Naissance Of Modern Chinese Opera Nascita D'Opera Lirica Della Cina

The first half of the 20th century has witnessed the naissance of a new type of opera with national characteristics: modern Chinese opera, which is neither what was called as"Chinese opera"by westerners—traditional Chinese opera, nor the theatrical mode called"drama with songs". Issues concerning"what is modern Chinese opera"and"how to develop modern Chinese opera"have been in controversy for years in the opera and academic community of China, yet consensus has not been reached. This dissertation aims to summarize the historical development of modern Chinese opera and propose the present writer's point of view.Modern Chinese opera has been defined by this dissertation as a synthetic stage art which is based on original polyphony structure, presents dramatic plot, uses singing as its major narrative method, employs realistic performance style, and is imbued with Chinese characteristics both in content and form.With this definition as the premise to discussion of the development of modern Chinese opera, a review of the gestation, growth and maturity of modern Chinese opera has been offered in this dissertation in three parts.As early as Qianlong reign period of the Qing Dynasty, western opera entered China. However, its transmission was obstructed by the marine prohibition and religion prohibition and by the traditional aesthetic psychology of the Chinese people. From passive acceptance to initiative study and emergence of tentative aesthetic consciousness of western opera, there's a transformation of national cultural mentality. Good Luck to Mr. Jingke was the earliest attempt made by Chinese on operetta."Music and Song at School"and modern drama of the early period laid the foundations for the further transmission of western opera in China from the aspects of modern music and drama.The naissance of modern Chinese opera resulted from the influence and incitement of foreign opera. The performance of opera groups from UK, France, Italy and Russia in cities like Shanghai and Haerbin played an important role for the rooting and gradual localization of opera art in China. In the 1920s, children's song-and-dance drama composed by Li Jinhui can be regarded as the rudiments of modern Chinese opera. They adopted the western opera structure, incorporated Chinese and western musical elements, pursued the unity of musical originality and theatricality, and avoided the method of"drama with song"or changing traditional Chinese opera to modern Chinese opera. In the 1930s, Chinese artists differed greatly in the understanding of opera and orientation of opera. They tried such different modes as musicalization of traditional Chinese opera, and"drama with songs". The...