On Li Yu's Opera's Theories

Li Yu, an outstanding figure who made great contribution to Chinese literature, opera and operatic theories, had written a large quantity of works, involving poetry, prose, novels, operas, opera theories, etc., among which, especially Xian Qing Ou Ji, a theoretic collection, is especially well-known overseas. His whole life was closely related to opera. In his youth he had learned to write words to given melody and to compose poems. In his adulthood he wrote many legendary plays before setting up a family-owned theatrical troupe. Later he seized a chance to establish a theatrical troupe to entertain him and others. The establishment of the family theatrical troupe provided him with a wide field. He drew valuable reflection from the opera practice. In turn, these theatrical principles guided his opera practice. Though he had confliction with the common living styles at that age and aroused criticism on his personality, his opera theories had always been adorned and had been continuously studied by many researchers. Their research came to a climax in the 1990s and became more objective and profound. However such an all-round research, from an opera's stage of playscript to performance, is rather rare. Under such circumstances this article demonstrates his opera theoriesaccording to a practical process of an opera, playscripts--directors--actors--performance--audiences in its five chapters. This articleaims to call attention of professionals--playscriptors, directors, actors,etc. --that they should write operas on the basis of audiences'reception. This thesis discusses the following points of view held by Li Yu. He first declared that playscriptors should place an opera's structure in the priority, try to achieve novelty and attach importance to its pattern, and the language used should be plain. Then he assumed that directors should pay attention to a proper choose of and adaptation to playscripts, and should train actors. As for the actors, they should improve their professional performance skills and comprehensive qualities. The last but not the least he hold that performance should be done in the proper time, used as less dialects as possible, and there should be a right selection of actors' garments.