Guo Lanying
Encyclopedia
Guo Lanying is a noted Chinese operatic soprano
best known for singing patriotic songs such as "My Motherland
" (1956) and "Nanniwan
" (1943).
She was born into a poor family in Pingyao, central Shanxi, and began studying Shanxi bangzi, a form of local opera, at the age of six. She performed with the local theatrical troupe in Taiyuan
, the provincial capital, at the age of 11.
In the 1940s she majored in opera at North China United University (华北联合大学), and performing with that university's Song and Dance Troupe. With that troupe, she performed many dance dramas.
Following the Chinese Revolution Guo became the chief performer in the Song and Dance Theatre of the Central Conservatory of Music
, Central Experimental Opera, and China Opera House. She played the leading roles in many new operas, including The White Haired Girl
and The Marriage of Little Er Hei. In the 1960s she appeared in the film The East Is Red
.
Along with the singer Wang Kun
, she was a member of the first generation of Chinese performing artists to train overseas. She visited the Soviet Union
, Romania
, Poland
, Czechoslovakia
, Yugoslavia
, Italy
, Japan
, and other nations.
Guo retired in 1982, continuing to teach at the China Conservatory of Music
in Beijing
. In 1986 she established the Guo Lanying Art School in Guangdong
.
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
best known for singing patriotic songs such as "My Motherland
My Motherland
"My Motherland" is a song written for the Chinese movie Battle on Shangganling Mountain . Lyrics were written by Qiao Yu . Music was composed by Liu Chi . Both of them are well-known for a number of songs since 1950s...
" (1956) and "Nanniwan
Nanniwan
Nanniwan is a revolutionary song written in 1943 with lyrics by communist playwright and poet He Jingzhi and music by Ma Ke. It was made popular by the Communist Party of China and continues to be one of the most recognisable songs in the People's Republic of China.Nanniwan is a gorge about 90km...
" (1943).
She was born into a poor family in Pingyao, central Shanxi, and began studying Shanxi bangzi, a form of local opera, at the age of six. She performed with the local theatrical troupe in Taiyuan
Taiyuan
Taiyuan is the capital and largest city of Shanxi province in North China. At the 2010 census, it had a total population of 4,201,591 inhabitants on 6959 km² whom 3,212,500 are urban on 1,460 km². The name of the city literally means "Great Plains", referring to the location where the Fen River...
, the provincial capital, at the age of 11.
In the 1940s she majored in opera at North China United University (华北联合大学), and performing with that university's Song and Dance Troupe. With that troupe, she performed many dance dramas.
Following the Chinese Revolution Guo became the chief performer in the Song and Dance Theatre of the Central Conservatory of Music
Central Conservatory of Music
The Central Conservatory of Music is the national leading music school in Beijing, China.Founded in 1950, the Conservatory offers courses to both Chinese nationals and foreign students, and caters for all levels from primary up to postgraduate programmes...
, Central Experimental Opera, and China Opera House. She played the leading roles in many new operas, including The White Haired Girl
The White Haired Girl
The White-Haired Girl is a Chinese opera, ballet, by Yan Jinxuan to a Chinese libretto. The first opera performance was in 1945, with Wang Kun playing the lead role. The film was made in 1950. The first Beijing opera performance was in 1958. The first ballet performance was by Shanghai Dance...
and The Marriage of Little Er Hei. In the 1960s she appeared in the film The East Is Red
The East Is Red (film)
The East Is Red is a 1965 Chinese film directed by Wang Ping. It is a a "song and dance epic" promoting Communism, especially the Maoism prevalent in the Communist Party of China, produced in the early 1960s...
.
Along with the singer Wang Kun
Wang Kun (singer)
Wang Kun is a noted and influential Chinese singer, actress, musical director, and teacher specializing in revolutionary repertoire. She is most famous for her interpretations of songs such as "Nanniwan" ....
, she was a member of the first generation of Chinese performing artists to train overseas. She visited the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and other nations.
Guo retired in 1982, continuing to teach at the China Conservatory of Music
China Conservatory of Music
The China Conservatory of Music is a music conservatory in Beijing, China. It was established in 1964....
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. In 1986 she established the Guo Lanying Art School in Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
.
External links
- Guo Lanying article
- Baidu article (Chinese)
See also
- Wang Kun (singer)Wang Kun (singer)Wang Kun is a noted and influential Chinese singer, actress, musical director, and teacher specializing in revolutionary repertoire. She is most famous for her interpretations of songs such as "Nanniwan" ....