Pingtan (评弹), a time-honored performing art from southern China, masterfully fuses storytelling, lyrical singing, and playful banter to bring characters and tales vividly to life. Characterized by its poetic dialect, expressive delivery, and delicate string accompaniment, Pingtan conveys not only humor and drama but also deep cultural insights through the artistry of voice and music. Rich in charm and wisdom, this treasured folk tradition continues to enthrall audiences across generations.
Following their widely acclaimed performance last year, the celebrated Shanghai Pingtan Troupe returns to New York for a second engagement, once again presented by the Renwen Society at China Institute in collaboration with Chinese community organizations across the city.
Join us on May 10 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM for an afternoon of elegance, wit, and cultural immersion. Featuring ten distinguished performers, this year’s program—Echoes of Suzhou: The Art of Pingtan Returns—promises another spellbinding showcase of the storytelling magic and musical finesse that left audiences enchanted last year.
Let the dulcet tones of Suzhou dialect and the shimmering sounds of the pipa and sanxian guide you through tales of romance, wit, and humanity in this encore celebration of one of China’s most beloved traditional art forms.
Free, but advance registration is required.
评弹又称苏州评弹、说书或南词，是苏州评话和弹词的总称，是一门古老、优美的传统说唱艺术。 评话通常一人登台开讲，内容多为金戈铁马的历史演义和叱咤风云的侠义豪杰。弹词一般两人说唱，上手持三弦，下手抱琵琶，自弹自唱，内容多为儿女情长的传奇小说和民间故事。评话和弹词均以说表细腻见长，吴侬软语娓娓动听；演出中常穿插一些笑料，妙趣横生。弹词用吴音演唱，抑扬顿挫，轻清柔缓，弦琶琮铮，十分悦耳。经过历代艺人的创造发展，曲调流派纷呈，风格各异。近40多年来，评弹从内容到形式推陈出新，传统书目得到整理提高，反映现实生活的新编书目陆续涌现，中篇和短篇等新的演出形式日臻完善。
2025年春意盎然之际，华美人文学会联手美纽约江浙沪侨团，将于5月10日（周六）下午2时至4时特邀上海评弹团八位国家一级演员和上海越剧院、上海人民滑稽剧团的两位国家一级演员，共计十位一级演员为纽约地区的民众奉上一场精彩纷呈的江南文化和海派文化精萃的联袂演出。
上海评弹团建于1951年，是评弹界第一个国家剧团，也是目前最具实力的评弹演出团体之一。上海评弹团长期坚持“出人、出书、走正路”，流派纷呈，各有特色。近年来，上海评弹团不断涌现大批保留剧目，包括评话《三国》《英烈》《隋唐》和弹词《珍珠塔》《玉蜻蜓》《白蛇传》《三笑》《描金凤》等，在各项大赛中屡获殊荣。带着深深的中华评弹文化，上海评弹团多次赴海外演出和讲学，足迹遍及澳洲、东南亚、欧美以及港、台地区，受到海外华人和外国朋友的广泛赞誉。
此次出演的艺术家有国家一级演员：高峻（上海评弹团团长、国家级非遗文化传承人）、吴向隽（上海曲艺家协会主席、上海市非遗文化传承人）、姜啸博（上海评弹团副团长、上海市非遗文化传承人）、黄海华、、周慧、陆锦花、陶莺芸、朱琳、杨婷娜（上海越剧院著名徐派小生）、陈靚（上海人民滑稽剧团著名笑星）。点击此处可见艺术家们的详细简介和照片。
此次他们将演出多个评弹、越剧、滑稽的精彩片段，涵盖弹词开篇、选曲、评话选回、越剧清唱和上海说唱等多种形式。曲目选择全部来自传统经典力作，但在编排上通过鲜明的主题、灵活的编排和全新的搭档，令人耳目一新。演出既通过原汁原味的经典演绎，让观众感受到评弹、越剧、滑稽雅致隽永、抒情缠绵的传统特色，更不乏轻松诙谐、热烈恢弘的新鲜感受，可谓灵动活泼，风格多样。
