Seven Castles

Huangmei Opera

                                      

June 20, 2008

 

Huangmei Opera originated as a form of rural folksong and dance in existence for the last 200 years and possibly longer. The opera is characterized by lifelike flavor. The melody is clear mild, and the performances touching. Being passionate, natural and simple is what makes the opera an enduring drama appreciated by all.

 

The opera became a part of the operatic genre in the Anqing region of southwestern Anhui Province. It first appeared as a simple drama of song and dance based on the folk ditties people sang when picking tea at the Huangmei County in southeastern Hubei Province a hundred years ago before it became the operatic form with costumes and additional roles. The music was simple and short. It slowly developed into the opera composed either of a young woman and comedian (or a young man) or a young woman, young man and comedian. Most of the items performed were extracts of local people's daily life, for instance, Husband and Wife Watch the Lanterns, an item still popular today. Now the opera has grown to be a professional performance both in rural and urban areas and has become a recreational activity of millions of people.

 

From the time when the opera earned its initial popularity in the rural areas, it had a long way to go from recreational activity there to professional performances in the cities. It began as a diversion acted by and for peasants and artisans, usually at festivals and special solar times (the 24 weather-oriented divisions of the year). As time went by, seasonal, semi-professional groups appeared, and they had to perform together with troupes specializing in more popular forms like Peking Opera and Anhui Opera. Not until 1926, 140 years after its advent, did the opera manage to reach Anqing, then the capital of Anhui Province. It appeared in Shanghai in 1934, but only on the cheap stages of the city's poor quarters, where it was denounced as "bawdy entertainment" and where the local authorities harried its unfortunate performers.

 

After the Revolution of 1911, the opera performance gradually became professional. It was performed on stages and the group of farmers and craftsmen who could sing and perform turned into professional performers. Since it was performed in Shanghai, Peking Opera and other operas further influenced the opera and a number of new items were included. The traditional tunes of the opera were also reformed. Progress was also made in the performance. The opera bloomed like a wildflower.

 

After 1949, the opera developed greatly. As a small folk opera from Anqing, it advanced into a local big opera representing Anhui Province. A group of veteran artists sorted out and revised some outstanding small opera.

 

The opera did not involve the traditional opera gestures which often used the sleeves and step movements. It was also not performed on stage initially but as a kind of roving troupe performance. The costumes are generally less extravagant compared to the other Chinese opera branches. There is usually a greater emphasis on the singing than the display.

 

Since Chinese opera is multivariate, the difference between operas is distinguished by the form of literature used as a basis for the opera and stage art. More importantly, differences can be identified in the singing style. For years, the evolution of the tunes has meant that there are now over 300 kinds of opera throughout China. During this process, recital and singing appeared as part of the "big local opera" and "small folk opera" that developed from late Qing Dynasty folk song and dance.

 

The music of the opera is its essential attraction. The music is performed with a pitch that hits high and stays high for the duration of the song. It is unique in the sense that it does not sound like the typical rhythmic Chinese opera. Three kinds of music are used: coloratura, character songs and basic tunes. The 104 coloratura tunes are taken from folk songs, tea-picking songs and other ditties. A short opera usually has its own features, whose name is often the title of the piece, which may owe most of its popularity to the tune. The music of the opera is light and lyrical, so a good performer must have facility in this style. Singing is not only the main approach to characterization but also makes the opera distinctive stylistically and musically.

 

The opera is easy to understand and learn, thanks to its lyrical tunes, simple words and literary tradition. Like other Chinese local operas, the opera also used local dialect. The language is a mixture of northern and southern and therefore easy for others to imitate while remaining pleasant to native ears. This was conducive to the spread of the opera. Its local flavor and folk style are most vividly revealed in its original and lively dialogue, both spoken and sung. 

【作者: zhangliping】【访问统计:】【2008年06月20日 星期五 05:04】【注册】【打印】