UMD STUDENT STUDIES CHINESE OPERA FROM THE SOURCE

Huangmei Opera is a local opera popular in Eastern China (a few provinces around Shanghai). It is sung in the local dialect. Its music and songs are very beautiful. Ms. Han Zaifen is the top singer of this opera. It is not easy to become her personal student.

 

Olivia Brann started CHIN101 in Fall 2009. After two years’ Chinese studies at UMD, she went to study abroad in China through a self-designed program this past August.

 

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Transcription of the Chinese interview:

Anchor: On September 2, 2011, Anqing City, the hometown of Huangmei Opera, welcomed a lovely American guest, Huangmei Opera singer, Han Zaifen’s first foreign student, 20 year-old American girl, Olivia Brann.

 

Reporter: This pale and gentle girl in this screen has a Chinese name, Bai Li. In the hometown of Huangmei Opera on September 2, Bai Li finally become a personal student of Mater Huangmei Opera Singer, Han Zaifen. This story started across the Pacifica year ago. In 2010, Han Zaifen toured the United States. At the University of Maryland, Ms. Han Zaifen met some theatre students and interacted with them.

 

Han Zaifen: I had a costume for role in the opera “Huizhou Wemon” and would like to have an American student to try it on. I was looking around for a female student for it. Then, I saw Olivia who showed some feel of an Asian woman (and asked her to try it).

 

Reporter: Olivia has been interested in the Chinese culture since her childhood. Olivia studies Chinese and East Asian cultures at the University of Maryland. In the exchange, this young girl was deeply impressed by China’s Huangmei Opera.

 

Olivia: When I first watched Huangmei Opera, I thought it was very special.

 

Han Zaifen: Olivia was particularly interested in our performance of Huangmei Opera and though it was eye-opening.

 

Olivia: I like Huangmei Opera because their eye and hand movements are very unique.

 

Reporter: In the conversation, Olivia expressed her interest in learning Huangmei Opera. With the help of some American and Chinese institutions, Olivia finally arrives in the hometown of Huangmei Opera. Huangmei Opera is beautiful, but it is difficult to learn. It is particularly difficulty for Olivia who grew up in American. As soon as she arrives, Olivia meets some difficulties.

 

Olivia: Mater Han wants to teach me how to sing and perform. Because the local Anqing dialect is different from Mandarin, thus, she teaches me Anqing dialect, but I think it is difficult to speak it, and I have never listened to Anqing dialect before.

 

Reporter: Olivia is very confident about learning Huangmei Opera, although she does not sing a single line of it now.

 

Olivia: I think I can do it if I practice a lot. I wish I could do it soon.

 

Reporter: Ms. Han Zaifen has made a special plan for Olivia’s four months studies. In addition to her Huangmei classes, Olivia will have close contact with Chinese culture.

 

Olivia: I will learn Anhui dialect, try Anhui food, and visit famous sites in Anhui.

 

Reporter: According to the teaching plan, Olivia will give a graduation performance at the end of four months learning. We are all looking forward to it.

 

Han Zaifen: We will dress her up in our costume for a Huangmei Opera performance in four months. What opera do you think she will sing?

 

Olivia: In four months, I hope I can both sing and perform. I want to do both well. 

 

Reporter: As a teacher, Ms Han Zaifen has a lot of expectations for Olivia in learning and singing Huangmei Opera.

 

Han Zaifen: I think this is a cultural exchange. As a foreigner, Olivia will have direct experience of my performance art and spread it

 

Reporter: This is reported by the public channel. 

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