CHINESE

THEATER
Chinese Chinese theater traditionally
Theater
was considered as the highest
form of arts in China.
 PEKING
OPERA

• is also known as the Beijing opera

Chinese • still follows traditional Chinese arts in
Theater stressing meaning, rather than precise
actions
 PEKING
OPERA

• is a stylized Chinese form of opera

Chinese
dating from the late 18th century, in
Theater which speech, singing, mime, and
acrobatics are performed to an
instrumental accompaniment
 PEKING
OPERA

• became fully developed and

Chinese
recognized by the mid-19th century
Theater • was regarded as one of the cultural
treasures of China and was extremely
popular in the Qing Dynasty court
 PEKING
OPERA

• The opera artists’ goal is to make

Chinese
every performance exceptionally
Theater beautiful in every movement they will
make.
 HISTORY

• In its early years Peking Opera was

Chinese
looked down upon by the scholar class
Theater but was popular among the general
population
PEKING
OPERA
STYLES
OF MUSIC
 Basically, the Peking opera has two main
styles of music:
• Erh-huang
• His-p’l

Main These styles are very

Styles of similar and the only
Music difference is the key.
 His-p’l has lower sound than erh-
huang.

They also utilize the

technique called
Main fan-pan which is
Styles of commonly used for
Music sorrowful songs, and is
only sung by bearded characters.
 PEKING
OPERA:
ORCHESTRA
• It comprises about 8 musicians sitting
on stools in the far corner of the stage.
Chinese • Each performance in a Peking opera
Theater begins with the ta-lo and siao-lo, a
small and large gong and cymbals.
 PEKING
OPERA:
ORCHESTRA
• In some performances, they also start
with a single skin drum or kettle drum.
Chinese • The conductor usually sits in the center
Theater of the orchestra and creates tempo
with this drum.
 PEKING
OPERA:
VOCAL
• The actor’s delivery of lines is rigidly
controlled by conventions.
• Each role has its prescribed vocal timbre
Chinese and pitch, and syllables are often drawn out
Theater with regards to conversational usage in
order to maintain the appropriate rhythm.
 PEKING
OPERA:
VOCAL
• Even spoken passages are governed by
strict rhythms and tempos.
• Chanted and sung passages are freely
Chinese inserted into spoken monologues or
Theater dialogues.
• Thus, lines are rendered in an extremely
stylized manner.
MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS
 Aerophone
1. Ti-ts – cross flute; usually played
along singing
2. Siao – recorded flutes; usually
played along singing
Chinese 3. Sona – trumpet; announces
Theater prosperous occasions (victories,
good news, etc.)
 Chordophone
Violin-Like
1. Hu-ch’in – is a two-stringed violin-
like instrument that is held upright
against the knee
Chinese 2. Bu-ch’in – is also a two-stringed
Theater violin-like instrument that has a
more graceful sound
 Chordophone
Guitar-Like
1. Yue-ch’in – is a four-stringed moon
guitar
2. San-sien – is a three-stringed
Chinese instrument
Theater 3. Pi-p’a – is similar to lute with four
strings
 Idiophone
1. Ta-lo
2. Siao-lo
} gongs; signify the
beginning of the
performance
3. Tan-pi-ku – kettle drum; used to
Chinese
Theater create the tempo of the
performance
 MUSIC
The 'Wenchang', or civil division,
which is mainly there to accompany
the singing, features instruments such
as the 'Jinghu' (a high-pitched bowed,
string instrument), the 'Yueqin' (or
Chinese 'moon zither', a string instrument with
Theater a round body), and the 'Pipa' (a 4-
stringed, plucked instrument).
Peking Opera:
Characteristics
The stories are of two general types: CIVIL
PLAYS and MARTIAL PLAYS.

Music is very important to Peking Opera. Certain

story types are accompanied by specific types of
music, which may include arias, percussion
patterns, and fixed tune melodies.

Performances use an orchestra different from

what we see in the West. The orchestra sits out
of audience view, split into divisions called civil
and military. The civil part of the orchestra, made
up of string and wind instruments, accompanies
singing.
Pictures of
Peking Opera
Performers
SUMMARY
In Peking Opera: The singer performs aria since
this helps the performance of the play. Aira is
done by singing a long accomapnied song for a
solo voice.

Peking Opera also known as Beijing Opera is a

combination of music, vocal performance, mime,
dance and acrobatics.

Aria is a self-contained peicce for a solo music or

song, with or without instrumental or orchestral
accompaniment.
One of the Peking Story is about “Female
Generals of the Yang Family”-this is about the
story that recounts the unflinching loyalty and
the remarkable bravery of these female generals
as they come to the battlefield and protect their
homeland.
Break time
before TLE
subject
THANKS!