Chinese
Opera (повышенный уровень)
If you want
to watch a performance that combines song, dance, and striking design, you
should take a look at a truly original style of musical performance: Chinese
Opera. Opera has a long history in China. In ancient times, actors performed
the operas on the streets on temporary stages with only hanging lanterns for
lighting. The actors used to wear bright colours to stand out in the dark.
The singing
in Chinese Opera is quite strange – very sharp and high-pitched. The street
performers used to sing that way so that their voices could carry over the
crowds who gathered to watch. The actors don’t only tell the story through
song; the dancing and acrobatics are fantastic, too. The actors use not only
their faces but also their whole bodies to act out the story and show their
emotions.
There aren’t a lot of stage props or scenery
because the actors use a lot of symbols to help tell the story. An actor
galloping with a whip, for example, means they are running a horse. The actors’
make-up is incredible. Each colour has a special meaning and reveals something
about their character; red means loyalty and bravery, black shows a warrior or
a wild character, blue means cruelty and gold and silver means mystery. It must
be breathtaking to see all the actors on stage together in their bright
costumes and make-up. I don’t think that opera is for me, but I’d like to see a
Chinese opera one day.
Chinese
Opera (базовый уровень)
Opera has a long history in China. In ancient
times, actors performed the operas on the streets on temporary stages with only
hanging lanterns for lighting. The actors used to wear bright colours to stand
out in the dark.
The singing
in Chinese Opera is quite strange – very sharp and high-pitched. The street
performers used to sing that way so that their voices could carry over the
crowds. The actors don’t only tell the story through song; the dancing and
acrobatics are fantastic, too. The actors use their faces and their whole bodies
to act out the story and show their emotions.
There aren’t a lot of stage props or scenery
because the actors use a lot of symbols to help tell the story. An actor
galloping with a whip, for example, means they are running a horse. The actors’
make-up is incredible. Each colour has a special meaning and reveals something
about their character; red means loyalty and bravery, blue means cruelty and
gold and silver means mystery. It is breathtaking to see all the actors on
stage together in their bright costumes and make-up. I don’t think that opera
is for me, but I’d like to see a Chinese opera one day.
