英籍導演拍攝《金子》電影版首映式為重慶直轄二十周年獻禮

□文/本刊記者 熊怡

英籍導演拍攝《金子》電影版首映式為重慶直轄二十周年獻禮

□文/本刊記者 熊怡

一個是中國的“川劇皇后”，一個是英國的知名導演；一個是傳統的戲曲藝術，一個是現代的電影理念；一個是“唱做念打”美麗不可方物，一個用最精準的鏡頭捕捉最美的瞬間。

4月9日，國家舞臺藝術精品、蜚聲海外的川劇《金子》，迎來她的電影版開機儀式。接下來的10天，英國導演索尼婭·洛維特（Sonia Lovett）完成了在重慶的素材拍攝，返回英國后進行為期兩個月的后期制作，預計6月中旬帶著戲曲藝術電影《金子》回到重慶，用首映式為重慶直轄二十周年獻禮。當傳統藝術遇上國際審美，川劇《金子》“從舞臺到熒幕”的蝶變，需要你帶著想象力來欣賞。

傳統藝術與國際審美的跨界合作

川劇是中華民族傳統藝術的瑰寶，也是首批國家級非物質文化遺產，是中國戲曲重點劇種之一。重慶市川劇院經典劇目《金子》改編自曹禺名著《原野》，自1997年首演以來，囊括了中國戲曲舞臺藝術的所有獎項，曾榮獲首屆“國家舞臺藝術精品工程”十大精品劇目獎、文化部首屆“十八臺優秀保留劇目大獎”第一名，被業內公認為“中國戲曲現代戲新的里程碑”。

演了20年的《金子》主角，當代中國川劇領軍人物、著名川劇表演藝術家、“梅花大獎”獲得者沈鐵梅，懷著對藝術至高無上的追求，不斷推動川劇、推動重慶文化攀登一個又一個高峰。在她的帶領下，重慶市川劇院經過近兩年的精心籌劃，力圖將川劇傳統劇目《金子》打造成藝術品位高、感染力強的舞臺電影，擴大國內外影響力，弘揚中國優秀傳統藝術，增強中國的文化自信。

戲曲藝術電影《金子》開機儀式。

為此，重慶市川劇院邀請英國索尼婭?洛維特導演團隊，打造戲曲藝術電影《金子》，并請來荷蘭著名紀錄片導演弗蘭克·謝菲爾（Frank Scheffer）團隊，拍攝電影版《金子》的“拍中拍”記錄片。如此高水準的國際創作班底，將把經典場面的臺前、幕后都完整記錄下來。同時，也將國寶級川劇藝術家的藝術形象和風采保留下來。通過電影讓更多的觀眾了解川劇、了解重慶的地域文化。

→ 各大媒體熱切關注戲曲藝術電影《金子》。圖為央視記者訪問重慶著名京劇表演藝術家、川劇《金子》主演沈鐵梅的父親沈福存。 攝影：熊怡

↓ 全劇6位演員平均年齡達到62歲，《金子》是這些老藝術家藝術巔峰的呈現。

此次電影版《金子》影視創作工作，把民族的、傳統的、富有地域特色的川劇文化寶藏發掘好、利用好，創作出既富有重慶特點又體現時代特色，并具有較高思想境界、獨具藝術魅力的川劇電影作品，打造成重慶文化的新名片。巧合的是，川劇傳統劇目《金子》與重慶直轄同歲，戲曲藝術電影《金子》也將向重慶直轄二十周年生日獻禮。

“我要讓電影版《金子》的觀眾感覺就像在劇場看戲”

電影版《金子》的導演索尼婭女士來自英國倫敦，她當導演30多年，曾執導過多部話劇、歌劇、芭蕾舞劇等作品，也為BBC、SKY、CNN等知名媒體錄制過多場音樂會。

2016年11月，重慶市川劇院與索尼婭導演就電影版《金子》進行了第一次接觸和討論。索尼婭向媒體透露，她第一次拿到《金子》的劇本，就被它的故事深深地吸引。當她聽到《金子》的精彩唱腔，以及極富節奏感的音樂，更是喜愛到無以復加。索尼婭高度評價《金子》的主演沈鐵梅：“她是一個用聲音塑造人物的藝術家，擁有一副出眾的嗓音，可以根據戲劇原有的結構，在劇中融入自己的特色。”

索尼婭導演說，所有戲劇的主題是全世界相通的，比如，“追求”“愛情”“希望”等等。《金子》的劇情是悲劇與喜劇的結合，即便與西方歌劇在語言上存在著差異，其飽滿的敘事結構和故事情節，也是所有優秀戲劇的共同之處。

索尼婭導演接到這項拍攝任務的初衷，就想把中國的傳統藝術介紹給西方，讓更多的人了解川劇。她力求每一個拍攝機位，都能呈現最好的鏡頭美感，將《金子》的魅力毫無保留甚至錦上添花地呈現出來，“我要讓電影版《金子》的觀眾感覺就像在劇場看戲。”索尼婭說。

但畢竟這是一場跨界藝術的跨國合作，語言成了索尼婭在創作分鏡頭腳本時的最大障礙。“因為聽不懂臺詞，我很難把握哪一句臺詞該切換哪個機位或鏡頭。”索尼婭說，為準備分鏡頭腳本，她花費了一個月的時間。依靠自己的經驗，通過觀看錄像帶資料，根據演員的表情或者肢體語言來進行分鏡頭腳本的創作。

劇組用于拍攝錄制的4K高清轉播車。攝影：熊怡

最先進的設備、最捧場的戲迷為“經典”加油

重慶市川劇院與索尼婭導演團隊幾經碰撞，最后決定用4K電影的形式來呈現《金子》。4月11日，電影版《金子》進行了3場帶觀眾拍攝的第一場錄制。劇場外，一輛搭載了3臺索尼PWS-4400服務器的“巨無霸”4K轉播車，就是用于拍攝錄制的設備。據了解，這種4K轉播車是目前最先進的錄制設備，能呈現最高品質的畫質效果，通常用于足球比賽、演唱會等現場錄制。

參與此次拍攝錄制的現場觀眾，是重慶市川劇院通過官方微信征集的，來自北京、成都等全國各地的鐵桿戲迷、票友，他們有幸成為重慶傳統文化歷史性時刻的見證者。事實上，要聚齊《金子》的原班人馬進行拍攝十分困難，全劇6位演員平均年齡達到62歲，超過70歲的演員有兩位。可以說，《金子》是這些老藝術家藝術巔峰的呈現。

據介紹，電影版《金子》的拍攝形式與普通電影、電視劇的最大不同，在于全程不會喊“咔”（停），所有素材拍攝一氣呵成。索尼婭導演表示，每一場演出拍攝之后，英國團隊與重慶市川劇院方面負責人都會一起就所拍攝的視頻進行討論，對于不足之處將在下一場演出時進行著重補拍。

“我們把古老的中國戲曲藝術與最先進的拍攝科技嫁接，借鑒英國國家劇院NT-Live的制作方式。我相信，隨著戲曲藝術電影《金子》的誕生，川劇藝術走向國際舞臺的路會更加通暢。”“川劇皇后”沈鐵梅對電影版《金子》充滿信心。

來自北京、成都等全國各地的鐵桿戲迷、票友參與現場錄制，有幸成為重慶傳統文化歷史性時刻的見證者。攝影：熊怡

The film version of this famous Sichuan Opera has integrated the “Sichuan Opera Queen” in China with a famous director in British; dramatic art in tradition with mordern film ideas; the un-comparable performing art with the most accurate lens to express the most beautiful moments.

The launching ceremony of the film version of Sichuan Opera—Jinzi, was held on April 9, which honored the national quality stage productions and enjoyed a high reputation abroad.Sonia Lovett, the British director of this film version, will spend 10 days for collecting movie stuff in Chongqing and come back to British for a two-month post production.As a gift for the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the establishment of Chongqing Municipality, it is expected thatJinzi, this opera art film will return to Chongqing for its premiere in min-June.Audiences need to carry with their imagination to appreciate the collision between traditional art and global taste as well as the change ofJinzifrom stage to screen.

Cross-border cooperation between traditional art and global taste

As the treasure of Chinese traditional art, Sichuan Opera honors the first national intangible cultural heritage and one of the major genres in Chinese Operas.Being the classic repertoire of Sichuan Opera Theatre in Chongqing,Jinziis adapted form“Wilderness”, a masterpiece written by Cao Yu (a famous playwright in China).Since its debut in 1997, it has embraced all awards of Chinese opera stage art including the top ten quality repertoire of the first National Exquisite Stage Art Works and the first price of Eighteen Excellent Repertoire Grand Prix held by Ministry of Culture.Jinzialso was recognized by the industry as “a new milestone of modern Chinese opera”.

Sonia Lovett, the British director of the film version of famous Sichuan Opera—Jinzi.Photo by Xiong Yi

Being the heroine ofJinzifor 20 years, Shen Tiemei has been hailed as the leader of Sichuan Opera and the famous Sichuan Opera artist and has been awarded the Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Prize.With the supreme pursuit of art, she contiuously pushes Sichuan Opera and Chongqing culture to climb the top one after another.Under her leadership, after two years of careful planning, Sichuan Opera Theatre in Chongqing strives to makeJinzia stage film with high artistic taste and strong appeal so as to expand its influence both in and abroad, carry forward the fine traditional Chinese art to enhance China’s cultural self-confidence.

In this connection, Sonia Lovett and her British team were invited by Sichuan Opera Theatre in Chongqing to create the film version ofJinzi.Meanwhile, Frank Scheffer—a famous documentary film director from Holland—and his team also were introduced to film the documentary of the shooting process of the film version ofJinzi.It is possible to completely record the classic scenes on both on and off the screen by such a high level of international creative team.At the same time, it also gives priority to allow more audiences to understand Sichuan Opera and the regional culture in Chongqing by keeping the artistic image and style of Sichuan Opera performing artists who are of national treasure level.

The British director Sonia Lovett, said that Jinzi’s full narrative structures and plots are something in common with all excellent operas in the world.

The film version ofJinziwas entrusted to explore and exploit the cultural treasure in Sichuan Opera featuring ethnic flavor, traditional and regional features so as to create a Sichuan opera film which not only has both characteristcs of Chongqing and times and also has a high ideological level and unique artistic charm.With the aim to create a new card introducing Chongqing culture, the film version will represent as a gift to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of its establishment because the traditional version ofJinziwas surprisingly created on the same time of the establishment of Chongqing Municipality.

“My aim is to let the audiences of the film version ofJinzito feel like going to the theatre.”

Ms.Sonia, director of the film version, comes from London, British.With over 3 decades directing experience, she has directed a number of dramas, operas, ballets and other works and also has recorded many concerts for famous media like BBC, SKY and CNN.

November, 2016 saw the first contact and discussion between Ms.Sonia and Sichuan Opera Theatre in Chongqing for the film version ofJinzi.Sonia told media that when she first touched the script ofJinzi, she was deeply attracted by its plots.When she heard the fantastic arias and rhythmic musics fromJinzi, she totally immersed herself into the adoration of them.“Being born with an outstanding voice, the heroine ofJinziis an artist who can use her voice to mold the characteristic of dramatic personae and merge with individual features according to original structure in opera”, highly praised by Ms.Sonia.

Sonia said, the theme of all drama in the world links to aspiration, love and hope.Plots inJinzibelongto the combination of tragedy and comedy.Besides the language differences compared with the western opera, its full narrative structures and plots should be the same thing with all good plays.

The director group is working in 4K broadcast car, photo by Xiong Yi.

The original intention of Director Sonia to receive this shooting mission is to introduce Chinese traditional arts to west and Sichuan Opera to more people.She insisted that every shooting seat has to present the best aesthetic feeling in lens.Only by doing so can the charm ofJinziexpress to the audiences without any reservation.“My aim is to let the audiences of the film version ofJinzito feel like going to the theatre.” Sonia said.

In this transnational cooperation in cross-border art, language has become Sonia’s biggest barrier in creating the shooting scripts.“It is quite difficult for me to switch camera stands or lens according to those dialogues written in Chinese.In order to prepare the shooting scripts, on the basis of my personal experience, I have spent one-month time to watch actor’s facial expression or body language in video tapes to conduct the creation of shooting scripts.”

“Classics” was energized by the most advanced equipment and the most avid supporters

After several intense discussions, Sonia and SichuanOpera Theatre in Chongqing reached an agreement to expressJinziwith the form of 4k movie.April 11 witnessed the first record (a total of three records) ofJinziwith audiences.Outside the theatre, there was a gigantic 4K OB van carried with 3 Sony PWS-4400 servers, which is the equipment for this shooting.It is understood that such 4K OB van is the most advanced recording equipment today which applies commonly to the live recording of football games or vocal concerts with the highest image quality.

Audiences who participate in this shooting were selected from the official We-chat of Sichuan Opera Theatre in Chongqing.They are big fans and amateur performers from Beijing, Chengdu and all over the country.It is fortunate for them to witness the historic moment of Chongqing traditional culture.Actually, it is quite difficult for shooting team to call together the former staff ofJinzi.The average age of all six performers is already 62 and two of them are even above 70 years old.That’s to say,Jinzibelongs to the peak presentation of those old artists.

According to the introduction, the biggest difference from the film versionJinzito other general movies and teleplays lies in there is no stop in the former one.In another word, all materials’ shooting are finished in one smooth motion.After every shooting, British team and person in charge from Sichuan Opera Theatre in Chongqing would work together to make a discussion about the shooting video.And the imperfections will be emphatically reshot in the next one, said by Director Sonia.

“Learning from the production method of NT-LIVE of British National Theatre, we have integrated the ancient Chinese opera art with the most advanced shooting technology.With the emergence ofJinziin the form of opera art film, I believe that the road to international stage for Sichuan Opera will be smoother.” And Shen Tiemei, the “Queen of Sichuan Opera”, is full of confidence in the film version ofJinzi.

The Film Version of Famous Sichuan Opera—Jinzi—was Shot by a British Director Its premiere presents a gift for the celebration of twentieth anniversary of the establishment of Chongqing Municipality

□ Article/ Journalist Xiong Yi