The Phenomenon And Achievement Of Modern Dramatists Focusing On Chinese Opera From 1930s To 1940s

The Traditional Chinese opera showed great attractiveness to Chinese modern dramatists in the 1940s or so.They wrote opera plays,hold seminars to discuss the practicability and significance of Chinese opera and even conducted the Chinese opera revolution.The present researches mainly emphasize on the nationality of drama and the modernity of the Chinese opera,while some other invaluable materials have been ignored completely.In contrast to the previous studies,this essay aims to concentrate on the phenomenon that dramatists focused on Chinese opera at that time.The main body of the proposed research will address the following issues:Why and how are Chinese opera staging skills used in Chinese modern drama practices?To what extent are the dramatic practices different from that in the past?Is there misusing or misunderstanding of Chinese opera in the process?What should be noted in the application of Chinese opera to Chinese dramatic practices?The study will be divided into four chapters.Chapter one focuses on the historical content that this phenomenon happened.Chapter two emphasizes on the reasons why dramatists show great interest in Chinese opera.It will involve the dramatists' opera knowledge and social relationships,and the value of Chinese opera which consists of four aspects.Chapter three will give a critical examination of some significant drama plays in this period.It will try to figure out how the Chinese opera staging skills are used or adapted to form the stage,set scenes,create the atmosphere and shape characters on Chinese drama stage.By analyzing the above questions,this thesis will explore further on dramatists'engagement with dramatic and theatrical conventions and theories of Chinese opera,in case to investigate how the Chinese opera exerts a far-reaching influence on Chinese theatre and what we can learn from it to guide the present theatrical practices.