Class-number: 512 Name: Dong Di Student number: 201321173
Writing style: comparison and contrast
Topic: Chinese opera and western opera

Opera
Chinese opera and western opera are both important art form in the
world art.They have their distinctive artistic characters and different
appearance of art. I will do some comparison on their origin,
development and performance forms in this passage.
Chinese opera and western opera are originated from different
situation and have two ways of development. Chinese opera originated
from the 12th century and gradually formed with many conditions such as
complex show presented by the real people, dummy performance
including shadow play, puppet opera, folk popular tune and so on.
Western opera originated from the 16th century in Florence. Some experts
got together discussing the knowledge of music of old Greece. And then
the first opera “Daphne” created by Perry and Caccini in1597 was
performed successfully in the palace of nobles ,hitting the whole Florence.
In the ancient west, opera was a kind of aristocratic enjoyment. It was
played in the theater decorated solemnly where general civilian cannot
enter. However China opera belonged to each class both officials and
civilians. Going through long time development，Chinese opera have
various species like Beijing opera, Yueju, Kunqu and each has its own
characteristics which related with the spaces and the diversities of accents.
However, western opera Western Opera is Simple and Centered at
styles.Each country has its own style featured by their nation’s culture.
There are many distinctive features between Chinese opera and
western opera. The main artistic features of Chinese opera is
comprehensive, virtual, programming and western opera are supposed to
be real and exquisite. First, in Chinese classical opera, literature, sing,
dance, music, and even architecture art can be a part of the opera art but it
is not a simple combination of various kinds of artistic composition. The
composition of art links up subtly in together and appears in front of an
audience with overall image. However western opera express the story
entirely by singing and music. Second, Chinese opera is virtual. An opera
actor in the absence of any scenery and props would make the audience
understand his role with his performing to depict the detailed action of the
role. On the contrary, western opera requires to create the illusion of the
reality to let the audience feel themselves in the scene created on the
stage instead of in the theater. To this end, the western require art truly
reflects the life. Third, the role of singer classify in accordance with their
voice register and timbre and Western opera pay more attention to singing
and music. Chinese opera have it’s roles business. Actors study their role
business so even men would play female role or women may play male
role. In addition, actor must perform by using the stylized program
derived from the life which can easily to show the feature of characters
rather than directly using the way of life. According to their own
understanding of life and character, actor choose the procedural action
then organize and focus to enable it to fit with the role. Western opera pay
more attention to singing the story but Chinese opera pay more attention
to expressing the role.
In a word, Chinese opera and Western opera are two types of art.
Both of them have it’s own feature and value. Which one do you
prefer?