Legend has it that Bertolt Brecht's world was turned upside down by a
Chinese opera star. The European playwright, who felt that physicality
had more integrity than speech, met a revelation of the body's true
mutability in the person Mei Lan-Fang. To Brecht's amazement, Mei could
use pure movement to transform himself into a woman -- all while still
in male civilian attire. Standards of realism in theater would be
forever changed.
Mei
Lan-Fang's rise to stardom brought with it an increased tolerance
toward actors, previously regarded as the dregs of Confucian society.
Mei also paved the way for actresses, becoming one of the first masters
to accept female pupils. His legacy continues to inform opera both in
his homeland and abroad.
Zhang Ziyi (L) and Leon Lai are seen in a scene from Chen Kaige's "Mei Lanfang," due out on December 12. [File Photo: ent.163.com]
clipped from: content.cdlib.org 
