Chinese Opera
There are several different styles of opera in China. Many of the different regions of China all have their own style of opera. One type of opera is Peking Opera. The actors in this style of opera wear a lot of make up. In the Peking style of Chinese opera all of the actors are men, even if they are playing a woman character and the stories come from Chinese history and legends. Some people have a hard time watching this type of opera because of the very high pitched singing. This type of opera consists of singing, dialogue, acrobatics, and martial arts.
The Chinese opera actors don't actually deliver lines but they act out the lines by using their facial expressions and body movements. Most of the time the actors come from a long line of family actors. At about the age of 8, children begin to train to be an actor for the opera. Actor Jackie Chan was entered into the Chinese Drama Academy at the age of 7. His parents signed a contract with the school where he studied martial arts, gymnastics, acrobatics, singing, and dancing. Jackie Chan remembers being beaten almost everyday, only sleeping for 5 hours a night and not given much to eat.
Interest in the Chinese opera is declining especially the Peking style of opera. The main audience for the opera is the elderly, tourists, and visiting officials. Other forms of entertainment like TV, movies, and music have become the more popular entertainment in China.
http://factsanddetails.com
No comments:
Post a Comment