The Reasons Why We don’t like it
• Performers often drag out a word in singing, aria and dialogues,which indeed tests and challenges our patience. • Some dialects are involved in spoken dialogues. It’s very hard to understand. • We are not so familiar with the historical background of some repertoires that subconsciously we convert ‘classical’ into ‘old-fashioned’. • Peking Opera with slowness cannot catch up with the quick pace of modern life, thus more and more youngsters prefer pop music. • There is a variety of local operas which interest and attract youngsters more.
Costumes
武旦
武旦是表演一些精通武艺的女性角色，也可以分成两大类。一类 是短打武旦，穿短衣裳，这类的武旦，一般是不骑马的，重在武功， 重在说白。还有一种特殊的技巧，就是打出手。如《打焦赞》里的杨 排风，《泗州城》里的水母，《打店》里的孙二娘，《无底洞》里的 白鼠精，《摇钱树》里的张四姐，《三岔口》里的店主婆等。
Outline
• • • • • Origins and History Roles of Peking Opera Facial Painting Different Attitudes to Peking Opera Suggestions and Expectations
Origins
Anhui troupes 1790 Hubei troupes 1828
Red indicates devotion, courage ,bravery, uprightness and loyalty
• Black symbolizes roughness and fierceness. Black indicates either a rough and bold character or an impartial and selfless personality
刀马旦
Beijing opera was initially an exclusively male pursuit. The Qianlong Emperor had banned all female performers in Beijing in 1772. The appearance of women on the stage began unofficially during the 1870s. Female performers began to impersonate male roles and declared equality with men. By 1894, the first commercial venue showcasing female performance troupes appeared in Shanghai. This encouraged other female troupes to form, which gradually increased in popularity. As a result, theatre artist Yu Zhenting petitioned for the lifting of the ban after the founding of the Republic of China in 1911. This was accepted, and the ban was lifted in 1912, although male Dan continued to be popular after this period.
Sheng(生)
Xiaosheng Laosheng Wusheng
Dan(旦)
Four Great Dans（四大名旦）
尚小云 梅兰芳 荀慧生
Mei: ‘Farewell My Concubine'
Cheng: 'Injustice to Dou'e'
Shang: Lady Zhaojun Going beyond the Great Wall'
Peking Opera
Aims of Our Mini Research
• To know more about Peking Opera • To introduce Peking Opera to the foreigners who are interested in it • To survey youngsters’ attitudes to Peking Opera and analyze the reasons • To show some suggestions and expectations for changing the status quo of Peking Opera
Peking opera is generally regarded as having fully formed by 1845
Two Main Melodies
Xipi西皮
Erhuang二黄
Xipi tune is usually used for expressing strong emotions
Our Suggestions and Expectations
• Create new repertoires based on our daily life and the contemporary day • Expose children to Peking Opera Cultural Continuity from generation to generation • Emphasize the influence of the media Stimulate the public to know Peking Opera • Some theatres supported and funded by the public and government • Be more conscious of the value of Peking Opera
一类长靠武旦，就是妇女也穿上大靠，顶盔贯甲。这样的角色， 一般都是骑马的，拿着一把尺寸比较小的刀，所以有个专门名词叫刀 马旦。刀马旦和武旦也有一些区别。刀马旦一方面要有很好的武功， 同时还得长于做工，而且有时候说白、工架都很重要。刀马旦的戏， 有《穆柯寨》、《穆天王》、《破洪州》里的穆桂英，《佘塘关》里 的佘赛花，还有《棋盘山》里的窦仙童，《三休樊梨花》里的樊梨花， 《珍珠烈火旗》里的双阳公主，《扈家庄》里的扈三娘等。
The Reasons Why some foreigners are more interested in Peking Opera than us
• Cultural differences —— curiosity • Unique style——charm——join in the fun • Capital Beijing——geographical superiority—— more chances to enjoy it • A great deal of publicity abroad
Xun :'Matchmaker'
程砚秋
Jing（净）
The Jing is a painted face male role
Chou（丑）
Facial Painting
All of the different colors are a symbol for different personality traits
• A green face tells the audience that the character is impulsive and violent and depicts surly stubbornness and a total lack of self-restraint.
• Pink :Senior citizens who are of noble characters and prestige
苏三起解
苏三，原名周玉洁，明代山西大同府周家庄人。五岁时父母双亡， 后被拐卖到北京苏淮妓院，遂改姓为苏，其时妓院已有两妓女，她排 行第三，遂改名为苏三，“玉堂春”是她的花名， 苏三天生丽质，聪 慧好学，琴棋书画样样精通。 官宦子弟王景隆相遇苏三，一见钟情，过往甚密，并立下山盟海 誓。在那里不到一年， 王景隆床头金尽， 被老鸨赶了出门。 苏三要王景隆发奋上进，誓言不再从人。王景隆发奋读书，二次 进京应试，考中第八名进士。老鸨偷偷以1,200两银子为身价把苏三 卖给山西马贩子沈洪为妾。沈洪就准备带苏三回故里。 沈洪长期经商 在外，其妻皮氏与邻里赵昂私通，与赵昂合谋毒死沈洪，诬陷苏三。 并以一千两银子行贿，知县贪赃枉法，对苏三严刑逼供，苏三受刑不 过，只得屈忍画押，被已犯死罪，便密访洪洞县，探知苏三冤情，即令火速 押解苏三案全部人员到太原。 王景隆为避嫌疑，遂托刘推官代为审理。刘氏公正判决，苏三奇 冤得以昭雪，真正罪犯伏法，贪官知县被撤职查办，苏三和王景隆终 成眷属。
廉颇
Silver & Gold ： Suprnatural figures Monsters，immortals，ghosts