The Characteristics of Huangmei Opera

Huangmei Opera evolved from mountain songs, yangge (a popular rural folk dance-song), tea-picking songs, tea-picking lantern songs and flower-drum tunes. It first emerged in rural areas and then made its way to big cities. It absorbed elements from numerous operas such as Han Opera, Chu Opera and Peking Opera, forming its unique artistic characteristics.

Singing

The singing of Huangmei Opera is mellow and refreshing, divided into two main categories: Huaqiang and Pingci.

Huaqiang is mainly used in short plays. It is rich in the flavor of daily life and folk songs, and often uses words like 'hushè', 'wèiquè', etc. Representative plays include The Couple Watching the Lanterns, The Meeting on the Blue Bridge, Picking Pigweed, etc.

Pingci, the most important singing style in full-length plays, is often used for long-form narration and lyric expression, and sounds mellifluous and melodious. Representative plays include The Butterfly Lovers, The Heavenly Maid and the Mortal, etc. In modern Huangmei Opera, the expressiveness of the "Pingci"-type singing has been enhanced musically. It has broken through the limitations of some 'Huaqiang' being exclusive to specific plays, absorbed elements from folk songs and other types of music, and created new melodies that are harmonious with the traditional singing styles.

Music

During the early stage of Huangmei Opera, the musical accompaniment was provided by three people playing percussion instruments such as the tanggu (a type of Chinese drum), bo (cymbals), small gong and large gong. By the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the gaohu (a high-pitched bowed string instrument) gradually became established as the main accompaniment instrument. Subsequently, they formed a mixed orchestra with traditional Chinese musical instruments (including gaohu, erhu, pipa, bamboo flute, yangqin, suona and drum) as the main components and Western musical instruments (such as electric piano, clarinet, harmonica, etc.) as supplementary elements.

Roles

The role-type system of Huangmei Opera was developed based on the concepts of "two-role plays" and "three-role plays". After full-length plays came into performance, the role-types gradually developed into zhengdan (main female role), zhengsheng (main male role), xiaodan (young female role), xiaosheng (young male role), xiaochou (clown), laodan (elderly female role), naisheng (child-like male role), and hualian (painted-face male role).

Zhengdan：The Zhengdan in Huangmei Opera usually plays solemn and decent adult women. In the performance, great emphasis is placed on singing skills. The artists need to present a graceful manner, which often involves slow and elegant gestures, showcasing the character's inner poise through their vocal delivery.

Xiaosheng: Next, the Xiaosheng typically takes on the role of young men. Singing with a full-throated voice, the Xiaosheng brings a sense of vitality and vigor to the character. During the performance, a folding fan is often held. This fan not only serves as a prop but is also used skillfully to convey the character's emotions, adding a touch of elegance and charm to the portrayal.

Xiaodan: Also known as huadan, the Xiaodan mostly represents lively and amorous young girls or young women. For this role, both excellent singing and acting are essential. The Xiaodan is expected to have a crisp, tender, and sweet voice that can bring out the character's youthful charm. During the performance, items like handkerchiefs and fans are frequently held. These props are used to perform simple yet expressive handkerchief-waving and fan-waving movements, which help to vividly depict the character's lively and flirtatious nature.

Xiaochou: Finally, the Xiaochou is an important and well-loved role in Huangmei Opera. It can be divided into three sub-types: xiaochou (young clown), laochou (elderly clown), and nǚchou (female clown). Each subtype has its unique characteristics, but overall, the clown role in Huangmei Opera is quite popular. The Xiaochou often provides comic relief in the plays, using humorous dialogues, exaggerated gestures, and comical expressions to amuse the audience.

Facial Makeup

Huangmei Opera Facial Makeup

The makeup in Huangmei Opera places particular emphasis on the eyes and eyebrows. An opera actor has to go through strict training to master the methods of expressing various emotions through eye expressions, in order to achieve the desired artistic effect. The eye makeup in Huangmei Opera pays attention to blurring and charm, pursuing a natural and simple effect.

Costumes

Huangmei Opera Costume

The colors of Huangmei Opera costumes consist of vivid and bright colors like red, yellow and green. Fabrics such as brocade, satin, silk and Han-style silk are used, combined with hand-embroidered elements like gold and silver wire embroidery, sequins, grass beads, and dragon and phoenix patterns. Huangmei Opera costumes are a continuation of the traditional Han ethnic costumes, mainly based on the styles of the Tang, Song and Ming dynasties. The costume design is elegant, beautiful, natural and enduring. Huangmei Opera costumes are designed based on the styles of the Tang, Song and Ming dynasties. Its design is very elegant and beautiful. The traditional costumes often feature a design of wide robes and large sleeves, and it can reflect the status of the roles.

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