Arts

Accompanying Instruments in Beijing Opera

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They are divided into percussion and orchestral musical instruments. For the former, there are hardwood clappers, clapper drum, bass gong, cymbals and Beijing opera gong, which are together called military instruments used for control the tempo of stage performance. Appropriate beating of gongs and drums are complementary to both majestic atmosphere and the actors' performance. The orchestral instruments are called civil instruments, which include bowed stringed and two-stringed musical instruments, Yueqin (a stringed instrument), Xianzi, flute, Sheng (a reed pipe wind instrument) and Suona horn.

Beijing Opera

As the most influential sort of traditional operas in China, Beijing Opera has a long history, following the Kunqu Opera (a class of tunes originating in Kunshan, Jiangsu).

The Movie Farewell My Concubine

The Movie Farewell My Concubine

It was originally one of the classical plays performed by the Beijing opera master Mei Lanfang. In 1993, the Chinese director Chen Kaige adapted the opera into a movie bearing the same name.
Costume

Costume

The costumes of Beijing opera are generally called "Xing Tou", which include clothes of ceremonial robes, armors and informal dresses, helmet or hat, shoes and other adornments.
Artistic Forms of Beijing Opera

Artistic Forms of Beijing Opera

As a comprehensive art system, the Beijing opera is a combination of singing, speaking, acting, dancing and martial arts.
Roles in Beijing Opera

Roles in Beijing Opera

There are mainly four role categories: Sheng (the righteous young male character type), Dan (the righteous female character type)