Blossom Entertainment.
Li Yunchuan and his junior, Zhang Wei, sat in front of the television, a spread of snacks and drinks before them.
“Senior Brother, haven’t we listened to opera together in a long time?”
Zhang Wei and Li Yunchuan attended the same university, though Zhang Wei was one year ahead of Li Yunchuan.
Best friends for life, Li Yunchuan was a top-tier singer, while Zhang Wei had gained popularity after participating in a talent show, only to fade from the spotlight within a year. The difference in their status had not changed their relationship in any way.
“It’s rare to have free time, so we can finally get together,” Li Yunchuan opened a can of beer and handed it to Zhang Wei.
“I also have to thank Senior Brother for finding a high-level producer to help me write a song. This song has been on the ancient style new song chart for half a month, and my fans have increased by over five hundred thousand,” Zhang Wei took the beer and toasted Li Yunchuan.
“We don’t need to say such things. There are still half a month left, and you should gain quite a few more fans,” Li Yunchuan smiled and clinked glasses with him.
“I was almost scared to death. Someone in the group said Ting Yu was going to release a song, and I thought I was done for…”
“Heh, that’s unlikely. Xinghui is currently being acquired, so they wouldn’t have the time to release a song for him.”
“It seems fate is on my side. If I stay on the new song chart for another half a month, I should be able to make a comeback.”
“Then let’s celebrate in advance today.”
“Haha, it’s all thanks to Senior Brother’s credit!”
…
The Opera Gala began.
The host stepped onto the stage with a microphone.
The dimly lit opera stage was illuminated at this moment.
The host smiled and began the opening remarks.
Backstage at the Opera Gala.
Resting room.
Liu Chuanfeng, the president, vigorously fanned himself with a paper fan, while a group of leaders from the Opera Association looked on anxiously.
Beside them stood a dozen or so elderly people, all former leaders of the Opera Association.
Among them was the eighty-five-year-old former president, Zhou Zhengming, whose hair had turned gray, but his spirit was still good. The hand holding his thermos trembled slightly.
“The stage nowadays is much larger than in our time,” the old president said, breaking the silence as he took a sip of tea.
“Heh, not only is the opera stage large, but the venue is also very spacious,” Liu Chuanfeng quickly agreed.
“The venue is large, but there are too few audience members, making it look a bit empty…” someone sighed with helplessness.
The Opera Gala commenced.
The entire stadium was only half full.
It indeed looked a bit desolate.
“Compared to our era, there are quite a lot of audience members. I remember when I first entered the industry, there were only two people in the audience, and our entire team sang with all our might,” the old president shook his head and chuckled lightly.
This was a rule set by their ancestors.
As long as the performance began, regardless of whether there was an audience, they had to finish.
Once the opera begins, all directions are open to listen. The second direction is for humans, the third for ghosts, and the fourth for deities.
Just because mortals don't listen doesn't mean ghosts and deities don't.
Although people nowadays don't believe this, opera is a traditional art form, and these old rules are still highly valued.
“Old President, times are progressing, but opera culture is declining. How glorious opera was in your era! It’s just that the audience back then lacked the conditions to listen to opera. If there were such a large venue, the crowd would have been packed,” someone sighed helplessly.
Everyone nodded.
What he said was true. In that era, there were not so many entertainment activities, and everyone loved listening to opera, but they lacked such good conditions.
And opera in that era marked its final glorious period.
“Times are progressing, and the decline of opera is inevitable. All we can do is ensure that the traditions of our ancestors are not broken in our hands.”
When the old president was young, his parents worked in a troupe, so he grew up traveling with them.
During the time when opera was popular, the venues were just simple makeshift stages.
Slightly better ones were those in teahouses, which had specially built opera stages.
In that era of constant warfare, following a troupe was merely to secure a meal.
Those who could truly live a good life through opera were the renowned performers in big cities.
Becoming a renowned performer was the old president’s dream since childhood.
At the age of ten, he successfully apprenticed himself to a famous performer and officially entered the industry.
However, not long after, war spread to his city, and the opera troupe suffered.
When war arrived, everyone felt only despair.
But in the face of invasion, no matter how desperate, one had to fight with all their might.
He didn’t know how many people died that day; he only knew that he, a ten-year-old boy, hid beneath the opera stage and personally witnessed his master being pierced through the body by a bayonet.
…
As the decline of opera was mentioned, the atmosphere in the resting room became somber.
The old president changed the subject and continued, “Chuanfeng, besides the opera channel, is there also a live broadcast across the entire network?”
Liu Chuanfeng put away his paper fan and quickly replied, “Teacher, that’s right, there is a live broadcast across all platforms and the entire network.”
He had apprenticed himself to the old president from a young age and always addressed him as teacher.
“Good. Young people like to watch live broadcasts now, so we also need to adapt to the times,” the old president nodded with satisfaction.
“What the teacher says is correct.”
Although it was broadcast across all platforms, the broadcast channel was not categorized.
Because opera lacked popularity, during negotiations, they only secured a small corner display spot.
This was already the best-case scenario.
Of course, Liu Chuanfeng would not tell the old president such details.
“Chuanfeng, I heard you wrote a song with operatic singing, and it’s quite good?” the old president asked with interest.
“Yes, Chen Rong found someone to write it, and it’s said to be quite good. She’s also arranged a special performance for this song, which you’ll see shortly.”
During this time, Liu Chuanfeng, as the president, had been very busy, delegating all the song-writing matters to Chen Rong.
Based on his understanding, in addition to rehearsing opera, Chen Rong also made time to rehearse her own program with the young people in the association for the past half a month.
The fact that Chen Rong paid so much attention to it suggested that the song's quality should not be poor.
“I have confidence in how Chen girl handles things. Since she says it’s good, I’m quite looking forward to it,” the old president said with a smile.
Clang!
With the sound of gongs and drums, the erhu joined in.
The performances of the Opera Gala officially began.
China has many opera schools, with over three hundred and sixty types of opera and countless classic repertoires.
The opening was naturally the most well-known Peking Opera.
Su Yu sat in the front row, holding a cup of milk tea.
His seat was arranged separately, like a recliner in a teahouse, with a fruit platter and sunflower seeds on the table in front of him.
At this moment, a middle-aged man walked over, glanced at Su Yu, gave him a blank look, and then sat down.
He was dressed in casual attire, and his hair was neatly combed.
Just by sitting there, one could sense a faint aura of arrogance about him.
“Overflowing with charisma,” Su Yu muttered to himself, impressed.
This was the kind of masculine demeanor one should possess.
For some reason, after his physique recovered, the sickly feeling had diminished significantly, but his skin was a bit pale.
He was becoming more and more like a pretty boy.
To be honest, Su Yu was not satisfied with his current image and aura.
At least before, with that sickly look, people would offer him a seat on the bus if he coughed a couple of times.
Now, apart from his handsome face and perfect physique, he lacked any distinct features.