Difference between Chinese Opera and Western Theater

1, the art forms of the two are different

2, the history of development is different

3, the types are different

4, the methods of expression are different

5, the period of formation is different

Chinese opera is mainly a synthesis of three different art forms, namely, folk song and dance, rap and burlesque. It originated from primitive song and dance, and is a comprehensive stage art style with a long history. It is only after the Han, Tang, Song and Jin that the more complete art of opera is formed, which is synthesized by literature, music, dance, fine arts, martial arts, acrobatics and performing arts, and there are about three hundred and sixty kinds of them. It is characterized by the aggregation of many art forms by one standard, reflecting their respective personalities in the *** same nature. Chinese opera and Greek tragedy and comedy, Indian Sanskrit drama and known as the world's three major ancient theatrical culture, after a long period of development and evolution, and gradually formed a "Peking Opera, Yueju Opera, Huangmei Opera, Review Opera, Yu Opera," the five major types of opera as the core of the Chinese Opera Garden. There are many kinds of Chinese opera, according to incomplete statistics, there are more than 360 kinds of Chinese opera in various ethnic areas, and there are tens of thousands of traditional repertoires. Other more famous types of opera include: Kunqu, Cantonese opera, Huaiju opera, Sichuan opera, Qin opera, Jin opera, Han opera, Hebei opera, Henan opera, Xiang opera, Huangmei opera, Hunan flower-drum opera and so on.

There are three kinds of Western theater:

The history of Western theater, which originated in Ancient Greece, can be divided chronologically into: Ancient Greco-Roman theater, Medieval theater, Renaissance theater, Classical theater, Enlightenment theater, 19th-century theater, modern theater, and contemporary theater. In some periods of history, many genres can be divided according to different types of style.

I. Ancient Greco-Roman Drama

European theater began with the song and dance performances at the ancient Greek ceremonies. By the end of the 6th century B.C., when Arion performed the Ode to the God of Wine at the spring festival, he improvised verses to answer questions posed by the captain of the song, and Thespis added an actor to the song and dance of the Ode to the God of Wine, who took turns in the role of several characters and conversed with the captain of the song, which is considered to be the original dramatic element. Aeschylus, the founder of ancient Greek tragedy, increased the number of actors to 2, gradually reducing the elements of the song and dance narrative, and increasing the dramatic elements, drama as an independent style of art has been shaped.

Ancient Greek winter festival, people disguised as birds and animals, carnival parade, called the "carnival procession song", to the 6th century BC, it developed into a burlesque in the Greek headquarters, is regarded as the original comedy. In 487 B.C., Athens officially staged comedy in the festival, when there were only three actors, and the role of the song team was not as important as in tragedy. In the development of ancient Greek comedy, the role of the song team also became smaller and smaller.

This period is the childhood of human drama, and also its first prosperity, there are many tragedies and comedies have been handed down. Famous writers of tragedy include Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Famous comedy writers include Aristophanes and Menander. In ancient Rome, theater writing and performance is also very prosperous, the main playwrights are Plautus, Terentius.

Second, the medieval drama

The European Middle Ages was a historical period of feudal autocracy, and the creation and performance of the drama to propagate religious concepts and moral preaching as the basic content. Among them, the religious dramas that developed from the chants in church services were mostly aimed at propagating doctrines. One variant of the religious drama was the miracle drama, which was permeated with religious and moral propaganda in various legendary plots; another variant of it was the mystery drama, which was based on the legendary stories of Jesus and the saints. The morality play, whose main theme was a shift from abstract moralizing to a critique of social morality, was popular in a wide range of countries and for a long time. Laughing dramas, on the other hand, were characterized by their representation of secular life and their biting social satire. The Fool's Play, also known for its satire, developed from folk theater and later flowed into the cities. Although this historical period was long, very few heirlooms remain.

Three, Renaissance theater

Europe's 14th to 16th century, is an important period in the history of human cultural development. The powerful humanist movement, which originated in Italy, soon swept across European countries. It started from the historical requirement of opposing feudal despotism, church authority and asceticism, affirming the value of human beings, praising human reason and wisdom, and advocating the pursuit of present happiness and freedom of individuality. The humanist movement promoted a high degree of development in literature and art, and a second period of prosperity was formed in the history of theater. The European drama of this period was dominated by England and Spain, and the main playwrights were Marlowe, Shakespeare, Jonson, Rueda, Vega y Carpio, and so on. Among them, many of Shakespeare's plays are treasures in the world's theater treasury.