Kun Opera

Kunqu, a form of Chinese opera that originated in the district of Kunshan (by Suzhou), boasts a history of more than 600 years. It is the richest and most ancient of Chinese opera forms, with a continuous stage tradition unrivalled by any musical theater in the world.

In 2001, it was recognized as a ‘Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity’ by UNESCO. It achieved fourth place among all the nineteen countries and first place among the six Asian countries who had received the honour that year.

Anceint Times

Kunqu boasts a 600-year history and is known as the “teacher” or “mother” of a hundred operas, because of its influence on other Chinese theatre forms, including Jingju. Its emergence ushered in the second Golden Era of Chinese drama, but by the early twentieth century it had nearly disappeared.

One of the major literary forms of the Ming and Qing dynasties was chuanqi drama, originating from the South. Plays that continue to be famous today, including The Peony Pavilion and The Peach Blossom Fan, were originally written for the Kunqu stage. In addition, many classical Chinese novels and stories, such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin and Journey to the West were adapted very early into dramatic pieces.

Modern Times

Today, Kunqu is performed professionally in seven Mainland Chinese cities: Beijing (Northern Kunqu Theatre), Shanghai (Shanghai Kunqu Theatre), Suzhou (Suzhou Kunqu Theatre), Nanjing (Jiangsu Province Kunqu Theatre), Chenzhou (Hunan Kunqu Theatre), Yongjia County/Wenzhou (Yongjia Kunqu Theatre) and Hangzhou (Zhejiang Province Kunqu Theatre), as well as in Taipei. Non-professional opera societies are active in many other cities in China and abroad, and opera companies occasionally tour.

Kunqu was listed as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001. Its melody or tune is one of the Four Great Characteristic Melodies in Chinese opera.

Characteristics

It is characterized by its dynamic structure and melody (kunqiang) and classic pieces such as the Peony Pavilion and the Hall of Longevity. It combines song and recital as well as a complex system of choreographic techniques, acrobatics and symbolic gestures.

Roles

The opera features a young male lead, a female lead, an old man and various comic roles, all dressed in traditional costumes.

Music

Kun Qu songs are accompanied by a bamboo flute, a small drum, wooden clappers, gongs and cymbals, all used to punctuate actions and emotions on stage. Renowned for the virtuosity of its rhythmic patterns (changqiang), Kun Qu opera has had a considerable influence or more recent forms of Chinese opera, such as the Sichuan or Beijing opera.

Achievement

In 2001, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization) proclaimed Kunqu Opera as a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of humanity (a UNESCO program that ensures that the best of every country’s traditions is preserved and developed as well as made known to the outside world).