Research On The History Of The Acting Art Of Modern Chinese Opera

In recent years, with the development of modern Chinese opera, the research of opera theory has continually gone deeply. However, systematic research h of the history of modern Chinese opera performance has not attracted more attention of the community of scholars. Opera is a comprehensive stage performing art, artistic idea and ideological connotation of it can be achieved only via the performance of the opera singer. Modern Chinese opera art in the past century has walked out of a different development path from western opera. Differed from opera in western countries which share the common aesthetic standards, modern Chinese opera has two performing forms, i.e., the western opera performance form and the national opera performance form. These two different performing forms in the development course of modern Chinese opera have gone to integrate gradually, and explored the road of building the system of modern Chinese opera performance together. To stand in the forest of the world arts, it is undoubtedly very essential to combine, analyze and summarize the regularity and experience.The dissertation studies on the history of modern Chinese opera performing development, dividing it into three periods, i.e., exploration and generation period (1920-1949), growth period (1949-1966), from wilderness to recovery and gradually becoming maturity (1966-present). Via describing the development of modern Chinese opera performing art, analyzing the performing arts of the Chinese famous opera singers and generalizing features of modern Chinese opera performing arts in every period, the author tried to summarize the regularity and characteristics of modern Chinese opera performing arts development, and to illustrate the opinion about the future development of the modern Chinese opera performing arts.This essay consists of five parts.The introduction consists of five parts:The reason and the realistic value of the research, the category and methods of the research, the definition of related concepts, the current situation and deficiency of the related research, the innovations of the research, and also gives a brief description to the entire essay.The first chapter is "from diversified exploration to establishment of the two forms: exploration and generation period (1920-1949)", focusing on describing and analyzing the forming processes and characteristics of the two performances of modern Chinese opera. The characteristics of this period are:the two performances have used strikingly different performing techniques, and been recognized by the audience in different region and different environment; Both performing forms have started the process of nationalization or cosmopolitanization, i.e., the actors of the Western opera performing form have tried to combine the western operatic "bel canto" with national language to sing, and the actors of the national opera performing form have combined "folk singing method" with the use of the breath of "bel canto", and started a new "opera folk singing method". They have combined "realism" of Western drama with "impressionistic" performances of modern Chinese opera, and started a new performing method, i.e.,"combined virtualization with reality and centralized by reality". Due to the influence of the factors, e.g. the audience and guide policy, the national opera performing form of Yan’an had tendentious typed characterization.The second chapter is "the prosperity of the national opera performing arts:growth stage (1949-1966)", focusing on describing and analyzing the development and features of the two performing forms in the17year’s growth stage since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. The characteristics of this period are:Along with the national operas prosperity development, the national opera performing form improved better, and a large number of national opera performing artists constantly emerged such as Guo Lanying; Due to the influence of external factors such as politics, or "the contention between native and foreign", the western opera formed operas were relatively less popular, and fewer stage performance. However, some artists represented by Huang Youkui and Zhang Quan have insisted on exploring nationalization of western operatic "bel canto" by teaching and practicing the national opera performance.The third chapter is "from wilderness to recovery and gradually becoming maturity (1966-present)", focusing on describing and analyzing creations and performances of modern Chinese opera during the period of Cultural Revolution, and the development and features of the two performing forms after the Reform and Opeing Up. The characteristics of this period are:the western opera performing formed "bel canto" had solved the problem of combining with the national language; The vocal teaching theory based on the "bel canto" had been gradually established; A large number of opera artists grown in china had emerged, and they had won lots of international reputations and promotions and contributed to popularize Chinese original opera in the world stage; The national opera performing formed singing arts had tried hard to explore scientific theory of "folk singing method" by learning the scientific method of the "bel canto"; The national opera talents could sing with both "folk singing method" and "bel canto", and their performing arts had been recognized in the international stage.In the end, the author summarized the characteristics of modern Chinese opera performing arts, i.e., the unity of the characteristics of the age, the characteristics of the nation and the characteristics of the cosmopolitan, and also summarized the enlightenments given by the developmental historical facts of modern Chinese opera performing arts. Today, with rapid development of the economy, China has significantly enhanced her international influence. We should seize the opportunity to let the world learn more about Chinese music and show the unique charm of Chinese culture. In present era, western culture still holds a powerful position, so we have to use opera arts form which is popular in social and cultural life in the western countries to make western society to accept and understand the China’s outstanding traditional culture and modern features. To go to the world and to connect with the international outstanding opera performing arts, modern Chinese opera must use richer artistic vocabulary, opera production and operation mode to adapt to the trend of the stage arts development, and need excellent opera performing artists at international level to transform and upgrade the modern Chinese opera.