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Peking
opera
of China is a national treasure which dates back to the year 1790.
That year four local opera troupes of Anhui Province came to Beijing
on a performance tour on the order of the imperial court. The tour
was a hit and the troupes stayed. The artists absorbed the tunes of
the Hubei local opera and drew on the best of Kun Qu, Qin Qiang and
Bang Zi and other local operas.
There is no lacking of social celebrities among Peking opera
fans. Emperor Guang Xu of Qing Dynasty, for example, was not only
a good amateur Peking opera singer, but was also a good drummer in
the Peking opera orchestra (the drummer plays the role of the director
of the orchestra). The Empress Dowager was an avid Peking opera fan,
too. The huge three-storey theater in the Summer Palace is a proof
of her love for Peking opera.
With a history of over 200 years, Beijing Opera, which originated
in Beijing, is the operatic form commanding the biggest following.
It combines acting, dialogue, singing, music, dancing and acrobatics,
and its roles can be classified in four categories: sheng, dan, jing
and chou. In acting and acrobatics, different roles follow different
patterns, all rather exaggerated, suggestive and symbolic. The actions
of opening a door, going up the stairs, rowing a boat or climbing
a hill, for instance, are done purely through the mime-like movements
of the actors without the help of props.
The costumes in Peking opera are graceful, magnificent, elegant and
brilliant, most of which are made in handicraft embroidery. As the
traditional Chinese pattern are adopted, the costumes are of a high
aesthetic value.
The outstanding Beijing Opera actor Mei Lanfang (1894--1961)
was a great artist who excelled in singing, recitation and dancing
and had a fine understanding of music, costumes and make-up. This
creative actor formed a school of his own which has been very influential
in the Contemporary operatic field. His masterpieces include A Woman
Feigning Madness, The Drunken Beauty and The King Bids Farewell to
His Concubine. Among other well-known Beijing Opera actors are Cheng
Yanqiu, Ma Lianliang, Zhou Xinfang and Zhang Junqiu.
Since Mei Lanfang, the grand master of Peking opera, visited Japan
in 1919, Peking opera has become more and more popular with people
all over the world, and it has made an excellent contribution to cultural
exchange between China and the West, to friendly association and to
improvement of solidarity.
Peking Opera house of Beijing has been invited to perform in U.S.A.,
England, France, Germany, Italy (three times), Australia, Japan( four
times), Brazil, Turkey, Singapore, South korea and Hongkong (five
times). The performances have made an outstanding contribution to
Sino-foreign cultural exchange and to the promotion of friendly association
of peoples in the world, and were highly appreciated by foreign audiences.
Peking Opera house of Beijing is willing to participate in activities
of international cultural exchange and of commercial performances
and sincerely hopes that friends in various countries will make contacts
with us about cultural exchange and performances.
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Address of Peking Opera House:
Haihu West lane No. 30, Fengtai District, Beijing, China.
Post:100077
Tel: (008610) 67227775
Fax: (008610) 67541215
E-mail:huangye@public.bta.net.cn
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