Peking opera

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Genre

In 1790 four theatre companies from the province of Anhui came to Beijing for the eightieth birthday of the Qianlong Emperor. Out of their style, later mixed with that of Hubei, Peking opera grew: singing, speech, acrobatics and mime in a single performance. The high, shrill jinghu, a two-string fiddle, leads the singing and percussion marks every movement. Mei Lanfang, famous for his female roles, toured the United States in 1930, and since 2010 Peking opera has been intangible heritage with UNESCO.

Listening

• 
  Afscheid van de concubine (aria) · Mei Lanfang, 1922
• 
  De dronken concubine · Mei Lanfang
• 
  Boating (Legend of the White Snake) · Li Bingshu

See also

• Li Bingshu
• Ancient China: bells and court music
• Chinese cinema: Hong Kong, Fifth Generation and wuxia