Cantonese opera
Encyclopedia
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera
, originating in southern China's Cantonese culture
. It is popular in Guangdong
, Guangxi
, Hong Kong, Macau
, Singapore
and Malaysia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional Chinese art form
, involving music
, singing
, martial arts
, acrobatics
, and acting
. 粵劇 (Jyut6 kek6) should not be confused with 越劇 (Yuèjù), the theatre of Zhejiang
.
: Naam4 hei3, Mandarin
: Nánxì)), which was performed in public theaters of Hangzhou
, then capital of the Southern Song Dynasty. With the invasion of the Mongol army, Emperor Gong of Song dynasty, called Zhào Xiǎn (趙顯 Chiu Hin), fled with hundreds of thousands of Song people into the province of Guangdong in 1276. Among these people were some Narm hei artists from the north. Thus narm hei was brought into Guangdong by these artists and developed into the earliest kind of Cantonese opera.
Many well-known operas performed today, such as The Purple Hairpin and Rejuvenation of the Red Plum Flower, originated in the Yuan Dynasty
, with the lyrics and scripts in Cantonese. Until the 20th century all the female roles were performed by males.
massive waves of immigrants fled Shanghai to destinations like North Point
. Their arrival boosted the Cantonese opera fan-base significantly. However, a decrease number of Cantonese opera troupes are left to preserve the art in Hong Kong today. As a result, many stages that were dedicated to the Cantonese genre are closing down. Hong Kong's Sunbeam Theatre
is still one of last facilities that are left standing to exhibit Cantonese opera.
To intensify education in Cantonese opera, the Cantonese Artists Association of Hong Kong started to run an evening part-time certificate course in Cantonese opera training with assistance from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 1998. In 1999, the Association and the Academy further conducted a two-year daytime diploma programme in performing arts in Cantonese opera in order to train professional actors and actresses. Aiming at further raising the students' level, the Association and the Academy have launched an advanced course in Cantonese opera in the next academic year.
In recent years, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council has given grants to Love and Faith Cantonese opera Laboratory to conduct Cantonese opera classes for children and youths. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has also funded the International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong Branch) to implement the "Cultural Envoy Scheme for Cantonese Opera" for promoting traditional Chinese productions in the community.
and myths
. Also, the culture
and philosophies
of the Chinese people can be seen in the plays. Mainly, virtues (like loyalty, moral, love, patriotism and faithfulness) are often reflected by the operas.
Some particular features of Cantonese opera are:
The four skills and five methods are a simple codification of training areas that theatre performers must master and a metaphor for the most well-rounded and thoroughly-trained performers. The four skills apply to the whole spectrum of vocal and dramatic training: singing, acting/movements, speech delivery, and martial/gymnastic skills; while the five methods are categories of techniques associated with specific body parts: hands, eyes, body, hair, and feet/walking techniques.
Some characters with painted-faces are:
Four Great Male Vocals (平喉四大天王):
Four Super Stars (四大天王):
Applying makeup for Cantonese opera is a long and specialized process. One of the most common styles is the "white and red face": an application of white foundation and a red color around the eyes that fades down to the bottom of cheeks. The eyebrows are black and sometimes elongated. Usually, female characters have thinner eyebrows than males. There are black makeup around the eyes with a shape similar to the eyes of a Chinese phoenix (鳳眼; fung6 ngaan5). Lipstick
is usually bright red (口唇膏; hau2 seon4 gou1).
Actors are given temporary facelifts by holding the skin up with a ribbon on the back of the head. This lifts the corners of the eyes, producing an authoritative look.
Each role has its own style of make-up: the clown has a large white spot in the middle of his face, for example. A sick character has a thin red line pointing upwards in between his eyebrows. Aggressive and frustrated character roles often have an arrow shape fading into the forehead in between the eyebrows (英雄脂; jing1 hung4 zi1).
Strong male characters wear "open face" (開面; hoi1 min4) makeup. Each character's makeup has its own distinct characteristics, with symbolic patterns and coloration.
Costumes correspond to the theme of the play and indicate the character of each role.
As mentioned above, each type of play is associated with particular costumes. The water sleeves of man (文) plays can be attached to the waist or the sides of the breast areas. Costumes can be single or double breasted.
Costumes also indicate the status of the character. Lower-status characters, such as females, wear less elaborate dresses, while those of higher rank have more decorative costumes.
s and helmet
s signify social status, age and capability: scholars and official
s wear black hats with wings on either side; generals wear helmets with pheasant
s' tail feathers; soldiers wear ordinary hats, and king
s wear crown
s. Queens or princesses have jeweled helmets. If a hat or helmet is removed, this indicates the character is exhausted, frustrated, or ready to surrender.
Hairstyles can express a character's emotions: warriors express their sadness at losing a battle by swinging their ponytail
s. For the female roles, buns indicated a maiden, while a married woman has a 'dai tau' (低頭).
In the Three Kingdoms legends, Zhao Yun
and especially Lü Bu
are very frequently depicted wearing helmets with pheasants' tail feathers; this originates with Cantonese opera, not with the military costumes of their era, although it's a convention that was in place by the Qing Dynasty or earlier.
Speech-types are of a wide variety: one is nearly identical to standard conversational Cantonese, while another is a very smooth and refined delivery of a passage of poetry; some have one form or another of instrumental accompaniment while others have none; and some serve fairly specific functions, while others are more widely adaptable to variety of dramatic needs.
Cantonese opera uses Mandarin or Guān Huà (官話; Cantonese: Gun1 Waa6/2) when actors are involved with government, monarchy, or military. It can obscure words that are taboo or profanity to the audience as well. The actor may choose to speak any dialect of Mandarin, but the ancient Zhōngzhōu (中州; Cantonese: Zung1 Zau1) variant is the main usage in Cantonese opera. Zhōngzhōu is located in the modern-day Hénán
(河南) province where it is considered the "cradle of Chinese civilization" and near the Yellow River
or Huáng Hé (黃河). Guān Huà retains many of the initial sounds of many modern Mandarin dialects, but uses initials and codas
from Middle Chinese
. For example, the words 張 and 將 are both pronounced as /tsœːŋ˥˥/ (jyutping
: zœng1) in Modern Cantonese, but will respectively be spoken as /tʂɑŋ˥˥/ (pinyin
: zhāng) and /tɕiɑŋ˥˥/ (pinyin: jiāng) in operatic Guān Huà. Furthermore, the word 金 is pronounced as /kɐm˥˥/ (jyutping: gam1) in modern Cantonese and /tɕin˥˥/ (pinyin: jīn) in standard Mandarin, but operatic Guān Huà will use /kim˥˥/ (pinyin: gīm). However, actors tend to use Cantonese sounds when speaking Mandarin. For instance, the command for “to leave” is 下去 and is articulated as /saː˨˨ tsʰɵy˧˧/ in operatic Guān Huà compared to /haː˨˨ hɵy˧˧ / (jyutping: haa6 heoi3) in modern Cantonese and /ɕi̯ɑ˥˩ tɕʰy˩/ (pinyin: xià qu) in standard Mandarin.
The western music in Cantonese opera is accompanied by strings
, woodwind
s, brass
plus electrified instruments. Lyrics are written to fit the play's melodies, although one song can contain multiple melodies, performers being able to add their own elements. Whether a song is well performed depends on the performers' own emotional involvement and ability.
in 1949. Cantonese instrumental tunes have been used in Cantonese opera, either as incidental instrumental music or as fixed tunes to which new texts were composed, since the 1930s.
The use of instruments in Cantonese opera is influenced by both western and eastern cultures. The reason for this is that Canton
was one of the earliest places in China to establish trade relationships with the western civilizations. In addition, Hong Kong was under heavy western influence when it was a British colony. These factors contributed to the observed western elements in Cantonese opera.
For instance, the use of erhu
(two string bowed fiddle), saxophone
s, guitar
s and the conga
s have demonstrated how diversified the musical instruments in Cantonese operas are.
The musical instruments are mainly divided into melodic and percussive types.
Traditional musical instruments used in Cantonese opera include wind, strings and percussion
. The winds and strings encompass erhu, gaohu
, yehu
, yangqin
, pipa
, dizi, and houguan
, while the percussion comprises many different drum
s and cymbal
s. The percussion controls the overall rhythm and pace of the music, while the gaohu leads the orchestra. A more martial style features the use of the suona
.
The instrumental ensemble of Cantonese opera is composed of two sections: the melody section and the percussion section. The percussion section has its own vast body of musical materials, generally called lo gu dim (鑼鼓點) or simply lo gu (鑼鼓). These 'percussion patterns' serve a variety of specific functions.
To see the pictures and listen to the sounds of the instruments, visit
http://frannxis.tripod.com/frontpage/id14.html and http://frannxis.tripod.com/frontpage/id16.html.
Chinese opera
Chinese opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China with roots going back as far as the third century CE...
, originating in southern China's Cantonese culture
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
. It is popular in Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
, Hong Kong, Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Malaysia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional Chinese art form
Chinese art
Chinese art is visual art that, whether ancient or modern, originated in or is practiced in China or by Chinese artists or performers. Early so-called "stone age art" dates back to 10,000 BC, mostly consisting of simple pottery and sculptures. This early period was followed by a series of art...
, involving music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
, acrobatics
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
, and acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
. 粵劇 (Jyut6 kek6) should not be confused with 越劇 (Yuèjù), the theatre of Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
.
History
There is a debate about the origins of Cantonese opera, but it is generally accepted that the opera form was imported from the northern part of China and slowly migrated to the southern province of Guangdong in late 13th century, during the late Southern Song Dynasty. In the 12th century, there was a theatrical form called "Southern style" (Chinese: 南戲 (CantoneseStandard Cantonese
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
: Naam4 hei3, Mandarin
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
: Nánxì)), which was performed in public theaters of Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
, then capital of the Southern Song Dynasty. With the invasion of the Mongol army, Emperor Gong of Song dynasty, called Zhào Xiǎn (趙顯 Chiu Hin), fled with hundreds of thousands of Song people into the province of Guangdong in 1276. Among these people were some Narm hei artists from the north. Thus narm hei was brought into Guangdong by these artists and developed into the earliest kind of Cantonese opera.
Many well-known operas performed today, such as The Purple Hairpin and Rejuvenation of the Red Plum Flower, originated in the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
, with the lyrics and scripts in Cantonese. Until the 20th century all the female roles were performed by males.
Development in Hong Kong
Beginning in the 1950s1950s in Hong Kong
1950s in Hong Kong began after the Japanese rule ended in 1945 with sovereignty returning to the British. However, the Nationalist-Communist Civil War was renewed in mainland China. It prompted a large influx of refugees from the mainland, causing a huge population surge. The government struggled...
massive waves of immigrants fled Shanghai to destinations like North Point
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. Fortress Hill occupies the western end of the North Point area.-History:In 1899, The...
. Their arrival boosted the Cantonese opera fan-base significantly. However, a decrease number of Cantonese opera troupes are left to preserve the art in Hong Kong today. As a result, many stages that were dedicated to the Cantonese genre are closing down. Hong Kong's Sunbeam Theatre
Sunbeam Theatre
Sunbeam Theatre is a landmark theatre in Hong Kong showcasing Cantonese opera. It is located at 423 King's Road, North Point, near the intersection with Shu Kuk Street.-History:...
is still one of last facilities that are left standing to exhibit Cantonese opera.
To intensify education in Cantonese opera, the Cantonese Artists Association of Hong Kong started to run an evening part-time certificate course in Cantonese opera training with assistance from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 1998. In 1999, the Association and the Academy further conducted a two-year daytime diploma programme in performing arts in Cantonese opera in order to train professional actors and actresses. Aiming at further raising the students' level, the Association and the Academy have launched an advanced course in Cantonese opera in the next academic year.
In recent years, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council has given grants to Love and Faith Cantonese opera Laboratory to conduct Cantonese opera classes for children and youths. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has also funded the International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong Branch) to implement the "Cultural Envoy Scheme for Cantonese Opera" for promoting traditional Chinese productions in the community.
Characteristics
Cantonese opera share many common characteristics with other Chinese theatre genres. Commentators often take pride in the idea that all Chinese theatre styles are similar but with minor variations on the pan-Chinese music-theater tradition and the basic features or principles are consistent from one local performance form to another. Thus, music, singing, martial arts, acrobatics and acting are all featured in Cantonese opera. Most of the plots are based on Chinese history and famous Chinese classicsChinese classic texts
Chinese classic texts, or Chinese canonical texts, today often refer to the pre-Qin Chinese texts, especially the Neo-Confucian titles of Four Books and Five Classics , a selection of short books and chapters from the voluminous collection called the Thirteen Classics. All of these pre-Qin texts...
and myths
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
. Also, the culture
Culture of China
Chinese culture is one of the world's oldest and most complex. The area in which the culture is dominant covers a large geographical region in eastern Asia with customs and traditions varying greatly between towns, cities and provinces...
and philosophies
Chinese philosophy
Chinese philosophy is philosophy written in the Chinese tradition of thought. The majority of traditional Chinese philosophy originates in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States era, during a period known as the "Hundred Schools of Thought", which was characterized by significant intellectual and...
of the Chinese people can be seen in the plays. Mainly, virtues (like loyalty, moral, love, patriotism and faithfulness) are often reflected by the operas.
Some particular features of Cantonese opera are:
- Cing sik sin (程式煽; Jyutping: cing4 sik1 sin3) - formulaic, formalised.
- Heoi ji seng (虛擬醒; Jyutping: heoi1 ji5 seng2) - abstraction of reality, distancing from reality.
- Sin ming sing (鮮明勝; Jyutping: sin1 ming4 sing1) - clear-cut, distinct, unambiguous, well-defined.
- Zung hap ngai seot jing sik (綜合藝術形式; Jyutping: zung3 hap6 ngai6 seot6 jing4 sik1) - a composite or synthetic art form.
- Sei gung ng faat (四功五法; Pinyin: sì gōng wǔ fǎ, Jyutping: sei3 gung1 ng5 faat3) - the four skills and the five methods.
The four skills and five methods are a simple codification of training areas that theatre performers must master and a metaphor for the most well-rounded and thoroughly-trained performers. The four skills apply to the whole spectrum of vocal and dramatic training: singing, acting/movements, speech delivery, and martial/gymnastic skills; while the five methods are categories of techniques associated with specific body parts: hands, eyes, body, hair, and feet/walking techniques.
Significance
Before widespread formal education, Cantonese opera taught morals and messages to its audiences than solely for entertainment purposes. The government used theater to promote the idea of be loyal to the emperor and love the kingdom (忠君愛國). Thus, the government examined the theater frequently and would ban any theater if an unbeneficial message was conveyed or considered.Types of play
There are two types of Cantonese opera plays: Mou (武, "martial arts") and Man (文, "highly educated", esp. in poetry and culture). Mou plays emphasize war, the characters usually being generals or warriors. These works contain action scenes and involve a lot of weaponry and armour. Man plays tend to be gentler and more elegant. Scholars are the main characters in these plays. Water sleeves (see Frequently Used Terms) are used extensively in man plays to produce movements reflecting the elegance and tenderness of the characters; all female characters wear them. In man plays, characters put a lot of effort into creating distinctive facial expressions and gestures to express their underlying emotions.Sang (生)
These are male roles in Cantonese opera. Like in other Chinese operas, there are different types of male roles, such as:- Siu2 Sang1 (小生) - Literally, young gentleman, this role is known as a young scholar.
- Mou5 Sang1 (武生) - Male warrior role.
- Siu2 Mou5 Sang1 (小武生) - Young Warrior (usually not lead actor but a more acrobatic role).
- Man4 Mou5 Sang1 (文武生) - Literally, civilized martial man, this role is known as a clean-shaven scholar-warrior.
- Lou5 Sang1 (老生) - Old man role.
- Sou1 Sang1 (鬚生) - Bearded role
Daan (旦)
These are female roles in Cantonese opera. The different forms of female characters are:- Faa1 Daan2 (花旦) - Literally flower' of the ball, this role is known as a young belle.
- Yi6 Faa1 Daan2 (二花旦) - Literally, second flower, this role is known as a supporting female.
- Mou5 Daan2 (武旦) - Female warrior role.
- Dou1 Maa5 Daan2 (刀馬旦) - Young woman warrior role.
- Gwai1 Mun4 Daan2 (閨門旦) - Virtuous lady role.
- Lou5 Daan2 (老旦) - Old woman role.
Zing (淨)
These characters are known for painted-faces. They are often male characters such as heroes, generals, villains, gods, or demons. Painted-faces are usually:- Man4 Zing2 (文淨) - Painted-face character that emphasizes on singing.
- Mou5 Zing2 (武淨) - Painted-face character that emphasizes on martial arts.
Some characters with painted-faces are:
- Zhang Fei (張飛; Zœng1 Fei1) and Wei YanWei YanWei Yan was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He became a soldier of Liu Bei when the latter fled Jing Province and seek protection from the eastern warlord, Sun Quan, in 208. In 211, Wei had climbed up the ranks and become a general in Liu Bei's...
(魏延; Ngai6 Jin4) from Three Humiliations of Zhou Yu (三氣周瑜; Saam1 Hei3 Zau1 Jyu4). - Xiang YuXiang YuXiang Yu was a prominent military leader and political figure during the late Qin Dynasty. His given name was Ji while his style name was Yu ....
(項羽; Hong6 Jyu5) from Farewell My Concubine (霸王別姬; Baa3 Wong4 Bit6 Gei1). - Sun WukongSun WukongSun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices...
(孫悟空; Syun1 Ng6 Hung1) and Sha WujingSha WujingShā Wùjìng is one of the three disciples of Xuánzàng in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, although versions of his character predate the Ming novel. In the novels, his background is the least developed of the pilgrims and he contributes the least to their efforts...
(沙悟凈; Saa1 Ng6 Zing6) from Journey to the WestJourney to the WestJourney to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It was written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. In English-speaking countries, the tale is also often known simply as Monkey. This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley...
(西遊記; Sai1 Jau4 Gei3).
Cau (丑)
This is known for clown figures in Cantonese opera. Some examples are:- Cau2 Sang1 (丑生) - Male clown.
- Cau2 Daan2 (丑旦) - Female clown.
- Man4 Cau2 (文丑) - Clownish civilized male.
- Coi2 Daan2 (彩旦) - Older female clown.
- Mou5 Cau2 (武丑) - Acrobatic comedic role.
Major artists
Major Cantonese opera artists include:| English Name | Hanzi |
|---|---|
| Yam Kim Fai Yam Kim Fai Yam Kim Fai , also known as Ren Jianhui was a renowned Cantonese opera actress in China and Hong Kong.She was most notable for her unique ability to sing in the lower register... |
任劍輝 |
| Bak Sheut Sin Bak Sheut Sin Bak Sheut-sin , also known as Bai Xuexian, was a famous Chinese opera actress in China and Hong Kong.-Career:... |
白雪仙 |
| Man Chin Sui | 文千歲 |
| Yuen Siu Fai | 阮兆輝 |
| Yan Fei Yin | 尹飛燕 |
| Sun Ma Sze Tsang Sun Ma Sze Tsang Sir Sun Ma Sze Tsang Sir Sun Ma Sze Tsang Sir Sun Ma Sze Tsang (新馬師曾）MBE (20 June 1916 – 20 April 1997) was a Cantonese opera singer and actor in Hong Kong.-Career:Born as Tang Wing Cheung, in Shunde, Guangdong. He was eight when his parents divorced, his father Tang Kei was a gambling and... |
新馬師曾 |
| Kwan Tak Hing Kwan Tak Hing Kwan Tak-hing, MBE was a Hong Kong actor who played the role of martial artist folk hero Wong Fei-hung in at least 77 films, between the 1940s and the 1980s. No-one else in cinema history has portrayed the same person as many times. In total he made over 130 films. He was elected to be the... |
關德興 |
| Goi Ming Fai | 蓋鳴暉 |
| Lam Kar Sing | 林家聲 |
| Fong Yin Fun | 方艷芬 |
| Ho Fei Fan | 何非凡 |
| Hong Sin Lui | 紅線女 |
| Fung Wong Leui | 鳳凰女 |
| Leung Sing Bor Leung Sing Bor Leung Sing-Bor MBE was a famous Cantonese opera performer, and a pioneer actor of TVB. He was also the chairman of the cantonese opera group Chinese Artist Association of Hong Kong from 1965 to 1970-Early life:... |
梁醒波 |
| Loong Kin Sang Loong Kin Sang Loong Kim Sang is a famous Cantonese opera performer, known as the legendary Yam Kim Fai's student & successor-Early life:Loong was born as Lee Pui Sang, she is ranked fourth in her family, and the day she was born coincidentally was the day that the Guanyin Goddess of Mercy's birthday... |
龍劍笙 |
| Lang Chi Bak | 靚次伯 |
| Boon Yat On | 半日安 |
| Connie Chan Po-chu Connie Chan Po-chu Connie Chan Po-chu was born in 1946 to impoverished parents, one of at least nine siblings, in Guangdong, China. To increase their children's chances of survival, Chan's birth parents gave away some of their youngest to other families. As a result, Chan was adopted by Chan Fei-nung and his wife,... |
陳寶珠 |
Four Great Male Vocals (平喉四大天王):
| Chinese Name | Hanzi |
|---|---|
| Tsuih Lau Seen | 徐柳仙 |
| Siu Meng Sing | 小明星 |
| Cheung Yuet Yee | 張月兒 |
| Cheung Waih Fong | 張惠芳 |
Four Super Stars (四大天王):
| Chinese Name | Hanzi |
|---|---|
| Sit Gok Sing | 薛覺先 |
| Ma Sze Tsang | 馬師曾 |
| Kwai Ming Yeung | 桂明楊 |
| Bak Yuk Tong | 白玉堂 |
Makeup
Lipstick
Lipstick is a cosmetic product containing pigments, oils, waxes, and emollients that applies color, texture, and protection to the lips. Many varieties of lipstick are known. As with most other types of makeup, lipstick is typically, but not exclusively, worn by women...
is usually bright red (口唇膏; hau2 seon4 gou1).
Actors are given temporary facelifts by holding the skin up with a ribbon on the back of the head. This lifts the corners of the eyes, producing an authoritative look.
Each role has its own style of make-up: the clown has a large white spot in the middle of his face, for example. A sick character has a thin red line pointing upwards in between his eyebrows. Aggressive and frustrated character roles often have an arrow shape fading into the forehead in between the eyebrows (英雄脂; jing1 hung4 zi1).
Strong male characters wear "open face" (開面; hoi1 min4) makeup. Each character's makeup has its own distinct characteristics, with symbolic patterns and coloration.
Costumes
As mentioned above, each type of play is associated with particular costumes. The water sleeves of man (文) plays can be attached to the waist or the sides of the breast areas. Costumes can be single or double breasted.
Costumes also indicate the status of the character. Lower-status characters, such as females, wear less elaborate dresses, while those of higher rank have more decorative costumes.
Hairstyle, hats, and helmets
HatHat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
s and helmet
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
s signify social status, age and capability: scholars and official
Official
An official is someone who holds an office in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority .A government official or functionary is an official who is involved in public...
s wear black hats with wings on either side; generals wear helmets with pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
s' tail feathers; soldiers wear ordinary hats, and king
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
s wear crown
Crown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
s. Queens or princesses have jeweled helmets. If a hat or helmet is removed, this indicates the character is exhausted, frustrated, or ready to surrender.
Hairstyles can express a character's emotions: warriors express their sadness at losing a battle by swinging their ponytail
Ponytail
A ponytail is a hairstyle in which most or all of the hair on the head is pulled away from the face, gathered and secured at the back of the head with a hair tie, clip or similar device, and allowed to hang freely from that point. It gets its name from its resemblance to the undocked tail of a...
s. For the female roles, buns indicated a maiden, while a married woman has a 'dai tau' (低頭).
In the Three Kingdoms legends, Zhao Yun
Zhao Yun
Zhao Yun was a military general who lived during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. For most of his career, Zhao served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of state of Shu Han...
and especially Lü Bu
Lü Bu
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
are very frequently depicted wearing helmets with pheasants' tail feathers; this originates with Cantonese opera, not with the military costumes of their era, although it's a convention that was in place by the Qing Dynasty or earlier.
Speech types
Commentators draw an essential distinction between sung and spoken text, although the boundary is a troublesome one.Speech-types are of a wide variety: one is nearly identical to standard conversational Cantonese, while another is a very smooth and refined delivery of a passage of poetry; some have one form or another of instrumental accompaniment while others have none; and some serve fairly specific functions, while others are more widely adaptable to variety of dramatic needs.
Cantonese opera uses Mandarin or Guān Huà (官話; Cantonese: Gun1 Waa6/2) when actors are involved with government, monarchy, or military. It can obscure words that are taboo or profanity to the audience as well. The actor may choose to speak any dialect of Mandarin, but the ancient Zhōngzhōu (中州; Cantonese: Zung1 Zau1) variant is the main usage in Cantonese opera. Zhōngzhōu is located in the modern-day Hénán
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
(河南) province where it is considered the "cradle of Chinese civilization" and near the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
or Huáng Hé (黃河). Guān Huà retains many of the initial sounds of many modern Mandarin dialects, but uses initials and codas
Syllable coda
In phonology, a syllable coda comprises the consonant sounds of a syllable that follow the nucleus, which is usually a vowel. The combination of a nucleus and a coda is called a rime. Some syllables consist only of a nucleus with no coda...
from Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese , also called Ancient Chinese by the linguist Bernhard Karlgren, refers to the Chinese language spoken during Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties...
. For example, the words 張 and 將 are both pronounced as /tsœːŋ˥˥/ (jyutping
Jyutping
Jyutping is a romanization system for Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong in 1993. Its formal name is The Linguistic Society of Hong Kong Cantonese Romanization Scheme...
: zœng1) in Modern Cantonese, but will respectively be spoken as /tʂɑŋ˥˥/ (pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: zhāng) and /tɕiɑŋ˥˥/ (pinyin: jiāng) in operatic Guān Huà. Furthermore, the word 金 is pronounced as /kɐm˥˥/ (jyutping: gam1) in modern Cantonese and /tɕin˥˥/ (pinyin: jīn) in standard Mandarin, but operatic Guān Huà will use /kim˥˥/ (pinyin: gīm). However, actors tend to use Cantonese sounds when speaking Mandarin. For instance, the command for “to leave” is 下去 and is articulated as /saː˨˨ tsʰɵy˧˧/ in operatic Guān Huà compared to /haː˨˨ hɵy˧˧ / (jyutping: haa6 heoi3) in modern Cantonese and /ɕi̯ɑ˥˩ tɕʰy˩/ (pinyin: xià qu) in standard Mandarin.
Music
Cantonese opera pieces are classified either as "theatrical" or "singing stage" (歌壇). The theatrical style of music is further classified into western music (西樂) and Chinese music (中樂). While the "singing stage" style is always Western music, the theatrical style can be Chinese or western music. The "four great male vocals" (四大平喉) were notable exponents of the "single stage" style in the early 20th century.The western music in Cantonese opera is accompanied by strings
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
, woodwind
Woodwind instrument
A woodwind instrument is a musical instrument which produces sound when the player blows air against a sharp edge or through a reed, causing the air within its resonator to vibrate...
s, brass
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
plus electrified instruments. Lyrics are written to fit the play's melodies, although one song can contain multiple melodies, performers being able to add their own elements. Whether a song is well performed depends on the performers' own emotional involvement and ability.
Musical instruments
Cantonese instrumental music was called ching yam prior to the establishment of the People's RepublicPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in 1949. Cantonese instrumental tunes have been used in Cantonese opera, either as incidental instrumental music or as fixed tunes to which new texts were composed, since the 1930s.
The use of instruments in Cantonese opera is influenced by both western and eastern cultures. The reason for this is that Canton
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
was one of the earliest places in China to establish trade relationships with the western civilizations. In addition, Hong Kong was under heavy western influence when it was a British colony. These factors contributed to the observed western elements in Cantonese opera.
For instance, the use of erhu
Erhu
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a "southern fiddle", and sometimes known in the Western world as the "Chinese violin" or a "Chinese two-stringed fiddle". It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles...
(two string bowed fiddle), saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
s, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s and the conga
Conga
The conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
s have demonstrated how diversified the musical instruments in Cantonese operas are.
The musical instruments are mainly divided into melodic and percussive types.
Traditional musical instruments used in Cantonese opera include wind, strings and percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
. The winds and strings encompass erhu, gaohu
Gaohu
The gaohu is a Chinese bowed string instrument developed from the erhu in the 1920s by the musician and composer Lü Wencheng and used in Cantonese music and Cantonese opera...
, yehu
Yehu
The instrument comes in various sizes. In Chaozhou music it is a leading instrument, and is tuned quite high. In Cantonese music it can be quite large and is often tuned to a relatively low pitch, lower than the erhu...
, yangqin
Yangqin
The trapezoidal yangqin is a Chinese hammered dulcimer, originally from Middle East and Persia . It used to be written with the characters 洋琴 , but over time the first character changed to 揚 , which means "acclaimed". It is also spelled yang quin or yang ch'in...
, pipa
Pipa
The pipa is a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments . Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12–26...
, dizi, and houguan
Guan (instrument)
The guan is a Chinese double reed wind instrument. The northern Chinese version is called guanzi or bili and the Cantonese version is called houguan . It is classified as a bamboo instrument in the Ba Yin system...
, while the percussion comprises many different drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s and cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
s. The percussion controls the overall rhythm and pace of the music, while the gaohu leads the orchestra. A more martial style features the use of the suona
Suona
The suona ; also called laba or haidi is a Han Chinese shawm . It has a distinctively loud and high-pitched sound, and is used frequently in Chinese traditional music ensembles, particularly those that perform outdoors...
.
The instrumental ensemble of Cantonese opera is composed of two sections: the melody section and the percussion section. The percussion section has its own vast body of musical materials, generally called lo gu dim (鑼鼓點) or simply lo gu (鑼鼓). These 'percussion patterns' serve a variety of specific functions.
To see the pictures and listen to the sounds of the instruments, visit
http://frannxis.tripod.com/frontpage/id14.html and http://frannxis.tripod.com/frontpage/id16.html.
Frequently used terms
- Pheasant feathers (雉雞尾; Cantonese: Ci4 Gai1 Mei5)
- These are attached to the helmet in mou (武) plays, and are used to express the character's skills and expressions. They are worn by both male and female characters.
- Water Sleeves (水袖; Cantonese: Seoi2 Zau6)
- These are long flowing sleeves that can be flicked and waved like water, used to facilitate emotive gestures and expressive effects by both males and females in man (文) plays.
- Hand Movements (手動作; Cantonese: Sau2 Dung6 Zok3)
- Hand and finger movements reflect the music as well as the action of the play. Females hold their hands in the elegant "lotusNelumboNelumbo is a genus of aquatic plants with large, showy flowers resembling water lilies, commonly known as lotus. The generic name is derived from the Sinhalese word Nelum. There are only two known living species in the genus. The sacred lotus is native to Asia, and is the better known of the two...
" form (荷花手; Cantonese: Ho4 Faa1 Sau2).- Round Table/Walking (圓臺 or 圓台; Cantonese: Jyun4 Toi4)
- A basic feature of Cantonese opera, the walking movement is one of the most difficult to master. Females take very small steps and lift the body to give a detached feel. Male actors take larger steps, which implies traveling great distances. The actors glide across the stage while the upper body is not moving.
- Boots (高靴; Cantonese: Gou1 Hœ1)
- These are black bootBootA boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
s with high white soles worn by males, which can impede walking.- Gwo Wai (過位; Cantonese: Gwo3 Wai6/2)
- This is a movement in which two performers move in a cross-over fashion to opposite sides of the stage.
- Deoi Muk (對目; Cantonese: Deoi3 Muk6)
- In this movement, two performers walk in a circle facing each other and then go back to their original positions.
- "Pulling the Mountains"' (拉山; Cantonese: Laai1 Saan1) and "Cloud Hands" (雲手; Cantonese: Wan4 Sau2)
- These are the basic movements of the hands and arms. This is the MOST important basic movement in ALL Chinese Operas. ALL other movements and skills are based on this form.
- Outward Step (出步; Cantonese: Ceot1 Bou6)
- This is a gliding effect used in walking.
- Small Jump (小跳; Cantonese: Siu2 Tiu3)
- Most common in mou (武) plays, the actor stamps before walking.
- Flying Leg (飛腿; Cantonese: Fei1 Teoi2)
- A crescent kick.
- Hair-flinging (旋水髮; Cantonese: Syun4 Seoi2 Faat3)
- A circular swinging of the ponytail, expressing extreme sadness and frustration.
- Chestbuckle/ Flower (繡花; Cantonese: Sau3 Faa1)
- A flower-shaped decoration worn on the chest. A red flower on the male signifies that he is engaged.
- Horsewhip (馬鞭; Cantonese: Maa5 Bin1)
- Performers swing a whip and walk to imitate riding a horse.
- Sifu (師傅; Cantonese: Si1 Fu6/2)
- Literally, master, this is a term for experienced performers and teachers.
See also
- CantopopCantopopCantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
- Huangmei OperaHuangmei OperaHuangmei opera or Huangmei tone originated as a form of rural folksong and dance that has been in existence for the last 200 years and possibly longer. The music is performed with a pitch that hits high and stays high for the duration of the song...
- Beijing OperaBeijing operaPeking opera or Beijing opera is a form of traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court...
- Music of ChinaMusic of ChinaChinese Music has been made since the dawn of Chinese civilization with documents and artifacts providing evidence of a well-developed musical culture as early as the Zhou Dynasty...
- Music of Hong KongMusic of Hong KongThe Music of Hong Kong is an eclectic mixture of traditional and popular genres. Cantopop is one of the more prominent genres of music produced in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta regularly perform western classical music in the city...
- Culture of Hong KongCulture of Hong KongThe culture of Hong Kong can best be described as a foundation that began with China, and became more influenced by British colonialism. Despite the 1997 transfer of sovereignty to the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong continues to hold an identity of its own.-People in the culture:Most Hong...
- Hong Kong Heritage MuseumHong Kong Heritage MuseumHong Kong Heritage Museum is a museum of history, art and culture in Sha Tin, Hong Kong, by the Shing Mun River. The museum opened on 16 December 2000. It is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong Government...
- List of Cantonese-related topics
- Chinese Artist Association of Hong KongChinese Artist Association of Hong KongChinese Artist Association of Hong Kong is a non-profit association of Cantonese opera groups and artists in Hong Kong, established in 1953. Sun Ma-Si-tsang was the first chairman, succeeded by Kwan Tak Hing. Dr...
External links
- Bay Area Cantonese Opera
- More Cantonese Opera Artists
- Can You Hear Me?: The Female Voice and Cantonese Opera in the San Francisco Bay Area The Scholar and Feminist Online