Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PEKING OPERA
Peking opera (aka Běijīng opera) is still regarded as the
crème de la crème
of all the opera
styles in China and has traditionally been the opera of the masses. Intrigues, disasters or re-
bellions are common themes, and many opera narratives have their source in the fairy tales,
stock characters and legends of classical literature.
The style of music, singing and costumes in Peking opera are products of their origins.
In the past opera was performed on open-air stages in markets, streets, tea houses or temple
courtyards. The orchestra had to play loudly and the performers had to develop a piercing
style of singing, which could be heard over the throng. The costumes were a garish collec-
tion of sharply contrasting colours because the stages were originally lit by oil lamps.
Dance styles as far back as the Tang dynasty (618-907) employed similar movements
and techniques to those used in today's opera. Provincial opera companies were character-
ised by their dialect and style of singing, but when these companies converged on Běijīng
they started a style of musical drama called
kunqu
. This developed during the Ming dyn-
asty, along with a more popular variety of play-acting pieces based on legends, historical
events and popular novels. These styles gradually merged by the late-18th and early-19th
centuries into the opera we see today.
Musicians usually sit on the stage in plain clothes and play without written scores. The
èrhú,
a two-stringed fiddle that is tuned to a low register and has a soft tone, generally sup-
ports the
húqín,
a two-stringed viola tuned to a high register. The
yuèqín,
a sort of moon-
shaped four-stringed guitar, has a soft tone and is used to support the
èrhú
. Other instru-
ments are the
shēng
(a reed flute) and the
pípa
(lute), as well as drums, bells and cymbals.
Last but not least is the
ban,
a time-clapper that virtually directs the band, beats time for the
actors and gives them their cues.
Apart from the singing and the music, the opera also incorporates acrobatics and mime.
Language is often archaic Chinese, music is ear-splitting (bring some cotton wool), but the
costumes and make-up are magnificent. Look out for a swift battle sequence - the female
warriors especially are trained acrobats who leap, twirl, twist and somersault in attack.
Few props are used in Peking opera; instead the performers substitute for them, with
each move, gesture or facial expression having a symbolic meaning. A whip with silk tas-
sels indicates an actor riding a horse, while lifting a foot means going through a doorway.
There are numerous other forms of opera. The Cantonese variety is more 'music hall',
often with a 'boy meets girl' theme. Gaojia opera is one of the five local operatic forms
from the Fújiàn province and is also popular in Taiwan. It has songs in the Fújiàn dialect
but is influenced by the Peking-opera style.
