The Lanyuan Theater of the Kunqu Opera House of Jiangsu Performing Arts Group, which has been closed for a long time due to the epidemic, suddenly appeared in the city on the afternoon of May 29, 2022. People from the Jiangsu Kunqu Opera community and "Kunfans" came one after another. Qi's solo album launch".

In the crowd, there are elders with flowing silver beards, youths with flourishes, and even leaning on crutches due to leg injuries, making it difficult to walk, but also the actor Zheng Yi, and the famous provincial capital Peng Lingang... It can be seen that Kunqu Opera How urgently the people inside and outside are looking forward to the revival of the melody in the theater.

Yao Qi shuttled through the crowd, busy with reception. The weather was hot, and he was already sweating on his clothes.

As the protagonist of the press conference, Yao Qi, born in the 1980s, has the feeling of being "favored". He has been involved in Kunqu Opera for 21 years, holding a flute as the accompaniment of Kunqu Opera. Although there is a beautiful and beautiful flute sound like the sound of nature and the lingering sound, he is still a "supporting role" in the corner of the stage after all.

But that day was very different from the past.

After the press conference, Yao Qi, the fourth-generation Nankun qudi artist, sat in the center of the stage, and the accomplished artists and famous artists sat down in unison, listening to him and the host Wen Lan say "Nankun Opera". rhyme". So much so that the famous Kunqu Opera composer Sun Jian'an came on stage as a guest, and when the opening remarks directly attacked this "spectacle", he instantly attracted a burst of knowing laughter.

Li Hongliang, Shan Wen, Shi Xiaming, Xu Sijia, Zhang Zhengyao and other Nankun horns sat under the stage. Needless to say, their status in the contemporary Kunqu opera world.

Looking at the album "Nankun Opera Rhythm", the handwriting of 18 masters in this field, including Kunqu Opera masters Zhang Jiqing and Cai Zhengren, is impressively presented, with extraordinary momentum.

Yao Qi has the popularity of today's ability, not only his predecessors lead the way, but also his own diligence, which is not a day's work.

Sun Haijiao's resume compiled for him said: When he was young, he learned the flute with Mr. Li Qiping, a pianist of the Yixing Xi Opera Troupe. With the aim of Zisha's "square is not one style, and circle is not one form", he pointed out that he was shy in learning and eloquent, and he was rarely diligent. In 1998, he was admitted to the Kunqu Opera Department of Jiangsu Drama School, specializing in flute. During this period, he changed his career to many teachers. He sincerely consulted with Mr. Zeng Ming, Jiang Xiaodi, Wang Jiannong, and Sun Jiananzhong, and after graduation, he asked Mr. Qian Hongming for advice. , the career is not shallow. In the Spring and Autumn Period, flute skills have already shown a preeminent trend. He also studied suona and martial arts (traditional opera percussion), and was favored by Mr. Wang Zhenglai, a master of Kunqu opera rhythm.

In those years, the time he spent studying art was extremely hard, but his spirit was also abundant, and the buds of "famous flute" also sprouted.

In 2001, he entered the Jiangsu Kunqu Opera Company as an intern until now.

Yao Qi is of medium height, with a wide heart and a fat body, simple and honest. Perhaps it is because of him that the folk context of "Kunqu Opera raises people" comes from.

Over the years, he has appeared in big plays such as "Little Sun Tu", "1699 Peach Blossom Fan", "Peony Pavilion", "Nan Ke Meng", "Six Records of Floating Life", "The Story of the Jade Hairpin", "Jianjiang City", "Spring River Flower Moon Night" and "Xilou Ji". Hengdi Zhongyuan, as well as Li Hongliang, Shan Wen, Plum Blossom Awards, Shan Wen's album "Wen Yun You Meng", Wang Weijian's album "Old and Old" are engaged in accompaniment and recording matters. It is fruitful.

Therefore, it is self-evident that the "Nankun Opera Rhythm" came out. Shan Wen named the album, and Shi Xiaming took portrait photos for the album, which shows how grateful he is.

At the press conference, Li Hongliang, a well-known Kunqu opera veteran, who has served as the deputy general manager of Jiangsu Performing Arts Group, took the lead to speak on the stage. His excitement was beyond words.

Li Hongliang said, "I didn't expect so many people to come. I'm very excited. If I didn't get excited, I wouldn't be Li Hongliang!" The reason is very simple. When you go to Lanyuan, you will always be touched. The younger generation has taken the trip and can carry the banner, can he not be happy!

He is very pleased that the flow of the Nankun bamboo flute has extended to the fourth generation and is clearly visible. The fifth generation is also eager to try. The performing arts are inherited, and the Nankun style of the bamboo flute is also self-contained.

He lamented that the Kunqu Opera people possessed the accumulated heat to achieve the publication of Yao Qi's album. He earnestly encouraged Yao Qi to stick to the Nankun style and make it enduring for a long time.

Indeed, in the sea of Kunqu Opera art, Yao Qi chopped the wind and waves to reach the other side, while some people voluntarily abandoned the ship, while others sank passively.

Yao Qi has accumulated more than 20 years of Kundi performance experience. His new album "Nankun Opera Rhythm", which selects classic Kunqu opera songs, includes 14 works such as "Peony Pavilion, Garden, Bubujiao", "Peony Pavilion, Jingmeng, Hillside Sheep", including Shengdan's classic arias, covering the north and south of Kunqu Opera, have different styles, crisp and soft corresponding, euphemism and clear coexist.

In order to make it easier for Kundi fans to play and sing songs, Yao Qi also specially produced a numbered notation and a gongchi notation to attach to the album, which was very thoughtful. This meticulous design, as if the petals are falling, is exciting.

Director of Huayin.com, senior music editor, He Shaolun, whose representative works include Kunqu Opera Master Edition "Peony Pavilion", Kunqu Opera Composer, Music Producer, National First-Class Performer Sun Jian'an, Plum Blossom Award Winner, National First-Class Actor Shan Wen, Jiangsu Province Shi Xiaming, director of the Kunqu Opera Theatre of the Performing Arts Group and a national first-class actor, also participated in interviews one after another, talking about Yao Qi's experience of "the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitterness and cold", for his perseverance in the transition between the old and the new, and tirelessly in the gap of time, moving towards Spiritual inspiration of the clear path of art.

Another highlight of the press conference was that the host did not spare Shan Wen and Shi Xiaming, and asked the two to perform "A Small Banquet "Crying Yan Hui" and "Peach Blossom Fan Inscription Painting "Preface to the Cup" respectively. Yao Qi leads the accompaniment.

When commenting on Yao Qi in the Kunqu Opera community, he believes that from him, we can see the maturity and wisdom of the new generation of folk musicians.

Yao Qi, who heard this voice, was actually uneasy. He would shake his head in embarrassment, even a little shy. However, in the author's opinion, the kind words of teachers and colleagues will be transformed into a kind of poetry and expectation in the bottom of my heart, which will inspire and accompany him through trials and hardships.