Wenzhou Ou Opera

Ou Opera is one of the local operas in Zhejiang Province, also known as "Wenzhou Chaos Bomb". It is an ancient type of opera popularized in Wenzhou, southern Zhejiang Province, which takes "written Wenhua" as the stage language, originally called "Wenzhou chaotic bomb", because Wenzhou is located in the lower reaches of the Oujiang River, which is anciently known as "Dong'ou", and was named Ou Opera in 1959.

[Edit paragraph]History

Ou opera has a history of more than three hundred years, the more influential traditional repertoire are "Gao Ji and Wu Sanchun", "Yanghe Picking Seal" and the creation of modern drama "East China Sea Little Sentinel" and so on. The music of Ou Opera is very colorful except for the chaotic play, and the singing tunes of Gaoqiang, Kunqu, Hui Opera, Pihuang and other kinds of dramas. Ou opera singing cavity is divided into "positive chaotic bomb" and "anti-chaotic bomb"; the main tunes of positive chaotic bomb are [slow chaotic bomb], [Erhan], [Yuqi], [running water], [small peach red] and so on; the anti-chaotic bomb has [Jin Cui], [Luo Bang], [anti-running water], [anti-clamping plate] and so on.

Wenzhou is the birthplace of southern opera in the Song Dynasty. After the Ming Dynasty, the Gaoqiang and Kunqiang were popular in the south of Zhejiang Province. At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Wenzhou's opera troupe mainly sang the Gaoqiang and Kunqiang, and gradually sang the Gaoqiang, Kunqiang, and Chaosqiang after the importation of the Chaosqiang. Gao", "Kun" and "Chaos". At that time, a semi-professional "March Class" was popular in the rural areas around Wenzhou, and the troupe worked as an opera troupe in their spare time. When the farm was busy, they worked on the farm. This class society at first only eight actors, can only perform "Prodigal son kicking the ball", "sell rouge" and other small plays, in the performance of more roles in the play, it is taken to run corner, part-time corner approach. After the gradual development of the professional class society. In the middle of the Qing Dynasty, Wenzhou's opera troupe absorbed the Hui tune, the beach spring and the tune of the time, and gradually developed into a multi-cavity theater, and the emergence of a larger scale of the professional community. But at this time, the singing of the Kun cavity, the high cavity less and less, and to the chaotic cavity "is chaotic bomb", "anti-chaotic bomb" is the main.

According to historical evidence, the earliest messy bomb class in Wenzhou was the "Old Jinxiu" class with Hong Quanben as the class master, which was established in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1736-1795). The Lao Jinxiu class was a class society with a variety of voices and mainly with a chaotic bombardment accent, capable of performing eighty-four big plays, which became the fixed traditional repertoire of Wenzhou chaotic bombardment later on. During the Jiaqing (1796-1820) period, there were Rixiu, Samsung, Xiaochunhua, and Banyongyi.

Daoguang (1821-1850), the Wenzhou area of commerce, handicrafts more prosperous, the population surge, the class society once developed to more than thirty, the main class society has a new Yiqi, bamboo horse song, the old with the Qing, the new Lianqi, the new with the Qing, the big three is different, the big Jixing, the small with the Qing, and so on. Activity area in addition to the south of zhejiang wenzhou, taizhou (rule now linhai), the state (jurisdiction now zhejiang lishui, jinyun, qingtian, suichang, longquan, long and other counties), and also as far as the north of minzu, north-east of ganzhou and other places, quite prosperous.

Xuantong two years (1910), Beijing opera began to popular in Wenzhou, Wenzhou began to decline. In the 1930s, most of the class societies were dissolved, resulting in the collapse of the Wenzhou chaotic bomb, to the 1940s, only the old Fengyu, the new Fengyu, Sheng Fengyu three class societies. After the founding of the country, the relevant departments will be old Feng Yu, new Feng Yu, Sheng Feng Yu three class society merged to form the victory of the messy bomb troupe. 1950 and then successively set up the "update", "red star" and so on class, 1955, merged into the wenzhou messy bomb troupe. 1959 wenzhou messy bomb In 1959, Wenzhou Grotesque Bomb Troupe was renamed Ou Opera, and Wenzhou Grotesque Bomb Troupe was renamed Wenzhou Ou Opera Troupe.

[Edit Paragraph]Artistic Characteristics

Ou Opera sing and do both, literature and martial arts, to do the work of excellence. The martial arts play absorbs folk boxing and martial arts, compact and thrilling. The language used is Wenzhou official language, only the ugly feet use Wenzhou dialect.

The music of Ou Opera is composed of many kinds of voices such as Gaoqiang, Kunqiang, chaotong, Hui tune, Tanlong, and Shidong, etc. Modern Ou Opera mainly sings chaotong, and sings other voices at the same time. Singing several different voices in a play, the performance has formed a unified artistic style, with simple, bright, rough and delicate characteristics. There are more than 1,000 traditional songs. Because of its long-term activities in rural areas and mountain villages, it has a strong flavor of life in its performance and is not strict in its form.

The high voice of Ou Opera, the music structure is a set of songs, with only gongs and drums to help the rhythm, no orchestral accompaniment (individual plays, such as "Mill Crosstalk" and "Cyclic Newspaper", there is a section with orchestral accompaniment). During the performance, one person sings solo with the help of many people, with a high-pitched tone and a rough style. Many of the songs frequently use the technique of alternating and switching modes, forming a unique style.

The messy bomb of Ou opera is divided into two kinds: positive messy bomb and anti-messy bomb, all of them are board change body structure. The difference between positive and negative tuning is 5 degrees, each has its own original board, stacked board, tight board, running water and starting board, drawing board, brake board and other changes, and there are other tunes such as "Luo Bangkang", "Erhan" and so on. The tune of messy bomb cavity is colorful and beautiful, because it is sung in Wenzhou dialect combined with the sound of the Central Plains, the singing has local characteristics. In Ou opera "authentic" traditional messy bomb opera, most of them sing positive messy bomb. Therefore, it is always called "ancestral sound source stream" or "main sound source stream". It has obvious connection with local folk music. As one of the basic plate cavities of the chaotong music, the "original plate" is the structure of the upper and lower sentences, which is bright and robust, with great variability, and can express both joyful feelings and low emotions. Countertone original plate in the rhythm and structure, and the original plate is similar to the original plate, only more than the original plate of the positive tone of the original plate of the flat soft and gentle, the key is also different. Positive and negative original plate, can be sung alone, but also often with the stacked plate, running water and other boards used in conjunction. Positive flowing water plate is the atmosphere of the clamor, suitable for sad feelings, can be used alone, can also be linked with other plates. The melody is basically the same as that of the tight board, but the tight board is sung in the form of scattered boards, while the flowing water board is sung quickly in 1/4 meter. It is accompanied by a big gong and drums. The structure and singing method of the Anti-Running Water Plate is the same as that of the Positive Running Water Plate, but it is more exciting and high-pitched than the former.

The music of Ou opera is bright, smooth and expressive, which can express the inner complex feelings of various characters in detail.

The voice of Ou opera is Wenzhou dialect and Zhongzhou rhyme. It is commonly known as "messy playing white" or "written Wenzhou language" (Wenzhou official language). Dan role to false voice (also known as Yang throat) is the main, true and false voice combination; small student is a combination of true and false voice, to the voice of the main, called "mother and son throat" (also called male and female throat, yin and yang throat); big flower with more how to sound; the old man, the old Dan with the voice; the old man with more "Hall sound", The old man uses his own voice; the old student uses the "tangyin" and "huyin", and the old dan uses the "back-of-the-head" sound.

The flute is the main accompaniment, and the banhu (formerly known as "vice-blow") is the main accompaniment. In addition, there are pipa, sanxian, yueqin, yangqin, erhu, zhonghu, dahu, sheng, xiao, suona, trombone, rutong, niuqin and so on.

There are two kinds of square tunes of Ou opera: silk bamboo tune and suona tune. Most can be accompanied by various gongs and drums, rich in local color. Among them, [Shijin Toutong], [Xipi Toutong], [a letter], for ou opera famous "three big head".

Ou opera's performance, singing and doing, to do the work of excellence. For example, the young student can be divided into the poor student play, the elegant play, the flower play, the arrow robe play, the male and female play, the (child) play, the beard play. In "Chenzhou ring", "Jade Ki Musk" and other plays, flopping down, a complete set. Xiaodan has six types of plays such as sad, flower, splash, crazy, singing, martial arts, etc.; Huaodan shall also play the role of sword and horse, and sometimes shall also play the role of martial arts, such as Nazha in "Nazha Troubles in the Sea", which is the main role of Huaodan. The second flower also performs martial arts flower face, such as: "Ziyang Guan" in Du Qing, to have "flying legs", "backwards climb", "water chicken step", "tiger jumping The performance of martial arts skills such as "flying legs", "crawling backwards", "water chicken step", "tiger jump" and so on. In addition, such as the "sparrow step" of the young student; Dan foot "inch step", "drop step", "three feet" and the "kicking ball" of the young flower. The "Sparrow Step"; Dan foot "inch step", "drop step", "three feet" and small flower "kicking ball", "flying gong", hat work, fan work and so on, all have unique features. Because Ou Opera has been active in the countryside for a long time, its performance has simple, bright and rough style. Ou opera's martial arts play, more unique style, absorbing folk boxing into the "playing short hand", "hand face heel", the actors bare hands and empty fists, fighting with each other, turning and falling, compact action. The techniques of "playing on the stage" such as "going up high", "getting out of the circle" and "holding the egg" are also quite thrilling. Other martial arts skills, such as the three-sectioned stick, plum blossom stick, and for the chain ring (i.e., "rattan card Chen"), are quite distinctive. Other stunts such as the arrows of "The Ring of the Divine State", the fan of "The Flaming Mountain", the fork of "Northern Huzhou", the yoke of "Fighting Shop", the "sparrow step" of the young master, the "inch step", "drop step", "three step", "three step", "three step", "three step", "three step", "three step", "three step", "three step", "three step" and so on are quite unique.

[Edit Paragraph]Character line

Ou Opera in the Qing Guangxu before, only "on four feet" (Sheng, Dan, net, ugly) and "four feet" (outside, paste, vice, end) eight feet; Qing Guangxu, with the development of the repertoire needs, the line is more and more detailed. After the Qing Guangxu, with the development of the repertoire, the line is more and more detailed, the development of three halls of sixteen feet, that is, the White Face Hall: Sheng, Zheng Sheng, Lao Wai, Wu Sheng, four white face; Dan Hall: when the study of Dan, Zheng Dan, Huadan, Lao Dan, three-handed Dan, Baitang Dan (small Dan); Huafaqiang Hall: Dahua, Dihua, Dihua, Xiaohua, Wu Dahua.

Sheng line:

At the beginning of ou opera roles are dominated by sheng, called Zhengsheng, playing middle and young men. Outside (foreigner), is "outside the birth of the birth", specializing in playing the old man; end of the "end of the birth", playing the supporting role in the middle and old man; Xiao Sheng original only play the supporting role of young men, Sheng line general Jun play not painted face, so also known as the "white-faced hall". The Sheng line generally does not paint the face, so it is also known as "White Face Hall", but there are also a few plays with open face. Sheng line early still have small outside, small end of the footage, that is, the later "four white face", is born in the role of the second and the second role of the person. After the middle of the Qing Dynasty, chaotic bombing, spring boom, depicting the increase in love and marriage of men and women's plays, Sheng from the secondary to the main, Sheng has become the old Sheng's moniker. Since then, basically, the formation of the line of the four lines of Xiao Sheng, Lao Sheng, Lao Wai, deputy end of the pattern. However, there is still no distinction between civil and military, requiring the actors to be civil and military not blocking, do playing all fine. The singing method of Sheng Xing, Lao Sheng used the "Tang Throat" (the original voice), paying attention to the voice of the muddy to take the bright, clear spitting, strong spout, and some used the "small Tang Throat" (the use of false voice in the treble area), and some phrases were often turned up an octave higher (such as the [plectrum] turned up, known as the "plectrum singing"). The singing of some phrases is often sung an octave higher (e.g., [plectrum] is sung high, which is called "plectrum singing"), which sounds elegant and distinctive. The foreigners are using the hall throat, pay attention to the voice of the strong and thick, in order to sound like a bell is good. The same applies to the end. The original Xiao Sheng used the "male and female throat" (real and fake voice, with obvious twists and turns), and there were very few people who could combine their voices harmoniously, but after the female Xiao Sheng was born, the use of real and fake voices began to be natural and beautiful.

Flower face line:

Ou Opera formed the pattern of four-color flower face such as big flower face (net), two flower face (vice), three flower face (i.e., small flower face, ugly) and four flower face at a very early stage, and later on, due to the increase of the roles, it began to add some flower face characters, such as "wu dahua" and so on. Dahua face played more roles, there are loyal and treacherous, positive and negative, up to the emperor and nobles, down to the beggar turtle slaves, almost nothing. If you differentiate them by their faces, there are four categories: red, black, white and flower. Red face is mostly heroic and loyal soldiers, black face is mostly simple and upright people, white face is mostly treacherous and vulgar people, flower face (mixed color face) is mostly vicious and evil generation. The second flower face between the net, ugly, also net also ugly, also literary and martial arts, the second flower face (vice) specializing in the role of naive and stupid. Little Flower Face (Chou), the highest status in the old custom in the troupe, can represent the old Lang (theater God) in the class law enforcement. The roles they play are loyal, treacherous, good and evil, men and women, young and old, and the civil and military are not blocked, and everything is included. The Little Flower Face also plays the role of the Colorful Dan, such as the Jailer in "Peach Blossom" and the Pi in "Peony Tale". Four-flower face, for the flower face line of the secondary footage, such as "water capture Pound", the big flower face as Guan Yu, two flower face as Zhou Cang, four flower face as Pound; "Bichao Peach Blossom" in the small flower face as a jailbird, the four flower face played the supporting role of the jailer. The four-flower face plays the role of a servant, a general, a soapman, a newspaper and so on in more operas. The big flower face sings and reads with a big voice, which not only requires a bright voice, but also has to have a rolling sound, because the sound is like a rolling thunder rumble and a huge wave churning, which is called "Rolling Throat", also known as "Underwater Turning". The small flower face uses the "tang throat" (real voice), but the white speaking voice is often used in combination with the "sub-throat" (fake voice) and the "tang throat", and sometimes it is suddenly turned up by eight degrees to enhance the effect of fun and wit. The second flower-face voice is close to that of the big flower-face, and the fourth flower-face is close to that of the small flower-face.

Dan line:

In the early days, there were only four colors of dan (Zhengdan), paste (also called dan), fu (Lao dan) and Xiao dan, and Zhengdan and Zhengsheng were matched to be the male and female protagonists. After the middle of the Qing Dynasty, the status of the Dan was replaced by the flower Dan, matched with the young, becoming the main male and female protagonists, the Dan has become a supporting role exclusively decorated with middle-aged women. Later, due to the increase in the number of martial arts plays, the "Wu Xiaodan" was added. After the end of the Qing Dynasty, Dan play increased, each type of drama and added the "three-handed Dan" (or "three beams Dan") a color; so that the Dan line as many as seven feet. Flower Dan specializes in young women, singing and doing both heavy, both military and civilian. Because it is in many plays to pick the beam; therefore, some people call it "big beam Dan", "when the family Dan". Stick Dan also known as Dan, also plays young women, often for the supporting role of the flower Dan, so some people call it "two beam Dan". But sticker Dan specializing in singing, flower Dan more heavy to do, so sticker Dan still has its strengths and characteristics. For example, in The Story of the Western Wing, Hua Dan plays Hongniang, and Paste Dan plays Cui Yingying. Dan mainly play middle-aged women, but also often play a minor minor, martial arts Dan specializing in Dan feet martial arts play, such as "hit the store" in the Sun Erniang, "White Snake" in the small green and so on. The old Dan specializes in the role of elderly women, and sometimes plays other roles as well. Sanliang Dan (three-handed Dan) for Dan feet in the second and the second, often playing some maids, courtesans and other roles. Dan due to each play at the end of the reunion, often wearing a red scarf as a bride to worship, it is also known as "worship Dan", mostly by apprentices as.