Text | Xiaofeng talks about history
Edit | Xiaofeng talks about history
From being ignored to being popular abroad, this opera, which has a thousand-year-old history and culture, presents a unique style for Chinese, whether it is drama or tune.
However, the more we learn, the more we have a problem that deeply troubles the world. That is, in ancient times, when there was no microphone and no sound, how did these operas "sing all over the world" and finally pass them down?
1. A little bit about the play
In fact, the history of opera in mainland China can even be traced back to ancient times.
In primitive societies, people invoked the gods for protection through dancing and singing. With the progress of society, opera began to turn to entertain human beings, thus forming the prototype of drama.
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, opera gradually evolved into a form of singing and dancing used to entertain people, and Jiao was one of the most popular theatrical performances at that time.
The military drama is performed by people in the form of questions and answers, and the Ta Shao Niang is a kind of opera that interprets some life stories in the form of songs and dances.
During the Tang Dynasty, the art of opera also developed further.
During this period, there was a repertoire of opera that used song and dance to perform stories, and various scripts were also emerging. After the Tang Dynasty, the art of opera gradually took shape.
After producing a number of opera repertoire for song and dance performances, "Pear Garden" has also developed vigorously.
However, if we want to talk about the mature stage of Chinese opera, we have to mention the Yuan Dynasty miscellaneous opera performances.
"Miscellaneous drama" developed rapidly during this period and became a new form of drama. It was also during this period that opera entered a new stage, showing the basic characteristics of dramatic art, as well as the maturity of script, music, structure, etc.
It can be said that it is precisely because of the efforts of the Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties that mainland opera has gradually become a stage art that integrates singing, dancing, acting and music.
With the development of time, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, opera gained greater prosperity. The rise of legendary drama in the Ming Dynasty and the development of southern opera made the opera culture more exciting, and legendary drama became the most popular form of opera in the Ming Dynasty.
During the Qing Dynasty, the opera culture flourished, and during this period, Peking Opera became a widely influential opera genre and pushed the art of opera to new heights.
The same brilliant Qing Dynasty Kun dialect also became an important genre in this period, and many popular repertoire emerged.
What is even more worthy of pride is that after a long and rich history, the original "songs that do not enter the stream" have gradually constituted an important cultural heritage of our entire nation.
But here comes the problem, as there is no microphone amplifier in ancient times. How do those opera masters sing the opera clearly?
There are so many people in the audience, can they hear the noise clearly?
Second, the great tricks of the ancestors
Despite the limitations of the times and production conditions, the predecessors did not have such a convenient existence as audio.
But when it comes to the transmission of sound, it is difficult for the ancient architects. When designing the stage, they took into account the need to use architectural structures and materials to convey sound.
Anyone who has studied opera a little bit knows that the height of the stage is a very important point.
In ancient times, the stage was often built much higher than the audience's position, which better ensured that the audience could see the performance on the stage, and at the same time was conducive to the transmission of sound.
This is also because sound travels through sound waves, and obstacles block the propagation of sound. The wider the place, the farther the sound travels. The reflection of sound is cleverly used to enhance the transmission effect of sound, "Your ancestor must still be your ancestor." ”
In addition to this, the ancients also adopted the design of "two coherence" or "three coherence" to further enhance the transmission effect of sound.
Before the opening, they often add one or two caisson wells to the front of the stage, thus reducing the area of the top cut-out. This design not only makes the performer's voice louder, but also improves the clarity of the sound.
But that's not enough. In addition to the design of the stage itself, the structure of the surrounding buildings also plays a role in amplifying sound.
The indoor stage uses walls to amplify the sound, so that the audience can hear the performers clearly. The angled or curved design of the wall can further expand the range of sound transmission.
In some old-fashioned stages, there are even multiple caisson wells at the top to increase the reflective surface of the sound.
Even where there were no caissons, the ancients found other ways to transmit sound. For example, placing urns and water tanks in the gable of the stage, or connecting the stage to a nearby cave or well, uses the resonance effect to transmit sound.
The combined application of these physical factors allowed the performers of the ancient stage to transmit sound to every audience, allowing them to enjoy the art of opera in an immersive way.
However, while the stage design and architectural structure play a key role, the training and development of the performers' own voices cannot be neglected.
They need to go through a long period of exercise to make their voices more penetrating.
It is precisely because of this that there is a proverb in ancient times: "One minute on the stage, ten years off the stage".
It can also be seen from this that although the ancients were "not as advanced as we are". Ancient architects, however, were able to skillfully apply acoustic principles to design and construct the stage, amplifying the performers' voices through the space and structure of the stage itself.
Whether it was the use of caissons, walls, or resonance devices, the design of the ancient stage was quite ingenious. Coupled with the "amazing" voice of the performer, it brings an excellent listening experience to the audience.
Passed down from generation to generation, this is why there is such an amazing opera culture today.
And in addition to the books of songs, what rules did the ancestors leave about opera?
3. "Exquisiteness in the pear orchard"
In fact, although the ancient "opera characters" preached all kinds of righteous dramas, their own profession was not respected much.
Faced with the heavy pressure of life and work, as the "lower ninth", they often need to travel far to perform. It even takes a long time to find your next destination.
When they arrived at the new venue, the troupe had to meet the local dignitaries in person in order to pray for the success of the performance. This ancient tradition, known as the "Pier of Worship", is intended to seek the protection of these important people from being oppressed and harmed by local forces.
At the same time, during the performance, there are also a series of rules and taboos within the troupe that need to be followed.
On stage, the actor must act in accordance with the prescribed lines and actions, and must not change them at will, and is not allowed to change the lines or actions for personal reasons, otherwise it will be considered "Yin Man Stirring".
When one of them makes a mistake, the other actors must cover it up and make amends, which is also known as "pickpocketing". And actors can't do "squatting work" on stage at will, which often refers to those who deliberately don't want to be in the performance position because of their suspicions in life.
In addition to the rules on stage in the background, there are also strict rules.
The first point is that except for the ugly singer, other actors are forbidden to sit in the coat box, because this behavior is regarded as an offense against the grandfather.
Even the drummers in the troupe have special seating requirements, and while it is forbidden to sit in the "Kowloon Mouth", each class owner will strictly require the other party not to allow the rattle before the opening, so as not to affect the actors' entry into the play and the performance of the role.
Although these rules and taboos may seem superstitious and outdated to modern people, they are an important part of opera culture.
In these traditional rules and taboos that have been handed down for many years, they not only reflect the superstitions of "that era", but also reflect the awe of opera artists for their profession and their responsibility to the audience.
The author thinks
With the progress of society and the changes of the times, modern opera performances have been freed from too many superstitious factors, but the professionalism and respect for tradition are still the attitudes that every actor should adhere to.
We can also draw nourishment from the ancient opera garden, so that tradition and innovation can be combined, so that the art of opera can be revitalized in contemporary times.