TraditionalChineseOpera:ATimelessCulturalTreasure

Ladiesandgentlemen,esteemedguests,

Goodmorning/afternoon.ItisaprofoundhonortostandbeforeyoutodaytoilluminatetheenduringallureofTraditionalChineseOpera—aculturallegacythathasthrivedforoveramillennium,weavingtogetherhistory,art,andphilosophyintoamesmerizingtapestryofperformance.

I.ALivingHeritage:OriginsandDiversity

TraditionalChineseOperaisnotasingularartform,butavibrantconstellationofregionalgenres,eachshapedbylocaldialects,customs,andaesthetics.

PekingOpera(Jingju):Borninthe18thcentury,itreignsasthemosticonic,blendingacrobaticmartialarts,resplendentcostumes,andtheiconic"sheng,dan,jing,chou"(male,female,painted-face,clown)rolesystem.

KunquOpera:Dubbedthe"motherofChineseoperas,"its600-yearhistoryisdefinedbylyrical"shuimodiao"(water-grindmelody)andpoeticlibrettos,asseenin*ThePeonyPavilion*—amasterpieceexploringlove’stranscendenceoflifeanddeath.

YueOpera(Yueju):RootedinZhejiang,itsgentlemelodiesanddelicateportrayalofromance(e.g.,*ButterflyLovers*)havecaptivatedaudiencesforgenerations.

II.TheArtofSymbolism:ACodifiedLanguageofExpression

AtthecoreofChineseoperaliesits"chengshi"(stylizedconvention)system—asophisticatedvocabularyofgestures,vocals,andvisualsthattranscendsliteralmeaning:

Gestures:Aslowwaveofthesleevesignifiessorrow;threestepsforwardrepresentajourneyofathousandli.

FacialMakeup(Lianpu):InPekingOpera,colorstellstories:red(loyalty,e.g.,GuanYu),white(treachery,e.g.,CaoCao),andblack(integrity,e.g.,BaoZheng).

VocalTechniques:Fromthepiercing"laosheng"(elderlymale)voicetothelilting"dan"(female)aria,eachroletypedemandsauniquevocalstyle,blendingspeech,song,andrecitation.

III.CulturalSoul:Philosophy,History,andEthics

Chineseoperaisalivingencyclopediaoftraditionalvalues:

*ThePeonyPavilion*(Kunqu)embodiesConfucian,Taoist,andBuddhistideals—loveasaforcedefyingsocietalnormsandevendeath.

*FarewellMyConcubine*(Jingju)exploresloyalty,fate,andthetragedyofakingdom’sfall,mirroringhistoricalandphilosophicaldebates.

Folkoperaslike*LiuSanjie*preserveethnicminorities’oralhistories,celebratingwisdomandresistance.

IV.TraditioninTransition:InnovationandGlobalReach

Inthe21stcentury,Chineseoperaevolveswhilehonoringitsroots:

Innovation:Youngartistsfusetraditionwithmodernity—adapting*Hamlet*intoYueOpera,orusing3Dprojectionstoreimagineclassicstages.

GlobalRecognition:UNESCOhasinscribedKunqu,PekingOpera,andothergenresas*IntangibleCulturalHeritage*,highlightingtheiruniversalvalue.

CulturalDiplomacy:Troupestourworldwide,fromtheMetinNewYorktotheRoyalOperaHouseinLondon,invitingaudiencestoexperience"singing,reciting,acting,anddancing"(thefourpillarsofChineseopera).

V.ACalltoCherishandTransmit

Dearfriends,TraditionalChineseOperaismorethanentertainment—itisadialoguebetweencivilizations,abridgebetweenpastandfuture.Asguardiansofthisheritage,wemust:

SupportEducation:Integrateoperaintocurriculatonurtureyoungenthusiasts.

EmbraceInnovation:Encourageartiststoreimagineclassicsforcontemporaryaudiences.

FosterExchange:Collaboratewithglobalartiststosharethisart’sprofundity.

Inclosing,letusremember:cultureenduresnotinmuseums,butintheheartsof