The Sun Hope Taiwanese Opera Troupe / 尚好的歌仔戲──尚和
The Sun Hope Taiwanese Opera Troupe
Text & Photos by Cathy Yang
From its origin in outdoor shows, the Taiwanese opera has attracted lots of fans of different ages. Many people of their thirties may still remember the charm of Taiwanese Opera, which used to be watched when having dinner. The Taiwanese Opera seems to be ignored now. Except for when performances are stayed for various events, Taiwanese Opera is rarely seen, only being found in culture centers, national theater, etc. Although it would seem that the Taiwanese Opera might be being promoted in this way, the truth is that it is changing in status from common culture to the more exclusive theatrical culture.
Liang Shu-ling, the head of the Sun Hope Taiwanese Opera Troupe, is deeply worried and talks about her misgivings and anxieties. She indicates that by having to cope with social change and in particular the change, which is now taking place in popular entertainment culture, the Taiwanese Opera has had to adapt accordingly.
Since it was first established, the Sun Hope Taiwanese Opera Troupe has worked steadily and has made solid progress by visiting every stronghold of Taiwanese Opera in southern Taiwan.
In this way, the efforts of Sun Hope can be seen everywhere: community centers, campus traveling shows, temple fairs and other cultural performances. Apart from public performances, Sun Hope also actively participates in promoting and thereby preserving Taiwanese Opera. By teaching in community colleges and school clubs, it is responsible for the first CD of vocal accompaniment to be available in southern Taiwan.
The Sun Hope Taiwanese Opera Troupe has had the honor of winning for 3 years running Kaohsiung City's excellent troupe award. Its oversea performances first started in 2002, and the troupe has since traveled to Los Angeles, San Diego, Hawaii and many others places. Such achievements have caused the troupe to be regarded as honored representatives of Kaohsiung's traditional opera.
The Sun Hope Taiwanese Opera Troupe annually creates new scripts and performs new operas, such as "The autumn of Lou-shuei", "Chuang Tzu's poetry and dream", as well as other famous literary dramas, which have all been well received. Sun Hope now also produces English creative dramas, which interest foreigners too. This new venture represents the diverse development skills of this Taiwanese Opera Troupe through which it may be promoted worldwide.
Last October, Sun Hope was invited to perform in the Paris Art Center. The Council of Cultural Affairs, the Bureau of Cultural Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all approved and subsidized it. The performance of "Falling Star" interested foreign audiences greatly. Sun Hope is indeed a potential cultural ambassador for Kaohsiung, spreading its talent worldwide for others to appreciate and enjoy.
尚好的歌仔戲──尚和 文‧圖／楊立柔 台灣傳統戲劇文化「歌仔」，從野台戲到電視劇期間，擁有許多老中青不同年齡層的戲迷，現在三十歲左右的民眾，還記得晚餐時全家人聚精會神地看著楊麗花歌仔戲、葉青歌仔戲的魅力嗎﹖但反觀目前，歌仔戲文化似乎被束之高閣，除了在特有民俗文化活動中亮相外，僅剩的舞台彷彿就是文化中心、國家劇院等殿堂，看起來歌仔戲好像地位提升了，其實說穿了反而從平民文化走向劇院文化。 尚和歌仔戲團長梁淑玲憂心忡忡地道出心中的不安與憂慮，她認為歌仔戲面對現實環境的壓力，還有平民娛樂文化的變遷，歌仔戲文化經歷過轉型的危機。 尚和歌仔戲劇團自創團成立以來，一步一腳印地走訪南台灣各個野台戲據點，成長足跡遍及各個角落，無論是社區推廣、校園巡演、廟會活動、文化殿堂的演出，處處可見尚和的用心。除了推廣演出之外，尚和也積極地從事歌仔戲薪傳及保存的工作，如社區大學、學校社團教學及製作南台灣第一片歌仔戲伴唱CD。 尚和歌仔戲劇團更曾連續三年榮獲高雄市傑出演藝團隊殊榮，2002年展開國外演出計畫，行程赴美國洛杉磯、聖地牙哥、夏威夷等地展演，成果備受藝文界肯定，尚和歌仔戲儼然成為高雄傳統戲曲文化之光。 尚和歌仔戲劇團每年定期創作劇本，推出新戲；如廣受好評的文學大戲「洛水之秋」、「詩與夢的莊周幻蝶」等，尚和也創新地推出英文創作大戲，讓國外朋友也看得興致勃勃；這嶄新的嘗試，呈現歌仔戲藝術多元發展的潛力，為歌仔戲開啟了無限的可能，將歌仔戲推向國際化。 去年十月，尚和歌仔戲劇團受邀前往法國巴黎藝文中心演出，文建會、文化局、外交部都給予肯定並補助，演出的「流星海王子」戲劇深受國外觀眾肯定，可以說是一支具有實力可遠征各文化殿堂的高雄在地團隊。 |