Huangmei opera

Huangmei opera is a special kind of music.

Long ago, women sang these songs while picking tea. It started as a simple folk song and dance.

The music sounds high and stays high. It has a lively beat that is easy to hear. The songs feel fresh and very happy. People in China love this art. It is a famous way to tell stories. Many people still sing these songs today.

Huangmei opera is a famous type of Chinese opera.

It began over 200 years ago. Long ago, women sang these songs while picking tea. People called this the Picking Tea Song. This music comes from the Huangmei area.

It is different from other Chinese operas. The music stays at a high pitch. The songs feel fresh and very happy. The tunes are simple and easy to hear. This makes the stories easy to understand.

In the past, performers did not use a stage. They were a roving troupe that traveled around. Later, they moved to big city stages. Artists like Yan Fengying became very famous. They helped the opera grow in popularity. In Hong Kong, the music became a big hit through films. Some films used both Chinese and Western instruments. This made the music sound new and fast. Today, people still study this art in college. It is a special part of China's culture. Many troupes still perform these beautiful songs.

Huangmei opera is a very famous type of Chinese opera.

It is loved for being pure, fresh, and very moving. People often find the music easy to understand and enjoy. This style is one of the main types of opera in China. It is different from Beijing opera or Yue opera. The songs have a bright and expressive feeling. This makes the art form very popular across the whole country.

The music works in a very special way. It uses a high pitch that stays high during the songs. There are three main parts to the melody. The first is called the flower cavity, which uses simple and cheerful tunes. The second is the color cavity, which is used in small dramas. The third is the main tone used in traditional drama. These parts help create a lively and healthy sound. It does not sound like the usual rhythmic Chinese opera.

This art has a long history of over 200 years.

It began as folk songs and dances in the Huangmei area. Long ago, women in Anqing sang these as Picking Tea Songs. They sang them while they were picking tea leaves. In the late Qing dynasty, these songs grew in Anhui Huaining County. They combined local singing with the Anqing dialect. Later, traveling groups performed them instead of using a formal stage.

Many famous people helped the opera grow.

In 1952, artists like Yan Fengying performed in Shanghai. This big festival made the opera very famous. In Hong Kong, the style became popular through movies in the 1950s. The 1963 film The Love Eterne was a huge success. This film used both Chinese and Western musical instruments. It had a faster tempo than older traditional operas. Famous Hong Kong artists include Ivy Ling Po and Betty Loh Ti.

Today, Huangmei opera is a protected part of culture. In 2006, it was named a national intangible cultural heritage. You can even study it in college now. Anqing Normal University has a major just for this performance. There is also the Anhui Huangmei Opera Art Vocational College. It was started in 1958 as a smaller school. Many different troupes still perform these beautiful stories today. They keep the tradition alive for everyone to see.

Huangmei opera is a major form of Chinese opera with a distinct musical identity.

It is known for being pure, fresh, and highly expressive. This art form is considered one of the most famous and mainstream styles in China. It stands alongside other major genres like Beijing opera, Yue opera, Ping opera, and Yu opera. Many people love it because the melodies are easy to understand and popularize. In 2006, it was officially selected for the first batch of China's national intangible cultural heritage. This status recognizes its deep importance to Chinese history and culture.

The musical structure of Huangmei opera is quite unique. It does not follow the typical rhythmic patterns found in many other Chinese operas. Instead, the music uses a pitch that hits high and stays high for the entire song. The melody is described as a plate-like variant consisting of three specific lumens, or tonal parts. The first is the flower cavity, which is used for small plays and features a cheerful, simple tone. The second is the color cavity, which is a popular choice for small dramas. The third is the main tone, which is the primary vocal style used in traditional Huangmei drama.

Performance in Huangmei opera involves various specialized role types. These roles are not always strictly classified, but they follow traditional patterns. Some common roles include the Xiaosheng and Xiaodan, which are often used in "two small plays." When a Chou role is added, it is referred to as "three small plays." Other roles include the Zhengdan, Laosheng, and Laochou. While the opera draws lessons from the workmanship of Peking, Kunqu, and Sichuan operas, it remains unique. For example, it traditionally avoids the heavy use of sleeve gestures or specific step movements seen in other styles.

The history of this art form spans over 200 years. It originated in the Huangmei area, which sits at the junction of Anhui, Hubei, and Jiangxi provinces. Originally, it began as rural folk songs and dances. In the Anqing areas, women sang these songs while picking tea, calling them "Picking Tea Songs." During the late Qing dynasty, these songs became popular in Anhui Huaining County. They eventually merged with local folk art and the Anqing dialect to become a new kind of opera. In its early years, performers were often roving troupes rather than stage actors.

Significant changes occurred as the opera moved from rural areas to city stages. Between the Revolution of 1911 and 1949, the performances became increasingly professional. A major turning point happened in 1952 during a large opera festival in Shanghai. Famous artists like Yan Fengying and Wang Shaofang performed there. Their new singing forms and stories shocked and attracted large audiences. This success led to the creation of classic works like "The Marriage of A Fairy Princess and Female Consort Prince."

In the 1950s and 1960s, Huangmei opera saw a massive expansion in Hong Kong. This was driven by a large wave of immigrants from mainland China. The style became a massive music genre through film, such as the 1959 film "The Kingdom and the Beauty." The 1963 film "The Love Eterne" reached a peak of popularity. These films often combined Chinese and Western musical instruments. This created a livelier and faster tempo than traditional versions. Because of the romantic themes in these films, singing is often performed by a male and female pair. Famous Hong Kong artists associated with this era include Ivy Ling Po and Betty Loh Ti.

Today, Huangmei opera is supported by formal academic study. It is the third Chinese opera genre to offer undergraduate education. Anqing Normal University provides a major specifically for Huangmei opera performance. There is also the Anhui Huangmei Opera Art Vocational College, which was established in 2011. This college grew from the Anhui Huangmei Opera School, which was founded in 1958. Many professional troupes continue to perform the art, including the Anhui, Anqing, and Hubei Huangmei Theaters. In Taiwan, troupes like the Wang Youlan Huangmei Diaojuyifang keep the tradition active.