Huangmei Opera
Unique forms of artistic performances exist all over the world. For example, Italian opera is famous for its magnificent arias, and Japanese kabuki features elaborate makeup and a distinctive performing style. In China, Huangmei Opera really shines with its fresh, rustic and melodious characteristics.
With its unique artistic charm and profound historical heritage, Huangmei Opera has become a well-known opera genre deeply loved by people. Huangmei Opera has a history of over two hundred years. In its early days, it used to be called Huangmei Tune.
The History of Huangmei Opera
Huangmei Opera was named "Huangmei Tea-Picking Tune" before. It originated in the early Tang Dynasty and took shape as a kind of folk minor drama in Hubei in the late 18th century.
Around the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, the Huangmei Tea-Picking Tune, Jiangxi Tune, Tongcheng Tune, and Fengyang Song, which were produced and spread among Anhui, Hubei and Jiangxi provinces, were influenced by the local operas Qingyangqiang and Huizhou Tune. Combining with folk arts such as Lianxiang, stilts-walking and dry-land boat, they gradually formed some minor dramas. With further development, by absorbing the performance content and forms from a quyi form called "Luohanzhuang" as well as from Qingyangqiang and Huizhou Tune, full-length plays with complete stories emerged.
From the 1911 Revolution to 1949, during this stage, the performance activities of Huangmei Opera gradually became professional, and it started playing on the stage of big cities. After entering the cities, Huangmei Opera once performed in the same troupe as Peking Opera, which led to great changes in both the content and form of its performances. In terms of music, the traditional singing styles were initially reformed. The redundant vocalizations and filler words in the old tunes were reduced, making the tunes more lively, smooth and easier for people to understand the lyrics. The unison-singing was cancelled, and the huqin was tried out for accompaniment. In terms of performance, it absorbed and integrated the stylized movements of Peking Opera and other sister operas, enriching its means of expression. In addition, aspects such as costumes, makeup and stage settings also developed compared to the rural makeshift-stage period.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Huangmei Opera has been rapidly restored and developed. During this period, Huangmei Opera also had an impact on many other provinces. In terms of performing arts, by rehearsing new plays and shooting films, it absorbed the performing forms of modern drama and film, achieving new development in aspects such as character-portrayal. In the decades after liberation, Huangmei Opera has nurtured a large number of outstanding actors. Besides the older-generation artists such as Yan Fengying and Wang Shaofang, who have made outstanding contributions to the singing art of Huangmei Opera, there are also middle-aged and young actors such as Ma Lan and Han Zaifen, who have successively demonstrated their superb acting skills on the stage, on the big screen, and on TV screens, winning the attention and love of the audience.
Beijing Opera 
Kun Opera 
Yue Opera 
Sichuan Opera