Among the hundreds of forms of opera throughout the country, Beijing Opera has the greatest influence and is therefore regarded as a national form.
Beijing Operais a comprehensive performing art that combines music, singing, dialogue, pantomime, acrobatics and martial arts. Hence an actor or actress in Beijing Opera has to meet more requirements than that in other forms of performing art. He or she has to be a performing artist, a singer, and a dancer at the same time. It usually takes the student more than ten years of training to learn singing and acrobatic skills. Thus, it is difficult to be a qualified performer in Beijing Opera.
Symbolism prevaols in Beijing Opera. The stage of Beijing Opera knows mo limit in space or time. It can be the setting for any action. The performer's acting is mostly pantomine. Footwork, gestures, and various kinds of body movements can portray and symbolize the actions of opening a door, climbing a hill, going upstairs, or rowing a boat. When a girl is doing needle work, she has neither a needle nor thresd in her hands. When a lady is riding in a carriage, the performer actually has to walk flanked on each side by a flag with coloured tassels represents riding a horse. Four generals and four soldiers represet an army of thousands. In a word, each action of a performer of Beijing Opera is highly symbolic.
The music of Beijing Opera combines the er huang tune form Anhui Opera, the xi pi tune from Hanju (Hubei Opera), and tunesand musical accompaniment of Kunqu (Kunshan Opera). Typical Chinese musical instruments are used in a Beijing OPera orchestra. The two-stringed fiddles jing hu and er hu are two of the main instruments. Other instruments include sheng (reed pipes), Yue qin (moonshaped mandolin, pi pa (the Chinese lute), suo na (the Chinese clarinet), drums, bells, gongs, and hardwood castanets.
Springing in Beijing Opera consists of a score of melodies based on xi pi and sorrowful feelings. Spoken dialogue is done in two forms: yun bai, which sounds like the HUbei and Anhui dialects, and jing bai, which sounds like the Beijing dialect. The former is used by main and serious characters and the latter for minor and frivolous roles.
The character roles in Beijing Opera are divided into four main types according to the sex, age, social status, and profession of the character. Sheng refers to male roles. Shengis subdivided into lao sheng (middle-aged or old men), xiao sheng (young men )and wu sheng (men with maritial skills). Dan refers to female roles. Like sheng, dan is also subdivided into various types. Qing yi is a woman with a strict moral code; hua dan is a vivacious young woman; wu dan is a woman with martial skills and lao dan is an elderly woman. Jing refers to the roles with painted faces. They are usually warriors, heroes, statesmen, or even demons. Jing can be further divided into wen jing (civilian type) and wu jing (warrior type ). Chou, or clown, is a comic character and can be recognized at first sight for his special make-up (a patch of white paint on his nose). Chou is subdivided into wen chou (civilian clown)and wu chou (clown with martial skills).
In Beijing Opera facial painting, which is applied to jing roles only, shows the characer's age, profession and personality by using different colours. Each colour symbolizes a certain characteristic; red for loyalty and uprightness, black for a rough, stern or honest nature, yellow for rashness and fieriness, white for a cunning and deceitful character, gold and silver for gods and demons. In Beijing Opera, over one thousand painted facial patterms are used. Each pattern lies in his ability to make subtle and interesting changes within the fixed facial pattern.
The costumes in Beijing Opera impress the audience with their bright colours and magnificent embroiidery. Some of the costumes used in the present performances have a resemblance to the fashion of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The use of colours indicate different social status -yellowfor the imperial family,red for high nobility, red or blue for upright men, white for old officials and black for each role. A student usually wears a blue gownla general wears padded armour; an emperor wears a dragon robe. Besides gorgeous clothes and headdresses, jewelles girdles for men and hair ornaments for women are also used in Beijing Opera.
Since Liberation, much has been achieved in reforming this traditional opera. Efforts have been made to eliminate the feudal aspects, to improve stageecraft, and to widen the subject matter. A new generation of young actors and actresses have emerged and are making new achievements on the basis of the traditional schools.