Beijing Opera Essay Research Paper Beijing opera — страница 2

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especially in the legendary plays. A Wu Sheng actor is not trained as highly in singing, for acting and acrobatics are his outstanding feature, but he has a pleasant voice, slightly stronger than Lao Sheng but rather quiet in pitch, and he sings with a natural voice. The Dan or female role can be divided into six main parts which principally indicate character; Qing Yi, modest and virtuous usually rich and educated; Hua dan (Hua tan) flirtatious usually poor; Gui Men Dan, a young, married girl; Dao Ma Dan, a stronger, more forceful character, usually a woman general; Wu Dan, the female acrobat; and Lao Dan, an old woman. A Qing Yi actress portrays a lady of good and sympathetic character Usually of a quiet, gentle disposition and graceful in her movements, she is the Chinese

ideal of a beautiful woman. As a wife she is faithful, as a young girl a model of propriety. Her good breeding is shown by the graceful, flowing movements of her ‘water sleeves’. The Qing Yi’s costume is elegant, simple and of good quality, but not as vivid in color as that of the Hua Dan. Her singing is of a pure, high-pitched quality. For a Hua Dan actress the happy, flirtatious personality of a young girl is required. Usually not of such a high social standing as the Qing Yi, the Hua Dan actress with her child like and generally quicker movements attracts the attention of the audience. This is a difficult part to play successfully. The Hua Dan’s facial expression is continually changing and her mischievous eye movements are particularly attractive. Because of her lower

social status more hand movements are required, as in old times it was not considered polite for a well-bred Chinese lady to show her hands. Costume, usually vivid in design and color, consists of a jacket and trousers, and a red or other loud colored handkerchief is carried to flutter in the actress’s hand. Her character, needless to say, is not as virtuous as that of the Qing Yi and therefore her singing voice has a happier and slightly stronger quality. She also has to do more speaking than singing. A Gui Men Dan is the young, unmarried girl, who in later life will develop into a Qing Yi or a Hua Dan; her immaturity is clearly shown in her reactions, for though naughty and slightly mischievous, she has not the confidence of the Hua Dan, although her schemes and plans are

often just as successful. A Dao Ma Dan plays the part of the female warrior. She is trained mainly for acting and singing and performs many skilful movements especially with the pheasant feathers in her headdress and her military weapons. She still retains feminine charm, however, and a very versatile actress is required for this role. A Dao Ma Dan’s clothes can be very elaborate, as she wears the four pennant strapped to her back and the Kao . A Wu Dan is the female acrobatic role and the Wu Dan actress steps into or takes any female role that requires a high degree of acrobatics. She is purely an acrobat but her role demands a talented actress for a successful performance. A Lao Dan is simply an old woman, but great skill is required for this specialized part. The Lao Dan

actress cleverly portrays in her bent back and faltering but dignified movements her character’s advancing years. She is often seen carrying a staff. Unlike the other female roles, the Lao Dan wears no make-up and her costume is plainer in color and design. Her voice tends to be slightly deeper, because the natural voice is used, not the forced high-pitched one used on other Dan roles. To see a Jing actor for the first time is a startling experience for the spectator. This part is more noted for courage and resourcefulness than for scholarly intelligence. Often playing the part of a high-ranking army general, the Jing actor with his painted face can also be seen as a warrior or official. His robust, gruff, bass voice and grotesquely painted face together with his swaggering

self-assertive manner all combine to make him the most forceful personality in most scenes in which he appears. Jing actors are usually, in fact, extroverts. The general rule for the basic color is: red for good, white for deceitful, black for rough, and blue for wild, i.e. a bandit would have a blue face. All Jing actors wear a heavy, ornate costume and a head dress with a padded jacket underneath to enhance the effect, They can be divided into three main types: Hei Tou (black face), who is good at singing and usually a loyal general; Jia Zi (Chia Tze), who is good at acting, and generally a more complicated character; and Wu Jing, who is mainly proficient in fighting and acrobatics and seldom plays a very prominent role. Lastly there is the Chou or comedy actor who generally