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1、Unit 18 Peking Opera: Artistry of PerformerspLead-inpText studypExercisesContentLead-inPeking Opera MaskPeking Opera Mask2.1 Introduction2.2 The Delights of Peking Opera Masks 2.3 Peking Opera Performance: Sing, Speak, Act, and Fight2.4 The Beauty of a “Virtual World”Text study2.5 “Watching a Play I
2、s Watching Famous Actors” 2.6 Mei Lanfang, Great Peking Opera ArtistIntroductionMany foreign friends first learn about Chinese culture through the numerous Chinese restaurants found all over the world, and soon discern that China is a country with delicious cuisine (菜肴). The second impression of Chi
3、nese culture is often Peking Opera, whose masks are now almost emblematic (标志性的) of China. Many countries design posters using Peking Opera masks to signal a “Year of Chinese Culture”. To understand Chinese culture, therefore, some knowledge about Peking Opera is indeed indispensable.IntroductionThe
4、 Delights of Peking Opera Masks Chinas Chinas Peking Opera Peking Opera radiates with the beauty radiates with the beauty of of resplendent resplendent ( (华丽华丽的的) ) color-vividcolor-vivid, , intense and intense and glamorous. Thisglamorous. This artistic artistic beauty comes not only beauty comes n
5、ot only from the costumes but from the costumes but also also from the masks of from the masks of exaggerated, dazzling exaggerated, dazzling designs, gleaming designs, gleaming with with reds, purples, whitesreds, purples, whites, , yellows, blacks, blues, yellows, blacks, blues, greens, every dive
6、rse greens, every diverse color imaginablecolor imaginable. . Masks, applied to the two roles of the “jing” or Masks, applied to the two roles of the “jing” or “painted-face role” and the “chou” or “clown”, “painted-face role” and the “chou” or “clown”, serve two purposes. One is to indicate the ser
7、ve two purposes. One is to indicate the identity and character of the role. The other identity and character of the role. The other purpose is to express peoples appraisal of the purpose is to express peoples appraisal of the roles from a moral and aesthetic point of view, roles from a moral and aes
8、thetic point of view, such as respectable, hateful, noble, or ridiculous, such as respectable, hateful, noble, or ridiculous, etc.etc.The Delights of Peking Opera MasksJingJing ChouChouThe Delights of Peking Opera MasksA “red face” means the person is A “red face” means the person is loyal and brave
9、.loyal and brave.A “black face” signifies the A “black face” signifies the person is straightforward.person is straightforward.A “white face” identifies the A “white face” identifies the person as crafty and evil.person as crafty and evil.What do these colorful masks mean?Peking Opera masksan art of
10、 beautiful colors and designs for aesthetic appreciation. The intriguing beauty of the color and design of Peking Opera masks adds to the attractive spectacle on stage.The Delights of Peking Opera MasksMany Chinese folk handicrafts (e.g., kites, dough and clay figurines, carpets, tapestries), poster
11、s, advertisements, and fashions adopt Peking Opera masks as a source element in their designs.The Delights of Peking Opera MasksTo Chinese people, going to the theater to enjoy Peking Opera or other artistic performances is known as “seeing plays”. What is a “play” in the Chinese context?In Peking O
12、pera, “a play” is not so much the story or plot but a world of images created onstage, a wonderful arena of harmony between sentiments and settings.Peking Opera Performance: Sing, Speak, Act, and FightPeking Opera Performance: Sing, Speak, Act, and FightHow do you understand Mei Lanfangs remark that
13、 the feature of the art of Peking Opera is “actors being at the center”?The “play” or “world of images” created by Peking Opera naturally relies on the plot provided by the script, and more importantly on the performance of the actors. However, to form a “world of images” in Peking Opera, the plot o
14、f a story provides only the framework and background, while the charm is produced by the actors performances. Peking Opera actors are the crux (关键) in creating a world of images onstage.What are the four basic aspects of the performance of a Peking Opera actor? Peking Opera Performance: Sing, Speak,
15、 Act, and FightThe performance of a Peking Opera actor can be summarized into four basic aspects, of singing, speaking, acting, and fighting, the core of which is a combination of song and choreography.Singing It is of utmost importance in the performance of Peking Opera, because first of all, Pekin
16、g Opera is a singing art. Any famous Peking Opera boasts several wonderful arias (曲调) that are well-known and popular with audiences. The charm of the melodies usually embodies the sublime realm of the art of Peking Opera. Unable to appreciate the magic of Peking Opera arias, one would fail to enjoy
17、 the profound beauty of the art itself.Peking Opera Performance: Sing, Speak, Act, and FightSpeaking It refers to character monologs and dialogs, which serve to propel the development of the story. Speaking, like singing, needs to be executed in an appealing way.Peking Opera Performance: Sing, Speak
18、, Act, and FightActing It includes body movements and eye movements, solo dancing or group dancing, etc. Most of the dancing is choreographed movements from everyday life. Fighting It is choreographed martial arts and acrobatics (杂技) to depict fight or battle scenes. Peking Opera Performance: Sing,
19、Speak, Act, and FightActing and fighting mean that actors employ physical movements to express the emotions of the characters and the circumstances.As the art of Peking Opera depends on movement to depict events, actors are given much room to perform on the stage. Peking Opera Performance: Sing, Spe
20、ak, Act, and FightPeking Opera Performance: Sing, Speak, Act, and FightIn this sense, the world of imagery created in Peking Opera mainly relies on the singing, speaking, acting, and fighting of actors, especially in the performance of the famous plays. This is the biggest difference between Peking
21、Opera and other forms of performing arts in terms of aesthetic appreciation. And the remark“Peking Opera is the art of performers”well describes its quintessence (精髓)Peking Opera Performance: Sing, Speak, Act, and FightDepicting a “virtual world” is a distinctive feature of Peking Opera. The Beauty
22、of a “Virtual World”What does its virtuality consist of?Its virtuality consists of two aspects: one is virtual movements, and the other virtual settings. Virtual movement refers to imitating actions onstage. For example, riding a horse. Onstage, an actor cannot ride a real horse, but can only hold a
23、 whip and imitate the movement of galloping by walking around the stage, turning the body, wielding the whip, and pulling the reins.The Beauty of a “Virtual World”A virtual setting means creating an imagined environment onstage. For example, rowing a boat. As there is no water or boat on the stage,
24、an actor usually takes an oar (桨) and, through actions, makes the audience “see” the rowing of a boat on water.The Beauty of a “Virtual World”The setting of the stage is very simple. Usually there is only one table and two chairs. The table, besides functioning as a table, may also symbolize a bed w
25、hen an actor acts asleep by sitting at it with one hand upon it propping (撑住) up his head. If he stands on the table and looks into the distance, it tums into a city gate tower. Simply put, changes in the stage setting follow the performance of the actors.The Beauty of a “Virtual World”The effective
26、ness of virtual movements and virtual settings lies in their giving prominence to the actors performances, helping the audience feel the rich connotations of the opera and its infinite appeal. Let us take two highlights from two operas as examples.The Beauty of a “Virtual World”At the CrossroadAutum
27、n RiverThese examples describe the function of the “virtual world” in the art of Peking Opera, which provides limitless room for the performances of actors; and in return, performers present the audience with a world of images full of appealing wit. The Beauty of a “Virtual World”The features of app
28、reciating Peking Opera are decided by the characteristics of image creation in Peking Opera.Features of appreciating Peking Opera:“Watching a play is watching famous actors”.the audience always separates the beauty of the beauty of the craft and form of the performance from the world of imagery.“Wat
29、ching a Play Is Watching Famous Actors”“Watching a Play Is Watching Famous Actors”How do you understand the popular saying“Watching a play is watching famous actors”?Viewers of Peking Opera go to the theater with the purpose of not only seeing “a play”, but more of watching the “performance”, since
30、they know the “play” (or stage imagery) is to be ”acted out”, and the significance of the “play” is located in the singing, speaking, acting, and fighting of the performers. When enjoying an opera, they bear in mind not only the protagonists (主人公) of the story but also the performers who play the ro
31、les. And the performances of the actors are what they have come to the theater to enjoy, especially when the performers are well-known. This is the meaning of “Watching a play is watching famous actors”.“Watching a Play Is Watching Famous Actors”Another observation from Peking Opera audiences is tha
32、t, “the more familiar an opera, the more enjoyable.”However, when a person watches a vignette (插曲) of Peking Opera, the more one is familiar with it, the further the background and plot of the story recede (后退) into the distance, and the more one focuses on enjoying the performances of the actors, a
33、nd feels, grasps and enjoys the deeper meaning and magic of the actors performances.“Watching a Play Is Watching Famous Actors”The second characteristic of Peking Opera appreciation is that the audience always separates the beauty of the craft and form of the performance from the world of imagery. “
34、Watching a Play Is Watching Famous Actors”As the famous German dramatist Bertolt Brechtl (1898-1956) once remarked. when we watch a Chinese actor perform onstage, we see at least three characters at the same time: one being the performer (the actor), and also the two roles being performed (the actor
35、 and the role). He thus calls performance in Peking Opera a “dual performance”, an important feature in the appreciation of Peking Opera. “Watching a Play Is Watching Famous Actors”Mei Lanfang He was an actor who played the role of young women (dan).Together with Cheng Yanqiu (1904-1958), Shang Xiao
36、yun (1900-1976) and Xun Huisheng (1900-1968), they were acclaimed (称赞) the “four famed Peking Opera female-role performers.”Mei Lanfang, Great Peking Opera ArtistMei Lanfang had a melodious voice, a beautiful stage appearance, with elegant dancing and movements onstage. He crafted a noble and natura
37、l image, reaching the zenith of female-role performance.Mei Lanfang, Great Peking Opera ArtistMei Lanfang Mei Lanfang made innovations to the art of Peking Opera in different aspects:He composed many new melodies, introduced facial expressions, movements and the technique of dancing to the accompani
38、ment of singing, from Kunqu Opera to Peking Opera; he also created various dances, such as the silk dance, sword dance, sleeve dance, and duster dance (拂尘舞). Mei Lanfang, Great Peking Opera ArtistHe was the first to use the erhu to support the jinghu (traditional stringed instruments), to accompany
39、singing by the female role, thus musically enriching Peking Opera. He also made innovations to masks, hairstyles and costumes. Mei Lanfang, Great Peking Opera ArtistHis representative operas include The Drunken Concubine, King Chu Bids Farewell to His Concubine, The Lance of the Universe, and Woman
40、General Mu Guiying.Mei Lanfangs performances fully demonstrated Chinese classical beauty with everlasting allure (魅力). He is worthy of the title of “master artist of Peking Opera”.Mei Lanfang, Great Peking Opera ArtistExercisespComprehensionpCommunicationpApplicationl. Skimming and Scanning Go throu
41、gh the passage quickly and judge whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F) according to the passage. _ 1) Peking Opera masks have been regarded as a symbol of Chinese culture by many countries. _ 2) The beauty of Peking Opera lies in the diverse colors of Peking Opera masks. _ 3) On
42、e purpose of Peking Opera masks is to help people learn about the characters of the roles.ComprehensionTFT_4) The example of Zhang Fei in Paragraph 4 is to show how varied the designs of Peking Opera masks are._5) In appreciating Peking Opera, the plot of the story may not be the most important._6)
43、The most important aspect of Peking Opera performance lies in the singing._7) Acting and fighting help propel the development of the story._8) Each Peking Opera gives prominence only to one or two actors._9) The virtual movements and virtual settings in Peking Opera are effective because the actors
44、performance offsets the drawback.ComprehensionFTTFTT_10) Viewers of Peking Opera go to the theater mainly to watch the famous actors._11) The old Peking Operas are not so popular as the new ones because the viewers cannot feel the excitement._12) When appreciating Peking Opera, the audience can see
45、three characters: the actor and the two roles being performed._13) Mei Lanfang, Cheng Yanqiu, Shang Xiaoyun and Xun Huisheng are the four most famous Peking Opera performers in China._14) Mei Lanfang played the role of a pretended mad woman in King Chu Bids Farewell to His Concubine.ComprehensionTFT
46、FFII. Careful Reading1. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each of the following questions.1) Why is Chinese cuisine mentioned in the first paragraph? A. To show the great influence of Chinese culture on the world. B. To demonstrate the popularity of Chinese food all over the w
47、orld. C. To introduce another impressive form of Chinese culture, Peking Opera. D. To indicate that Peking Opera is as impressive as Chinese food to foreigners.ComprehensionC2) According to Paragraph 3, what mask should the actor of Qin Hui wear in Peking Opera? A. A red one. B. A black one. C. A wh
48、ite one. D. One in the shape of a butterfly3) The word “evocative” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to _. A. convincing B. imaginative C. stimulating D. suggestiveComprehensionCD4) Which of the following statements is true of Peking Opera? A. The real charm of Peking Opera is created by the acto
49、rs B. The actors usually stand at the center of the stage. C. There must be famous arias in any Peking Opera. D. Speaking is designed to attract the audiences attention.5) Which of the following is mentioned as involved with acting and fighting in Paragraph 10? A. Eye contact. B. Kung fu. C. Aerobat
50、ics. D. Gymnastics.ComprehensionAB6) What is implied but not stated about the setting of Peking Opera? A. The setting is all virtual without any real props. B. The setting of the stage is very complex. C. One prop can serve different purposes. D. Actors are in charge of changing the stage setting.Co
51、mprehensionC7) According to the examples in Paragraphs 17 and 18, the benefits of virtual movements and settings are that _. A. they save the cost of the performance B. they save the labor force of changing the stage C. actors have more room on the stage for their performance D. they highlight the a
52、ctors performanceDComprehension8) What can we learn about Peking Opera through the saying “watching a play is watching famous actors”? A. The viewers go to the theater to see the actors instead of the play. B. The famous actors are good-looking and perform well. C. The actors are good at all of the
53、four basic aspects of Peking Opera. D. The performances of the actors are as important as the play itself.ComprehensionD9) Which of the following is the distinct feature of watching a Peking Opera as compared with seeing a film? A. The Peking Opera theatergoers pay more attention to the roles. B. Th
54、e Peking Opera theatergoers applaud from time to time while watching a C. The audience of a film applaud when seeing a person performing stunts. D. The audience of a film value the beauty of the craft so that they ignore imagery.ComprehensionB10) Which of the following is NOT true about Mei Lanfang?
55、 A. He wrote some plays for Peking Opera. B. He created various dances. C. He composed many new melodies. D. He enriched Peking Opera by introducing erhu.ComprehensionA2. Put the following into English by referring to the passage.1)唱：唱腔唱段、曲调 singing: aria, melody2) 念：独白、对白 speaking: monolog, dialog3
56、) 做和打：身段、眼神、独舞、群舞、剑舞、绸舞、袖舞、拂尘舞、武术、 杂技 acting and fighting: body movement, eye movement, solo dance, group dance, sword dance, silk dance, sleeve dance. duster dance, martial arts, acrobaticsComprehension3. Match the following English names of Peking Operas on the left with the Chinese translationson
57、 the right._1) Picking up the Jade Bracelet a.贵妃醉酒_2) King Chu Bids Farewell to His Concubine b.宇宙锋_3) At the Crossroad c. 拾玉镯_4) Autumn River d. 三岔口_5) The Drunken Concubine e. 霸王别姬_6) The Lance of the Universe f. 穆桂英挂帅_7) Woman General Mu Guiying g.秋江ComprehensioncedgabfCommunicationEvery country
58、or region has its own type of opera. Italian Opera was born in Italy around the year 1600 and it has continued to play a dominant role in the history of opera up to now. What do you know about Italian Opera? Compare it with Peking Opera.ApplicationIn 2008. the Ministry of Education launched a pilot
59、project to teach traditional Peking Opera in primary and secondary schools from March to July, 2009. Widely known as one of the nation s unique cultural treasures with a long history, Peking Opera will be included in music courses in 200 schools in the seven provinces of Hei Longjiang, Jiangsu, Zhej
60、iang, Jiangxi, Hubei, Guangdong and Gansu, as well as the three municipalities of Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai. According to the project, 15 pieces of Peking Opera, including classical and modern operas, will be added to music courses in these schools. This arouses great controversy. What is your opinion about this?Thank You!
