美如初化妆品有限公司:关于苏州评弹

苏州评弹是盛行于江南一带的地方曲艺，系评话和弹词的总称。她起源于风景秀丽的苏州，故演出均操吴语，约有四百年历史，被誉为江南奇葩。

　　评话又称大书，有说五唱，演出大都为单档（一人）。演员凭一把折扇，一块醒木，边说边演。内容一般是演义、公案、武侠及英雄史诗。传统书目有：《三国》、《隋唐》、《岳传》、《英烈》、《水浒》、《七侠五义》等。

　　弹词又称小书，既有说表，又有弹唱。演出大都为双档（两人），也有单档和三个档（三人）的。内容一般是描述社会生活和爱情故事，传统书目有：《珍珠塔》、《玉蜻蜓》、《描金凤》、《三笑》、《啼笑因缘》等。弹词演员使用的乐器以三弦、琵琶为主。

　　上世纪五十年代初，为适应听众的需要，又创造了把一个故事分成三、四回书，在两个小时内说完的中篇形式和以半小时左右说完一个故事的短篇形式，颇受听众欢迎。在演出正书之前，总要加唱一段叙事或抒情的篇子，以起静场的作用，称为开篇。

　　评弹艺术的表演分为说、噱、弹、唱四部分。

　　苏州评弹，以它轻便灵活的形式、优美动听的音乐、生动传神的说表、引人入胜的内容而博得了广大群众的喜爱，听众几乎遍布全国，在海外侨胞中也有一定影响，被台湾著名国学大师俞大纲誉为“中国最美的声音”。

　　Suzhou Pingtan – The Sweetest Tunes in China

　　Suzhou Pingtan, a cover-term for Pinghua and Tanci, is a regional performing art to the south of the Yangtze River . Originated in Suzhou four hundred years ago and performed in the Suzhou dialect, Suzhou Pingtan is has been acclaimed as a wonderful branch of the performing art.

　　Pinghua is mostly performed by a singer narrator with a fan and a piece of wood, telling stories of history, court cases, heroes and epics. The most popular stories are Three Kingdoms , The Sui and Tang Dynasties , The Tale of Yue Fei , Gallant Heroes , The Water Margin , and The Seven Gallant Men and Five Heroes.

　　Tanci is mostly performed by two narrators, occasionally by one narrator or three narrators, accompanied by a three-string zither and a pipa lute, telling stories from daily life and about love affairs. The most popular stories are The Pear Pagoda , The Jade Dragonflies , The Gilded Hairpins , Three Smiles , and Love of Weal and Woe .

　　Beginning from the 1950s, shorter stories would be told. This invention has been welcomed by the audience, who can enjoy a complete performance within 2 hours. Before the main story, the player would sing a ballad, which is called kaipian (the opening song).

　　Suzhou Pingtan is known for its story-telling, joke-cracking, music-playing and aria-sing.

　　Suzhou Pingtan has been popular all over China and among the overseas Chinese for its care-free atmosphere, nice music, vivid narration and attractive stories. It has been praised as presenting “the sweetest tunes in China”.