![]() And now he's come in person to watch the preview of our show and give his blessings, if I deserved it. I first got to know him through a series of voice messages in which he shared feedback about my performance with his protégé, who'd sent him a clip of me in action. Li Jingde is a veteran Peking Opera performer and the teacher of my teacher. The production team had been tight-lipped about the mystery guest but it turns out to be someone I know. The rehearsal today is a private affair, but an exception has been made for a special spectator to be in attendance. For the first time, I'm in character from head to toe and I can barely recognize myself. I know my moves, my delivery has improved, the legs are stretched and adrenaline is pumping through my veins even before the musicians arrive. The stage gods seem to have blessed me today with peace of mind and nerves of steel. On the 4th floor of the Mei Lanfang Grand Theater – where my debut as a performer of traditional Chinese drama will be launched in 24 hours – different teams are busy putting the finishing touches on their preparation for the big night.Įxcitement is in the air and for once, I am free from anxiety. I had done my homework and religiously researched Peking Opera in the months leading up to zero hour, but nothing would have ever prepared me for the backbreaking training that molds apprentices into agile, powerful and collected performers – and this process requires a sensible, calm and composed personality. It would have saved me quite a bit of disappointment, frustration and both mental and physical pain. I was never under the illusion that I consistently handled this experience with grace and poise and I regret nothing, but it would have been nice to have packed extra patience. The question was simple (almost predictable for a fan of reality TV competitions like me), but it hit home. ![]() In the car on my way to the dress rehearsal, the show's director asks, "If you could go back in time to the first day, what would you say to yourself?" And while it might not have been pleasant all the time, I now understand that everything that happened, happened for a reason. My journey has been a string of firsts and unknowns, growing pains and growth spurts. It's all coming back to me: walking into the practice room for the first time and meeting my teacher Zhu Lingyu, the endless groans during leg stretching exercises, standing immobile for 20 minutes in a specific position to induce muscle memory, the hamstring injury and the daily trips to the hospital for physical therapy, beating myself up over the cartwheel move, the voices in my head telling me to walk away, feeling at awe while watching the pros practice, the deep breaths before my evaluations, the story swapping, the laughs and teasing, the tense exchanges on an especially bad day. It's Day 99 and I woke up feeling emotional.Ī montage of bittersweet memories is playing in my head as I look back on the good, the bad and the ugly that got me to this point.
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