The Comporative Study Between Tang Xianzu' The Peony Pavilion And Claudio Monteverdi' L'Orfeo

Recently, with the frequent and deep communication between Chinese and western cultures, comparative study between Chinese and western cultures is drawing more and more attention in the academic field, and this kind of comparative study has gone into also every field. However, comparative study between Chinese and Western drama is comparatively weak. This study aims to promote the comparative study between Chinese and Western drama through research of two masters.Tang Xianzu (1550-1616) and Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) were both masters of drama living at almost the same time. Their operas, the Peony Pavilion and L'Orfeo were both masterpieces in Chinese and European operas. The Peony Pavilion was a legendary story which came from the folk legend Du Liniang Comes Alive in the twilight, and it is the masterpiece in Chinese Kun opera, which has profound and extensive influence in China. Both its ideological and artistic achievement surpassed all the other operas of its time. L'Orfeo was an excellent opera in the late Italian Renaissance and early Barroco period. It also came from the fold Greek legend Orpheus, which, through the recreation of the genius Monteverdi, became a landmark in contemporary European opera, and laid a solid foundation for the art of opera.Singing is the common characteristics on stage of both Chinese and western operas. A thorough comparative study of the two masters and their two masterpieces can help us see clearly their different development due to the difference in society, tradition, cultural background and the national characteristics. Through the comparative analysis of their respective techniques of composition, contents, styles, ideological and artistic features, dramatic structures singing features, we can find the similarities and differences of the two artistic forms, which, during the time of global cultural communication, will help them to learn from each other, develop the strong points and avoid the weak points, thus they can make some breakthrough and innovation. This is the aim of the project, and it is also the aim of similar research projects.A comparative study of The Peony Pavilion by Chinese dramatist Tang Xianzu and L'Orfeo by Monteverdi, the foundation layer of the Western opera, also helps people to understand the difference in the eastern and western music cultures, enhances the research and understanding of eastern and western musical history, and it is helpful in enhancing the communication and development of eastern and western opera.