Chinese modern novelist and writer Lao She: Suddenly heard the news that Comrade Mei Lanfang passed away due to illness. We were all devastated for a long time and on the verge of tears! Some of us are friends of Master Mei, and some have only seen his performances, but we all express our sadness in unison. Everyone knows that this is a huge loss to the national opera community!
On October 28, 1913, "Drama Talk" in the 13th edition of "Shenbao" commented on Mei Lanfang: Mei Lanfang's Qingshan is also a first-rate figure in the capital, and he has long been famous for his excellent color skills. The combination of two difficulties in the capital must have special skills to move people. Those who have a pear garden addiction will naturally join in the viewing, and the first stage will have a gap between the seats and the ground.
Chinese critic and dramatist Mei Shaowu commented in "The Complete Works of Mei Lanfang: General Preface": He is a diligent and studious actor who has been studying classical literature, traditional Chinese painting, national music, etc. since his youth. He studied the traditional culture of his motherland in various aspects such as folk dance, folklore, phonology and costume studies, and integrated these knowledge into his art, thus creating a large number of excellent plays and forming an art school with unique style and style - - Plum pie.
Extended information:
Mei Lanfang (1894-1961), named Lan, also known as Heming, with the courtesy name Wanhua and Huanhua, also signed as the owner of Yuxuan, and the stage name Lan Fang. A native of Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, he was born in Beijing in 1894. He was born into a Peking Opera family. At the age of 10, he performed "The Match of an Immortal" in Guanghe Building, Beijing. A chrysanthemum list was posted, and Mei Lanfang ranked third among the flowers.
In 1913, he performed in Shanghai for the first time. He performed "Colorful House Pei", "Yu Tang Chun", "Muke Village" and other plays at Dangui No. 1 at the intersection of Sima Road and Daxin Road. He first came to Shanghai. It became popular throughout Jiangnan. At that time, there was a saying in the alleys: "To find a wife, be like Mei Lanfang, and to have a son, be like Zhou Xinfang."
He absorbed the innovative elements of Shanghai's civilized drama, new stage, lighting, makeup, and costume design. After returning to Beijing, he created and performed a new fashion drama "The Waves in the Sea". He came to Shanghai again the next year and performed in "The Waves in the Sea". The famous shows such as "Wuhua Cave", "Real and False Pan Jinlian", "Drunk Concubine", etc. were performed continuously for 34 days. After returning to Beijing, Mei Lanfang continued to rehearse new plays "Chang'e Flying to the Moon", "Chunxiang Makes School", "Daiyu Buries Flowers", etc.
He came to Shanghai for the third time in 1916 and sang for 45 consecutive days. After 1918, he moved to Shanghai. This was the peak period of his dramatic art and he performed on the Tianchan stage many times. It combines the performance methods of Qingyi, Huadan and Daomadan to create a mellow and fluent singing style, forming a unique Mei School.
In 1915, Mei Lanfang rehearsed a large number of new plays and made unique artistic innovations in Peking Opera singing, dialogue, dance, music, and costumes, and was known as the master of the Mei School.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Mei Lanfang