These simplistic and sincere songs can be heard throughout the hills and the forests, every day from sunrise to sunset. There are mountain songs, seed planting songs, tea picking songs, flower drum songs, songs to be sung while collecting melons, while fishing by the stream, while praying, songs for weddings and for funerals…The men and women of the village are always singing while they work, whether that work be tilling the fields or chopping wood, washing clothes or weaving them, and the essence of Huangmei Opera stems from this rural lifestyle, bringing a wealth of warmth and kindness to its sound and themes. Huangmei Opera singer Li Wen brings to you a musical panorama of this hillside village life, and lifelike portraits of the people who call this place home.

    Originating on the border of Anhui, Hubei and Jiangxi Provinces, Huangmei Opera absorbed elements from a variety of rural folk singing styles, and eventually evolved and developed into a mature art form, and after more than one hundred years, today Huangmei is among the five major types of Chinese opera. It is sung in the local Anqing dialect, and includes three styles or melodies called qiang, such as zhuqiang (“main melody”), huaqiang (“florid melody”), and sanqiang (“three melodies”, namely caiqiang, xianqiang and yinsiqiang). Zhuqiang is the most traditional melody used in Huangmei Opera, and has a sound that is rather solemn and stern, but also very elegant and graceful. Huaqiang is mostly used for shorter pieces in Huangmei, with a simple and upbeat tune, full of the livelihood of folk music.

   Sanqiang is known for its cheerful and varied sound, and was once used predominantly in huaqiang operettas. Huangmei Opera is loved by many for its sincerity, simplicity, emotion, and vividness. Many of the Huangmei Opera pieces collected on this compilation have been adapted into film or television versions. The more well-known of these pieces have long since become familiar classics in all corners of China, allowing the essence of this art to be enjoyed by a larger audience. So the individual songs found here can be seen as representative examples of this art, and when seen as a whole one can experience the essence of Huangmei Opera.

   Husband and Wife Return Home Together is a common favorite, The Unexpected Imperial Exam Winner is whimsical and a pleasure to listen to, Flower Duet is witty and catchy, Husband and Wife Viewing the Lanterns is charming and unforgettable…Every song has a tale to tell that is melodious and full of heart. The cowherd and the weaving girl, who will do anything to stay together, sing of the wonders and worries of the world; Feng Suzhen, who, in order to save her husband, continues to struggle on bravely; the Fairy Princess and Dong Yong, who overcome every imaginable obstacle so that they may be together. A pair of young lovers sings a duet, a married couple goes lantern viewing, a monk and a nun escape down the mountain to find a new life…This kind of natural purity is found only in the soul, needs no decoration or alteration, and is unconstrained and unbridled.

    Huangmei Opera performer Li Wen has spent decades fostering her talent, pondering these pieces and constantly viewing them from different perspectives, and every note, every line, is a result of these lifetime efforts. At times dignified, at times charming, or full of love and emotion; she brings each character to life with its own unique personality, adding her own artistic morals. Huangmei masters before Li Wen’s time, such as Yan Fengying, went to great ends to pour their hearts and souls into this art, and Li Wen embraces their teachings and continues their legacy, adding a new chapter to the history of Huangmei Opera. This compilation may be seen as a collection of the splendid masterpieces that Huangmei Opera has to offer, and under the careful supervision of renowned producer Ye Yunchuan, as part of his classics of Chinese traditional Opera series, this album is certain not to disappoint both long-term Huangmei fans and newcomers alike; recording artist Li Dakang traveled to Anhui Province, and used state-of-the-art technologies and simulation equipment, to make this compilation the best it could be; and Stockfisch Studios of Germany carried out the post-production duties, putting the final touches on this homage to traditional Chinese opera.

  The vivacity and harmony of Huangmei Opera bring to life the passionate yet gentle affections of man and woman, as its melody echoes throughout the land for as far as can be heard.