The Characteristics of Yue Opera
The role classifications of Yue Opera are the same as those in Peking Opera, but there are many differences in performance style, music, stage, makeup and costume. Yue Opera has its own unique features.
Performance
Yue Opera, is different from the grand and fiery Peking Opera, Yue Opera is refined and subtle. Yue Opera really nails the expression of female characters' emotions. Actors show emotions of the characters through facial expressions, eye movements and gestures. Their movements are smooth, carrying the refined charm of the regions south of the Yangtze River. In 1942, under the advocacy of famous Yue Opera artists such as Yuan Xuefen, on the one hand, Yue Opera absorbed the performance methods of modern drama and film to depict the characters' personalities and mental activities in a realistic and detailed manner. On the other hand, it learned the graceful dance postures and performance routines of Kunqu Opera and Peking Opera, making the external movements more refined and rhythmic. The organic combination of these two aspects formed the unique artistic style of Yue Opera that combines freehand and realistic expressions in performance.
Costumes and Makeup
The costumes of Yue Opera are exquisite and gorgeous, with rich colors and diverse styles, fully reflecting the identities and personalities of the characters. In the design of clothing styles, Yue Opera drew on ancient paintings of beautiful ladies, with soft colors and simple, elegant styles. Yue Opera pays attention to natural makeup. In the early days, most male characters did not wear makeup. For female characters, they used red paper dipped in water to apply rouge on their cheeks, did not draw eyebrows or used soot from the bottom of a pot to draw eyebrows, which was called "plain water dressing". Later, it learned from Kunqu Opera and Peking Opera and adopted gouache and oil paint for makeup.
Singing Style and Music
Yue Opera is a new opera genre compared with other operas and its tunes were monotonous before. Today, it has absorbed the music of Kunqu Opera and Peking Opera and has become richer. Yue Opera's tunes are clear and soft, really good at expressing feelings. There are mainly three major tunes, namely the Che Tune, the Si Gong Tune and the Xianxia Tune. Yue Opera's music is renowned for being emotional and soft. The Pipa and the flute are usually played in musical accompaniment producing a really nice,mellow sound. Yue Opera makes sure the music fits the story, using music to make the emotions stronger and performances more heartwarming.
The Staging
The stage design of Yue Opera really focuses on making beautiful and full of artistic vibe. The stage sets, lighting, and props are all carefully designed to create an atmosphere that matches the plot. Meanwhile, the Yue Opera stage also pays attention to interacting with the audience. Through careful stage arrangements and the performances of the actors, it guides the audience into the plot and enables them to feel the charm of the opera. In recent years, with the development of technology, the Yue Opera stage has also introduced modern technical means such as multimedia, making the stage effects more stunning.
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