Right up until 1931 it was customary for the men to sit in the stalls and women in the balconies. Later the shows were performed in theatres which had benches facing the stage. The audience paid for their tea, but the show, which was just side entertainment, was free, and lasted for up to 12 hours. In the early times, the shows were performed in a teahouse courtyard, with the audience sitting all around on benches, facing each other. After 1860, mobile operatic companies were spreading Peking Opera all over China, and by the end of the century it was the most renowned opera style in the country. Then only male performers were allowed to participate, with young boys playing women's roles, but from the 1870s on women started making an appearance on stage. By 1845, Peking opera had taken shape with a style all its own. And then in 1828 several famous Hubei Troupes came and performed together with the Anhui troupes. In those days, opera was staged for the court only, and not the common people. The real beginning of Peking Opera was in 1790, when a combined group known as the "Four Great Anhui Troupes", brought Anhui Opera, nowadays called 'Huiju', to Beijing as part of the celebrations for the 80th birthday of the Qianlong Emperor. Han opera was in some ways the predecessor of Peking Opera, having provided the two main melodies known as 'Xipi' and 'Erhuang'. Peking Opera itself absorbed many other dramatic forms, including the local drama 'Huiban' which was popular in South China during the 18th century.
There were other Chinese opera genres, such as Kunqu Opera, which came into existence much earlier, before the 14th century, and which was favored by the educated nobility for its elegant music and fine language. It is known by several Chinese names, such as 'Jinghuang', 'Daxi', 'Pingju' and 'Jingxi'.Īctually, Peking Opera only has a history of less than 200 years. Peking Opera is regarded as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage" of China, as declared by UNESCO in 2010. (Peking is the old name for the city of Beijing, so you may also see it referred to by either name.) The History of Peking Opera In it you will find the essence of China, so it is fascinating, and you might really enjoy it. It really doesn't matter, because Peking Opera, or Beijing Opera, is quite different from western opera, and you really should give it a chance. Or maybe you have just never even been to the opera. Or maybe you hate listening to operatic music.
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