There are few opportunities, outside of China, to indulge in the refined pleasures of Peking opera. Appearing around 1790 in the imperial capital of the Qing dynasty, this form of musical theatre mixes song, music, dance, drama and martial arts. Very little importance is given to scenography as the performers concentrate mostly on the symbolism of their character’s gestures, according to the personalities depicted by their makeup. A series of archetypal characters, accompanied by a few musicians, is brought to life in episodes of Chinese history or folk tales, such as The Women Generals of the Yang Family or One Good Turn Deserves Another. As with other works the Grand Théâtre will be staging at the Opéra des Nations, these guest performances take our audiences off the beaten path, this time to discover a great Chinese cultural tradition through a form of theatre that does away with excessive ornamentation in order to achieve greater purity of expression.
More about the Peking Opera
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