A Study On The Art Of Singing In The "Hou School" Of Northern Kunqu Opera

Northern Kunqu is a major branch of Kunqu opera. It took shape after the spread of Kunqu in northern areas of China (namely Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province) and by absorbing elements of local languages and customs. With its vigorous character, Northern Kunqu greatly enriched the tradition of Kunqu performance.The school of Kunqu initiated by the Hou family is one representative of the Northern Kunqu. From singing style, to acting postures, facial makeup and so on, the "Hou School" has systematically developed its unique style. The "Hou School" gives equal importance to "martial" (wu) performance and singing. Its resonant and energetic singing style combines traces of the Yuan qu poetic tradition with elements from the northern Kunyi singing style, and with the singing style of the Shang School of Peking opera. As a result, the singing style of the "Hou School" is quite special and unique on today's Kunqu stage.Night Flight (Ye Ben), The Single Knife Meeting (Dan Dao Hui) and Accompanying Jing Niang for a Thousand Li (Qianli Song Jing Niang) are the three most representative repertories of "Hou School". In enacting the different characters and emotional situations of these three operas, the "Hou School" performers modify their interpretations while keeping within the boundaries of a common stylistic tradition. This dissertation, by studying the singing style of the "Hou School", endeavors to contribute to the preservation and transmission of this art.