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Perhaps the most striking difference from older forms was the introduction of true acrobatic elements into Beijing opera. The melodies that accompany each play were also simplified, and are played with different traditional instruments than in earlier forms of opera. The Chou, in particular, rarely has a singing part in Beijing opera, unlike the equivalent role in Kunqu opera. The vocal requirements for all of the major roles were greatly reduced for Beijing opera. However, the new form also introduced its own innovations. Thus, Beijing opera is not actually a monolithic form, but a coalescence of many older forms. Some scholars believe that the Xipi musical form was derived from the historic Qinqiang opera, while many conventions of staging, performance elements, and aesthetic principles were retained from Kunqu, the form that preceded it as court art. It also absorbed music and arias from other operas and musical art forms. Much dialog is also carried out in an archaic dialect originating partially from those regions.
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Beijing opera's two main melodic styles Xipi and Erhuang originated from Anhui and Hubei operas. Īlthough it is called Beijing opera, its origins are in the Chinese provinces of Anhui and Hubei. Beijing opera is generally regarded as having been fully formed by 1845. The combination gradually formed Beijing opera's main melodies. In 1828, some famous Hubei troupes came to Beijing, and frequently performed on stage together with Anhui troupes. Beijing opera was originally staged only for the entertainment of the court, and only later became entertainment for the general public. The character Sun Wukong at the Beijing opera from Journey to the WestĪccording to tradition, Beijing opera was born when the Four Great Anhui Troupes came to Beijing in 1790. Finally, with the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the name of Beijing opera in mainland China became "Jingju." In Taiwan, this type of opera is known as "Guoju," “national opera,” reflecting disputes over the true seat of the Chinese government. From 1927 to 1949, when Beijing was known as "Beiping," Beijing opera was known as "Pingju" to reflect this change. As it increased in popularity, its name became "Jingxi," which reflected its start in the capital city, Jing, and the form of the performance, Xi, an opera. The earliest Chinese name for Beijing opera was a combination of the Xipi and Erhuang melodies, “ Pihuang.” The art form has been known by many other names in different times and places. Some Western works have been adopted as new plays, but a lack of funding and an adverse political climate have left Beijing opera's fate uncertain as the form enters the twenty-first century. In more recent years, Beijing opera has attempted numerous reforms, including improvement of performance quality, adaption of new performance elements, and the introduction of new and original plays to boost sagging attendance. The repertoire of Beijing opera includes over 1400 works, which are based on Chinese history, folklore, and, increasingly, contemporary life. Melodies include arias, fixed-tune melodies, and percussion patterns.
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The music of Beijing opera can be divided into the Xipi and Erhuang styles. The layers of meaning within each movement must be expressed in time to music. Performers also adhere to a variety of stylistic conventions that help audiences navigate the plot of the production. The skill of performers is evaluated according to the beauty of their movements. They utilize the skills of speech, song, dance, and combat in movements that are symbolic and suggestive, rather than realistic. With their elaborate and colorful costumes, performers are the only focal points on Beijing opera's characteristically sparse stage. īeijing opera features four main types of performers performing troupes often have several of each variety, as well as numerous secondary and tertiary performers. The art form is also enjoyed in Taiwan, and has spread to other countries such as the United States and Japan. Major performance troupes are based in Beijing and Tianjin in the north, and Shanghai in the south. The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China. Beijing opera or Peking opera ( Simplified Chinese: 京剧 Traditional Chinese: 京劇 pinyin: Jīngjù) is a form of Chinese opera which arose in the late eighteenth century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-nineteenth century.