Peking Opera

KnownasChina'snationalopera,PekingOpera,whichoriginatedinthelate18thcentury,isasynthesisofmusic,dance,artandacrobatics.ItisthemostinfluentialandrepresentativeofalloperasinChina.BasedupontraditionalAnhuiOpera,ithasalsoadoptedrepertoire,musicandperformingtechniquesfromKunOpera(alocaloperafromJiangsuProvince)andQinqiangOpera(fromShaanxiProvince)aswellastraditionalfolkrunesinitsdevelopment,eventuallyformingitsownhighlystylizedmusicandperformingtechniques.PekingOperascanbedividedinto"civil"pieces,whicharecharacterizedbysinging,and"martial"ones,whichfeatureacrobaticsandstunts.Someoperasarecombinationsofboth.Itsrepertoireincludeshistoricalplays,comedies,tragediesandfarces,manyhistoricaleventsareadaptedintoPekingOperaplays,whichinthepastwereanimportantprimeronhistoryandethicalprinciplesforpoorlyeducatedfold.Twoorchestras,playingstringandpercussioninstruments,accompanythesinging,whichfollowsafixedpatternbuthasavarietyofmelodiesandrhythms.The"jinghu,"asmalltwo-stringedbowedinstrument,isthebackboneoftheorchestras.TheoperaticdialoguesandmonologuesarerecitedinBeijingdialect,andsomeofthewordsarepronouncedinaspecialfashion,uniquetotheopera.Theactorsandactresses,inadditiontosinging,usewell-establishedmovements,suchassmoothingabeard,adjustingahat,jerkingasleeveofraisingafoot,toexpresscertainemotionsandmeaning.Thehandsandbodytremblingalloverindicatesextremeanger,andtheflickingofasleeveexpressesdisgust.Ifanactorthrowshishandabovehisheadandflickshissleevesback,heisastonishedorsurprised.Anactororactressdemonstratesembarrassmentbycoveringhisorherfacewithonesleeve.Someofthemovementsarelesseasilyunderstood.andactorgraspshissleeveswithaquickmovementandthenpromptlyputshishandsbehindhisbackinadecisivemannertoshowthatheisbracinghimselfforsomeperiltocome.Sometimesamovementcangoonforaslongas20minutes.Forexample,whileanactorisconceivingaplan,hisfingersandhandsflutternervouslyathissides,andwhentheplanisformulated,hejustthumpshisfistagainstthepalmofhishandwitharesoundingsmack.Whenworriedtheactorwillrubhishandstogetherforseveralminutes.PekingOpera'sacrobaticfighting,whetherbetweentwopartiesorinamelee,isaskillfulcombinationofmartialartsanddancing.Therearefourrolesingeneral:themale,thefemale,the"paintedface,"andtheclown,whicharefurtherclassifiedbyageandprofession.Shengormalerolescanbedividedintothreecategories:theold,theyoungandthemartialartsexpert.Danorfemalerolesincludetheyoungandthemiddle-aged,theinnocentanddissolute,girlswithmartialartsskillsandoldwomen.Jingorpaintedfacerolesarealwaysplayedbyfrankandopen-mindedmenwithbrightlycoloredfaces.Chouorclownrolesaremarkedbyadabofwhiteontheridgeofthenose.Thischaracterissometimespositive,kindheartedandhumorous,butsometimesnegative,crafty,maliciousorsilly.Eachrolehasitsfixedsingingandactingstyles.Liketheactingandsinging,themakeupisstylized,inspiredbythemaskswornbydancersinTang,SongandYuandynastyoperas.Themakeuphighlightsandexaggeratestheprincipalfeaturesofcharacters.Forthepaintedfacerole,thecoloroftheirmade-upfacescanbeanindicationoftheircharactersofpersonality.Redindicatesuprightnessandloyalty;whiteiscraftinessandcunning.Blueindicatesavigorous,courageousandenterprisingnaturewhileyellowmeansanintelligentcharacter,butalessextrovertedone.Blackshowsasoundandhonestcharacterwhilebrownisoftenthesymbolofastubbornandobstinatecharacter.ThecostumesarebasedonthoseoftheMingDynasty,nomatterwhenthestoryisset.Thepropscanincludeaclothwall,tents,parasols,whips,paddlesandweapons.Thepropsarerealistic,butnotsoelaboratethattheydetractfromtheperformance.Exaggerationandsymbolismarecharacteristicsoftheopera.Holdingawhipisenoughtoindicateanactorisgallopingonahorse.Afewsoldiersonthestagemayrepresentawholearmy.Anactorcirclingthestagesuggestsalongjourney.Oftentherearejustatableandafewchairsonthestage.Thedescriptionofmanysituationsdependsontheperformanceoftheactorsandactresses.Openingadoor,walkingatnight,rowingaboat,eating,drinkingandthelikearealldemonstratedbythestylizedmovementsoftheactorsandactresses.Performersalsousetheireyesandfacialexpressionstohelpconveythespecificmeaning.

Inthepast200years,numerousschoolsandcelebratedperformershaveemerged.Manyofthemareemulatedbymodern-dayactorsandactresses.FamousmaleactorsincludeTanXinpei,YangXiaolou,YuShuyan,MaLianliangandZhouXinfang.ThemostfamousactorswhoplayedfemalerolesareMeiLanfang,ShangXiaoyun,ChengYanqiuandXunHuisheng.PekingOperarepresentsanimportantpartofChinesecultureandhasbecomearefinedartformasaresultofthehardworkofhundredsofartistsoverthepasttwocenturies.