaking the Title＂

"I didn’t expect the combination of Kunqu opera and rock to show such an effect." After the first issue of the drama culture creation program of Shandong Satellite TV was broadcast on July 9, the program "Xin Qiji, the son of heaven", which was co-produced by Kunqu Youth Xianke Band and national first-class actor Li Baoliang in the way of traditional opera and modern music, attracted wide attention on social platforms.

Teenagers’ yearning for "Jin Ge Tie Ma, swallowing Wan Li like a tiger" is intertwined with Xin Qiji’s generous and sad song of "putting aside the affairs of the king in the world and winning fame after his death" in his old age, blending modern music and traditional opera, showing a vigorous explosive force.

In the same period, the drama martial arts show "Riding the Savior Alone" in "Playing the Universe" shows the gorgeous posture of traditional drama martial arts with new technology and film and television shooting; Mu Guiying, the actor of three generations of Henan Opera, cooperated with Henan rappers in "Being in Command", which also left a deep impression on the audience.

Fusion:

"Opera+"Mode Helps Content Dissemination

As of July 22nd, Weibo’s main topic # Shandong Satellite TV Drama Universe # in Drama Universe has been read 140 million times and discussed 26,000 times. After subtopic #00, the juvenile Kunqu dialogue Xin Qiji # was read 130 million times, maintaining a high degree of attention and discussion. This program, produced and broadcast by Shandong Radio and Television Station, adopts the creative performance mode of "Opera+".In each stage, three groups of creative actors visit famous opera actors and craftsmen to draw creative inspiration and start literary and artistic creation. The attempt to integrate the trend elements with traditional Chinese opera has made the creative works spread rapidly.

At the beginning of creation, the main creator of the program has been thinking about how to do a good job in the "two creations" of opera culture, that is, how to realize the innovative transformation and creative development of opera culture. "After several rounds of trials and discussions, the team believes that" Drama Universe "should not only be the innovation and inheritance of opera, but should position its core function as communication." Ding Kunnian said that in fact, professionals in the drama industry have been doing the innovation and inheritance of drama. As a communication organization, the strong communication power of TV platform will empower the innovation of drama.

During the previous visit, a teacher engaged in Peking Opera performance told Ding Kunnian that the biggest headache for opera practitioners at present is how to attract young people into the theater.

"Therefore, we decided to make a program that can let everyone discover the beauty of opera and stimulate the audience’s desire to explore." Ding Kunnian and the program group finally decided to adopt "grafting of traditional Chinese opera and various art forms" as the core mode of the program through backward promotion. "China opera is a comprehensive art. Wang Guowei, a scholar, once said that China opera’ combines words, actions and singing to tell a story’. In other words, China opera is a highly integrated art that integrates poetry, novels, songs and dances, music, painting, sculpture and acrobatics. Traditional Chinese opera is a master of various art forms, and it is inextricably linked with song, dance, performance, martial arts and acrobatics-this is the artistic foundation for the landing of the’ Traditional Chinese Opera+’model, and it is also one of the meanings of the name "Drama Universe". This combination attempt has also been recognized by many participating artists. "

In terms of program content, Drama Universe takes "carrying forward the traditional Chinese opera culture and spreading the beauty of China" as its orientation, and the whole season’s programs set up many themes, such as "I would like to serve my country", "Looking forward to the splendor and beauty" and "painting the world brilliantly", so as to explore the spiritual connotations of patriotism, heroism, feelings of home and country and national feelings in traditional Chinese opera and show the colorful appearance of traditional Chinese opera art; It conveys the beauty of costumes, facial makeup, singing, unique skills, operas and accompaniment. Ding Kunnian said, "Of course, some cross-border integration attempts may not be mature, but we hope to explore more possibilities and provide young people with the drama meta-universe that they are willing to contact and can contact."

Breaking the question:

The audience is young people who have never been exposed to drama.

As a brand-new cultural program, how to solve the problem of Drama Universe is the biggest challenge that Ding Kunnian and his creative team face. Ding Kunnian said that Lu Gan, secretary of the Party Committee and director of Shandong Radio and Television Station, put forward three "one two three" expositions for future development at the 2022 Shandong Radio and Television Strategic Resources Enjoyment Conference, which mentioned that program creation should strive to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese excellent traditional culture. "Playing the Universe is an attempt to create two creations based on the platform positioning of Shandong TV’s’ China with a long history of civilization and youth’."

Ding Kunnian has collected a great deal of information and deeply understood the creation of traditional opera themes. "There are already many excellent projects in traditional cultural programs, or opera programs. How to find new creative points and gain the attention of many audiences, especially young audiences, has always been a difficult point that puzzles us."

In this process, Director Lu Peng also suggested that if only the original opera is put on the stage, then the program will fail when it starts. Finding innovation in the field of traditional culture has become the key direction of the creative team at this stage. Combining with the transformation, breakthrough and empowerment concept of Shandong Satellite TV’s content innovation put forward by Zhong Wang, deputy editor-in-chief of Shandong Radio and Television Station and director of satellite TV, Ding Kunnian began to think about improving the communication power of large-screen variety in small screen. After self-denial again and again, the creative team finally positioned the program as a drama cultural program for young people who have never been exposed to drama. "We find that young people are still very interested in many traditional cultural programs, including traditional Chinese opera". Whether it is the "opera cavity" sought after by young people in pop music and national songs, or the spread caused by the combination of traditional Chinese opera and other art forms in related literary evenings, it reflects the concern of young audiences for traditional Chinese opera. In the new media era, long video variety shows can achieve a breakthrough in communication only by leading young people’s values and grasping their right to speak.

Ding Kunnian said with a smile that when he first received this task, he had no bottom in his heart, and he was worried that the audience would not buy the drama-themed programs. However, after in-depth study by the program group, it was found that opera has strong aesthetic value, educational value and entertainment value, and is an inexhaustible cultural treasure. The program group decided to put the aesthetic value of drama in the first place, and the second place is the educational value and entertainment value of drama-the program positioning is a drama cultural program, not a professional drama program, to attract the audience to become interested in the art of drama through the program, and then to understand it and finally to love it. "Since then, the creation of the program has suddenly become clear."

Around this concept, the program group started to create with the mode of "Opera+"and invited national competitions. The program mode of "Playing the Universe" has also gained attention in the industry. In March, 2022, Drama Universe was included in the list of key radio and television programs in 2022 by the State Administration of Radio and Television.

With the landing, filming and broadcasting of the program, Ding Kunnian, who has been busy for nearly a year, is also paying attention to the audience’s discussion around the program. To his delight, with the broadcast of the program, more and more young people began to take the initiative to understand and appreciate opera. "We have at least achieved a small creative goal." Ding Kunnian said.

Dialogue Director Ding Kunnian: Innovation Makes Traditional Cultural Programs Applaudable and Popular.

Variety Daily: Are you worried that opera performers and fans will not recognize the "Opera Plus" model?

Ding Kunnian:This is our biggest worry in the early stage. Even after the program is broadcast, we are worried that some viewers will interpret this program from the perspective of professional opera. However, in the process of implementation, we found that many famous opera artists, including many national first-class actors and "Plum Blossom Award" winners in the field of opera, recognized this creative form and participated in it with high enthusiasm. They agree that good things should be known to more people, and the spread of traditional Chinese opera should be expanded to let more people know about this art.

Variety Daily: What scientific and technological attempts have been made in the creation of Drama Universe?

Ding Kunnian:Youth and fashion have always been the style requirements of Shandong Satellite TV for content. We specially designed a virtual host "You Xiaomeng" as a "recommender", and a virtual group "Wei Yang" (Wei Lai and Wu Yang) as a "propagandist". We also adopted AR technology to enhance the program’s sense of modernity and technology.

Variety Daily: What are the selection criteria for program creators?

Ding Kunnian:Creators are basically looking for directions. The first is the professional opera actors who have been trying to combine opera with other art forms. He can be immature, but he should stick to it. Followed by practitioners of other art categories, but tried to create grafted operas. Finally, these people should understand young people and quickly integrate their preferences and concerns into their creation.

Variety Daily: How to make the program content "long" in the aesthetic point of young people?

Ding Kunnian:When young people are "critical" in their favorite fields, they often show strong professionalism, which is actually their struggle for the right to speak in this field. When the creators are professional enough to meet or even exceed their expectations, the two sides can resonate quickly through the professional and aesthetic fit, spread quickly through the circles of these audiences, and attract more young people’s attention.

Variety Daily: How can traditional cultural programs be applauded and popular?

Ding Kunnian:Applauding and winning a seat must be the goal that everyone wants to achieve. The creation of traditional cultural programs is related to several abilities of the director team: first, cultural understanding. In some courses, the director must make up, and you should have a deep understanding of what you are going to elaborate. For example, we will do a program related to the Yellow River culture next. Even if the creator has a deep knowledge of TV, he can’t complete the creation without understanding the Yellow River culture. The second is the overall aesthetic ability of the team. The team must have the ability to discover aesthetic value before they can show these contents to the audience. Third, we must have the ability to innovate and make things that everyone thinks impossible possible. Generally speaking, it is creative guidance. If a good idea can land, it can achieve the goal of applauding and making a seat.

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