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.
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