Suzhou Kun Opera Theater of Jiangsu Province

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1 UMS YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM Suzhou Kun Opera Theater of Jiangsu Province TEACHER RESOURCE GUIDE

2 UMS Teacher Resource Guide UMS YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM Suzhou Kun Opera Theater of Jiangsu Province Cai Shaohua, director Friday, September 28, 11 am - 12 noon Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre CONTENTS ABOUT THE ARTIST Ensemble History People CULTURAL BACKGROUND Map + Basic Facts Timeline ABOUT THE ART FORM Kunqu Opera Character Archetypes Repertoire ON STAGE Instruments Costumes, Props, and Scenery CREDITS Researched and written by Sigal Hemy, with special thanks to Dr. Joseph Lam for support in content development.

3 About the Artist Suzhou Kun Opera Theater of Jiansgu Province The Suzhou Kun Opera Theater of Jiangsu Province is dedicated to both preserving and innovating the art of kunqu. How would you preserve and innovate an art form at the same time? After you learn more about kunqu, decide which elements you would preserve as they are and which you would update.

4 Suzhou Kun Opera Theater of Jiangsu Province ENSEMBLE HISTORY Established in 1956, the Suzhou Kun Opera Theater of Jiansgu Province is dedicated to both preserving and innovating kunqu, China s grand opera tradition. Formerly a traveling kunqu troupe, the established theater has now trained four generations of performers in this classical art form. With a wide repertoire of over 200 excerpts from traditional operas such as The Jade Hairpin and The Palace of Everlasting Youth, the theater continues - with full responsibility and high passion - to reveal the relevance of this 600-year-old art form to audiences today. Based in China, the Suzhou Kun Opera Theater of Jiansgu Province has toured internationally to the United States, Italy, Britain, Greece, France, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. COMPANY MEMBERS Cai Shaohua Mr. Cai Shaohua is Director of the Suzhou Kun Opera Theater and an energetic and forward-looking artistic administrator who has guided the troupe since 2002 to gain international fame and artistic successes. With collaborative projects and strategic use of artistic and human resources, he has developed not only the troupe s effective preservation of kunqu as a cultural heritage of China, but also its innovative and well-received productions of grand operas, which include: The Peony Pavilion: the Young Lovers Edition (2004); The Palace of Eternal Youth (2004); The Jade Hairpin (2010); and Lanke Mountain (2008). Shen Fengying Kunqu Role Specialty: the young and unmarried woman Productions: kunqu operas, such as The Peony Pavilion: The Young Lovers Edition; The Jade Hairpin, and The Romance of the West Chamber Honors: Top 10 Best Young Kunqu Performers Award (2007); the Plum Flower Award, the highest Chinese award for operatic performers (2007); and national designation as a Class One Performing Artist Teachers: Zhang Jiqing, Hua Wenyi, and Wang Fang

5 COMPANY MEMBERS Yu Jiulin Kunqu Role Specialty: the young man Productions: kunqu operas, such as The Peony Pavilion: The Young Lovers Edition, The Jade Hairpin, and The Romance of the West Chamber Honors: Top 10 Best Young Kunqu Performers Award (2007), the Plum Flower Award, the highest Chinese award for operatic Chinese performers (2007); and national designation as a Class One Performing Artist Teachers: Wang Shiyu, Yue Meiti, Shi Shaomei Zhou Xuefeng Kunqu Role Specialty: the young male Productions: kunqu plays, which include The Palace of Eternal Youth and The Lioness Roar (Shihou ji) Honors: Top 10 Best Young Kunqu Performers Award (2007) and the Red Plum Golden Award (2009) Teachers: In 2003 Mr. Zhou became a formal pupil of Cai Zhengren, and since then, has been recieving personalized coaching from the senior kunqu master Shen Guofang Kunqu Role Specialty: the teenage female (and charming and innocent maids) Productions: Chunxiang in The Peony Pavilion: The Young Lovers Edition and Yunxian in The Hairpin and the Bracelet Honors: a National Class Two Performer, Outstanding Young Kunqu Performers Award (2007), the Silver Prize of First Kunqu Festival (2000), and New Performers of Suzhou Award (2007) Lü Jia Kunqu Role Specialty: the teenage female and military female Productions: Hongniang in The Romance of the West Chamber and Yan Xiqiao in The Water Margin (Shuihu ji) Honors: National Class Two Performer and silver prizes in the third and fourth Red Plum Competition of Operatic Performances in Jiangsu Province (2007 and 2009) Teachers: Zhao Guozhen, Wu Meiyu, and Liang Guyin Lü Fuhai Kunqu Role Specialty: the clown and fu (supporting man); he is a recognized artistic successor of Wang Chuansong, a legendary performer of the clown role Productions: Zhang Sanlang of The Water Margin and Lou The Mouse of the Fifteen Strings of Cash Honors: National Class One Performer, Outstanding Performance Award at the First Kun Opera Festival (2000) and Distinguished Performer Award at the Second Kun Opera Festival (2003) Zou Jianliang Instrument Specialty: dizi (flute); vice president of Suzhou Kun Opera Theater Productions: principle dizi player for several major productions of the Suzhou Kun Opera Theater, which include The Peony Pavilion: The Young Lovers Edition, The Palace of Eternal Youth, and The Jade Hairpin Honors: National Class One Performer Teachers/Schooling: childhood lessons with his father; Jiangsu Province Kunqu Academy Zhou Zhihua Instrument Specialty: dizi and xiao (vertical flute) Productions: performed many times in Hong Kong and other Asian cities Teachers/Schooling: Jiangsu Province Opera Academy and coaching from Zou Jianliang Xin Shilin Instrument Specialty: percussion Productions: performed in many Western, Asian, and Chinese cities Honors: one of Ten Outstanding Young Persons in Suzhou Teachers/Schooling: Shandong Province Opera Academy (traditional and contemporary repertories of kunqu)

COMPANY MEMBERS Fu Jianping Instrument Specialty: erhu; composition Productions: his works include instrumental compositions for The Palace of Eternal Youth and The Lanke Mountain; performed in

6 COMPANY MEMBERS Fu Jianping Instrument Specialty: erhu; composition Productions: his works include instrumental compositions for The Palace of Eternal Youth and The Lanke Mountain; performed in different countries and places including Italy, Austria, Belgium, and Singapore Honors: National Class Two Performer Other: also plays a number of other string, wind and percussion instruments Bai Lingfang Specialty: costume designer Productions: created costumes for the troupe s Chinese and Japanese joint productions of The Peony Pavilion and The Romance of the West Chamber, and supervised the making of costumes for new productions of The Peony Pavilion, The Jade Hairpin, and The Palace of Eternal Youth Teachers/Schooling: Suzhou University (cloth designs) Xu Chunxia Instrument Specialty: erhu and zhonghu fiddles Productions: toured with the Suzhou Kun Opera Theater in Asian and European venues Wang Yingying Instrument Specialty: various Chinese instruments, including the pipa, the kunqu lute (quxian), the zhong ruan (lute), and guqin (seven-string zither) Productions: performances with the theater s international tours and also as a soloist Honors: National Class Two Performer Yao Shenxing Instrument Specialty: erhu Productions: performed internationally as both a member of the theater s orchestra and as a soloist Gu Ling Specialty: make-up stylist (in 1977 joined the company specializing in the roles of young and unmarried woman and military female) Productions: critically acclaimed make-up designs for leading characters in a number of major productions, which include the popular Peony Pavilion: Young Lovers Edition and The Jade Hairpin

7 Cultural Background China What can we learn about what the Chinese value in their history and culture through the influences that have survived in kunqu opera?

8 China GEOGRAPHY AND POPULATION Official Name: People s Republic of China Capital: Beijing Population: 1.33 Billion Land Mass: 3,696,100 square miles Borders: Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, North Korea China is famous for its beautiful and diverse geography. The Kunlun and Himalayan mountain ranges are landmarks in Eastern China. The Gobi Desert defines the northern border with Mongolia, while central China known as China Proper boasts three large rivers, the Huang, the Yangze and the Xan. Rapid industrialization has caused the population of Chinese cities to grow rapidly, as many people have left small rural villages to find higher paying, more reliable work in the cities. Despite this, villages still remain a significant part of the Chinese population and agriculture remains a vital sector of their economy. As in many countries, the densest portions of the population are centered around the river valleys, where both industrial and agricultural growth are rampant. TIMELINE The history of China, from ancient times through to the early twentieth century, has been defined by a series of dynasties. These nine major dynasties Zhou, Qin, Han, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing fostered innovations, scholarship, and territorial expansion that placed China far ahead of its international peers. This timeline shows their progression, detailing the history of China. Zhou (c BC- 221 BC): The Zhou dynasty had the longest rule in Chinese history; its reign is considered the Classical Age. This period saw growth in philosophy, technology, and industrialization. The Zhou also expanded China s borders and land holdings to further their influence. Qin (221 BC-206 BC): The Qin dynasty established the first centralized monarchy in the country under the powerful ruler Shih Huang Ti. He standardized all methods of communication and unified the country in his attempt to have full control over his people and territory.

9 TIMELINE The Great Wall of China: The Qin dynasty began production on the Great Wall of China in order to prevent invasion from the increasing military presence in Mongolia. However, this construction required the forced labor of thousands of people, and the dissent which stemmed from it helped to overthrow the Qin rulers. The Great Wall is 5,500 miles long, and marks the agricultural border of the country. Despite popular myth, it is not visible from space. The Terracotta Warriors: The haunting image of thousands of realistic terracotta warriors can be found in the mausoleum of Emperor Shih Huang Ti. The emperor was a violent, authoritarian ruler who oversaw many projects to expand the infrastructure of China. In his personal thoughts, though, he often worried about the afterlife. For this reason, he instructed his workers to build 8,000 unique soldiers to guard his mausoleum after his death. Discovered in the 1970s, their great detail and vast numbers leave anyone who sees them in awe. Han (202 BC- 220 AD): The Han dynasty further centralized China s government, casting themselves as the seat of power and administrative rule. The Han rulers also reinstated an educational system that was heavily influenced by Confucian thought. The Silk Road: The Han dynasty was the first to realize that it could benefit from trade with the outside world, which could offer China horses and gold in return for their high quality silk and lacquered bowls. This led to the expansion of three routes, one of which led to India and eventually the Mediterranean. Sui ( ): The Sui tried to expand the infrastructure of the country, but this led to a quick revolt and the dynasty s downfall. Tang ( ): The Tang dynasty is considered the Golden Age in Chinese history and instilled a preference for united government from this point forward. One of its major accomplishments was expanding the educational system in order to determine eligibility for government jobs. During this time many people from other parts of Asia came to China, creating a diverse society. Song ( ): The Song dynasty reigned under the threat of external power, as well as the looming presence of a strong domestic military. Despite this, they increased trade throughout regions of the country, developing their capitol city Kaifeng into a center of commerce and communication. During this time there was a large rebirth of Confucian classical literature. Yuan ( ): The Yuan dynasty rulers were Mongols under the reign of Kublai Khan. Their main achievement was rebuilding Beijing, today China s capitol city. Ming ( ): Ming rulers were sea explorers who traveled the world to trade with other, previously unknown countries. It was also during this time that European sea travelers initially came to China. Qing ( ): The beginning of the Qing dynasty was marked by prosperity due to the introduction of crops from the New World, as well as an increased tea trade with Europe. The Qing were also the last of the Chinese dynasties, as rebellion and social uprising ended their rule and eventually led to the rise of the communist People s Republic of China that we know today. Boxer Revolution: China s growing educated class, comprised of scholars who felt they had been shunned by Christian missionaries, as well as the military that had been defeated by the Opium Wars, formed the base of the revolutionary party. Their work transformed China s economy, class structure and language. These changes led to a more educated populace as well as two parties, the communists (CCP- Chinese Communist Party) and the nationalists. People s Republic of China (1949-present): the modern form of China s government, which began under the leader Mao Zedong, aimed to organize economic production, maintain peace, and present culture to the people of the country.

10 About the Art Form Introduction to Kunqu Kunqu aims to portray both characters and stories vivdly, focusing on inner realities, rather than external appearances. Where do you see the effects of this concept in the art form?

11 Introduction to Kunqu KUNQU OPERA Kunqu, China s grand opera, has its origins in the early 14th century, when China was under the rule of the Yuan Dynasty. At its inception over 600 years ago, the art form combined established Chinese traditions in dramatic literature and the performing arts to create a single intricate performance that synthesized drama, mime, farce, acrobatics, ballet, poetry, music, and opera. Like Western opera, kunqu s musical offerings are split into recitative and arias. Recitatives are prose passages, often monologues or dialogues, that are chanted in a stylized way. Arias, conversely, are elaborate poems of high literary quality that are sung and accompanied by the orchestra. While the content of recitative moves the plot of the opera forward, aria content is usually highlighted because it reveals important information about the character or a story. Unlike Western opera, all the music is passed on the qu-pai principle, stating that spoken or sung words must fit into an existing repertoire of tunes, known as qu-pai. This means that all text and song in kunqu must match a small number of qupai tunes in their number of lines, syllables per line, and cadence of emphasized syllable. In addition to this, each word or phrase is accompanied by a stylized movement or gesture choreographed to coordinate with the music or percussion that accompanies the action. Many of the classical kunqu playwrights were also poets, and the content of kunqu operas often draws on the Chinese literary tradition. It is this tradition that lends itself to the kunqu notion presenting stories and characters vividly, portraying their inner realities rather than external appearances. The concept of vivid portrayal also extends to mean that the literature is combined with sight and sound, enhancing the effect of the poetry.

12 CHARACTER ARCHETYPES Kunqu opera often relies on its audience members to imagine details through their expectations and knowledge of symbols. One way of making this easier is creating an archetype, or model, for all characters to fit in. These characters are easily recognized by the age and costume of the performer playing them. Since performing styles are so different throughout these archetypes, many performers must specialize in playing a single type of role throughout their careers. Sheng: A sheng is a young male character in a kunqu opera. This character is serious lead, and split into two different types: Zheng scholars and intellectuals, who are indicated by their turban wearing, and young government officials and civil officers. Dan: A dan refers to any female role in kunqu, and is split into many categories. Young, beautiful females who are the lead in any love story are known as wudan. Laodan refers to old female actors who indicate wisdom. Finally, zhengdan are middle-aged women, most of whom are strongwilled due to difficult experiences. Jing: Literally colorful face, a jing can be recognized quickly, as their faces are often painted red, black, or white. These colors usually indicate that the character is villainous, treacherous, or mean-spirited. Qao: The qao role is a clown who uses both silly gestures and jokes to make audiences laugh. Often the qao is kind-hearted, but unimportant to the plot of the opera. Mo: Mo characters are middle-aged or older men, most of whom wear artificial whiskers and facial hair to indicate their age and wisdom. REPERTOIRE: THE JADE HAIRPIN The Jade Hairpin is an epic drama written in the 16th century by Gao Lian ( ), a celebrated scholar-official, dramatist, and book collector. A representative chuanqi drama of China, The Jade Hairpin has been continuously performed as kunqu since its publication. It tells a playful romance between a young man and a young woman who fall in love with one another inside a nunnery. A war refugee, Chen Miaochang, the young woman, becomes a reluctant nun; a scholar who has failed his examinations, Pan Bizheng, the young man, visits his aunt, the abbess. Having found one another in the nunnery where they cannot openly engage with one another, they secretly meet in the garden, seductively flirt by playing zither music, yearningly express their desires in their spoken and written words, and boldly consummate their love inside the religious site. Once their affair is exposed, he has to leave immediately, only to return as a successful scholarofficial and a faithful lover. The drama is filled with playful actions, melodious singing, elegant dancing, and emotive moments, all of which delight audience s senses while challenging their understanding of social norms. Stealing Poems begins with Chen yearning for Pan in her studio, committing her thoughts on her diary. Then she falls asleep. Trying to see Chen, Pan sneaks into her studio, and finds her asleep at her desk with her arms pinning down the diary. He pulls the booklet out, reads the poems written there, and learns how Chen misses him. Emboldened by his discovery, he wakes her up and seduces her. She rejects his advances and threatens to report his unbecoming behavior to his aunt. At that point, Pan shows Chen the diary, forcing her to admit her desires for him, and triggering a playful chase on stage. Finally, she gives in to his demand and gets her poems back. The scene concludes with them making their conjugal vow.

13 About the Performance Elements On Stage How are Chinese orchestras similar to and different from Western ones? How can the similarities help you listen to this music? What about the differences?

14 Elements On Stage INSTRUMENTS A kunqu orchestra is composed of 6-10 musicians and is divided into two categories: wen-chang, the winds and strings, and wu-chang, the percussion. The winds and strings, led by the dizi, are in the orchestra almost exclusively to accompany arias, while the percussion play throughout the opera. Wooden clappers set the pace of the play, with gongs and cymbals used as punctuation. Wen-Chang Zheng: The zheng was developed during the second half of the Zhou dynasty ( BCE). It is shaped like a large trapezoid, with strings that a musician plucks with picks attached to their fingers. It sounds and functions much like a harp, played horizontally rather than vertically. Dizi: The dizi is of Han origin (206 BCE-220 AD). It is a traditional bamboo flute with six finger holes and a blowhole. The blowhole has a kazoo-like membrane covering it that vibrates when the instrument is played, creating a buzz that accompanies the instrument s hollow sounding tone. Erhu: The word erhu literally translates to a stringed instrument adopted from the northwestern barbarians of antiquity, which suggests that it developed during the Tang or the Song Dynasty. It is a two-stringed fiddle, which is played with a bow with strings made of silk. At the time of its conception, it was considered a folk instrument, which was not worthy of court music. The erhu has an open, smooth sound. Pipa: The pipa is a pear-shaped lute, modified from Central Asian instruments, particularly those in Iran. It is possible that Japanese dignitaries brought it to China in the seventh or eighth century. A member of the lute family, the pipa sounds and is played much like a modern-day guitar. Wu-Chang Ban: Ban are the wooden clappers which set the tempo of the entire opera. Simple blocks of wood, they are struck together to accompany kunqu. Xialouo: The xialouo is a small gong which is beaten with a small stick or hammer. Naobo: Naobo are medium sized cymbals, often known as opera cymbals for their frequent use in kunqu. Made of metal, they make a bright and loud sound when hit together.

COSTUMES AND SCENERY Kunqu staging and costumes follow the principle of vivid portrayal: conveying the inner essence of people and situations, rather than their surface details.

15 COSTUMES AND SCENERY Kunqu staging and costumes follow the principle of vivid portrayal: conveying the inner essence of people and situations, rather than their surface details. For this reason, kunqu opera employs a minimum of scenery and stage props, allowing audiences to infer the setting of the work through the words, gesture, and singing of performers. The bare stage also serves another purpose: giving performers the physical room to express their feelings and doings through movement and dance. any attempt to further enforce the plot. Instead, performers often hold small trinkets of great symbolic significance. For example, a magnifying glass is used to convey social blindness. Kunqu costumes are also designed to enhance the dance and gesture of performers. Many come equipped with floor-length shui xiu, literally water sleeves, which ripple and fan to accentuate the performers dancing. Similarly, kunqu costumes are all uniform, stylized versions of Ming Dynasty clothes. The costumes do not address the setting of the specific play or make

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