Related News
Foreign students stage Chinese opera
By Nie Xin |
August 6, 2012, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FOREIGN students immerse themselves in traditional Chinese opera and culture by taking a monthlong summer school course funded by the city government. Nie Xin reports.
"Dang dang qiang, dang dang qiang ... Raise your head, up, up again ... Good," shouts teacher Yu Weipan. To his beat and guidance, the students gesture and move a bit awkwardly.
They all wear costumes and heavy Peking Opera makeup, but their clumsy movements, and the blue eyes of some, clearly show that they are not typical students, but foreigners from around the world.
They are rehearsing excerpts of the Peking Opera "Confucius' Disciples" at the Shanghai Theater Academy.
Nineteen students from the UK, the US, Spain, Thailand, Japan and South Korea just completed the monthlong Shanghai Summer School program introducing them to various aspects of Chinese culture, including traditional opera and language. Opera was the core program.
The Shanghai Education Commission gives each student a scholarship, covering tuition and accommodation.
The program to promote Chinese cultural and mutual understanding is in its second year. Students this year range in age from 16 to 30.
On one hot day, the students gathered in the theater academy classroom, sweating as they twirled around wooden swords and other "weapons." They spoke English dialogue ("What kind of kung fu do you know?") and sang in Chinese "Bi wu bi wu, sheng zhe wei wang" ("Assault at arms, and the winner is the king").
British drama student Emily Kay Sly attends East 15 Acting School in Debden, Loughton, Essex. This is her first visit to China. "It's a big challenge," says Sly. Most students speak no Chinese, so they took 24 language lessons.
They had 64 lessons in Chinese traditional opera, learning steps and movements, such as water sleeve routines and spear and sword routines. They performed selected works.
They also took a course on comparison of Chinese traditional opera and Western theater.
"Various courses help students understand the essence of Chinese culture," says Karen Wang from the International Cooperation Center of Shanghai Theater Academy.
The lessons were given in English.
The traditional opera stage work is taught by Wu Wencong, who says students are more interested in ancient operas that feature fight scenes, because of their interest in kung fu.
Of the total 19 students, 14 chose "Confucius' Disciples," which has an English-language version with English dialogue and some Chinese singing. It's a good opera for learning basic steps and movements.
Some students chose the experimental Peking Opera adaptation of Strindberg's 1888 play "Ms Julie" that shocked Europe at the time for its frank sexuality. Dialogue is also in English, but singing is in Chinese. Those students who already knew some Chinese chose this more involved play.
Other students performed "Da Yu Sha Jia," also known as "The Fisherman's Revenge."
When the students arrived, they watched professional performances. "It was the first time I saw live Peking Opera and I was so excited," British student Sly says.
Last Tuesday, as the conclusion of the program, they performed on the stage of the Shanghai Theater Academy.
"The students studied very hard and they are talented as well," teacher Wu says. "They show passion about Chinese traditional art and culture."
After the training class for several hours every day, they took their props back to the dormitory and practiced. They also discussed details of the performance with teacher Wu and others.
Those with a background in performing arts had an edge.
"Basic training in traditional opera takes time and a monthlong program is more like communication," Sly says.
"Western students added fresh elements to their performance, with emotional expressions and singing," says teacher Li Shixian. She herself is a student at the academy, specializing in wu dan, a female acrobatic and fighting lead player.
"We ourselves also understand more about our national culture when we teach it to foreign students," says Yu Weipan, a sophomore at the academy majoring in opera directing.
During the exchange program, students visited the traditional opera museum, a circus and went sightseeing to places such as suburban water town Zhujiajiao. They stayed on after the course concluded to explore the city.
The experience was an eye-opener that changed many's perceptions about China.
"Of course, we definitely hope to come back one day," says Andrew McPherson from England.
"Dang dang qiang, dang dang qiang ... Raise your head, up, up again ... Good," shouts teacher Yu Weipan. To his beat and guidance, the students gesture and move a bit awkwardly.
They all wear costumes and heavy Peking Opera makeup, but their clumsy movements, and the blue eyes of some, clearly show that they are not typical students, but foreigners from around the world.
They are rehearsing excerpts of the Peking Opera "Confucius' Disciples" at the Shanghai Theater Academy.
Nineteen students from the UK, the US, Spain, Thailand, Japan and South Korea just completed the monthlong Shanghai Summer School program introducing them to various aspects of Chinese culture, including traditional opera and language. Opera was the core program.
The Shanghai Education Commission gives each student a scholarship, covering tuition and accommodation.
The program to promote Chinese cultural and mutual understanding is in its second year. Students this year range in age from 16 to 30.
On one hot day, the students gathered in the theater academy classroom, sweating as they twirled around wooden swords and other "weapons." They spoke English dialogue ("What kind of kung fu do you know?") and sang in Chinese "Bi wu bi wu, sheng zhe wei wang" ("Assault at arms, and the winner is the king").
British drama student Emily Kay Sly attends East 15 Acting School in Debden, Loughton, Essex. This is her first visit to China. "It's a big challenge," says Sly. Most students speak no Chinese, so they took 24 language lessons.
They had 64 lessons in Chinese traditional opera, learning steps and movements, such as water sleeve routines and spear and sword routines. They performed selected works.
They also took a course on comparison of Chinese traditional opera and Western theater.
"Various courses help students understand the essence of Chinese culture," says Karen Wang from the International Cooperation Center of Shanghai Theater Academy.
The lessons were given in English.
The traditional opera stage work is taught by Wu Wencong, who says students are more interested in ancient operas that feature fight scenes, because of their interest in kung fu.
Of the total 19 students, 14 chose "Confucius' Disciples," which has an English-language version with English dialogue and some Chinese singing. It's a good opera for learning basic steps and movements.
Some students chose the experimental Peking Opera adaptation of Strindberg's 1888 play "Ms Julie" that shocked Europe at the time for its frank sexuality. Dialogue is also in English, but singing is in Chinese. Those students who already knew some Chinese chose this more involved play.
Other students performed "Da Yu Sha Jia," also known as "The Fisherman's Revenge."
When the students arrived, they watched professional performances. "It was the first time I saw live Peking Opera and I was so excited," British student Sly says.
Last Tuesday, as the conclusion of the program, they performed on the stage of the Shanghai Theater Academy.
"The students studied very hard and they are talented as well," teacher Wu says. "They show passion about Chinese traditional art and culture."
After the training class for several hours every day, they took their props back to the dormitory and practiced. They also discussed details of the performance with teacher Wu and others.
Those with a background in performing arts had an edge.
"Basic training in traditional opera takes time and a monthlong program is more like communication," Sly says.
"Western students added fresh elements to their performance, with emotional expressions and singing," says teacher Li Shixian. She herself is a student at the academy, specializing in wu dan, a female acrobatic and fighting lead player.
"We ourselves also understand more about our national culture when we teach it to foreign students," says Yu Weipan, a sophomore at the academy majoring in opera directing.
During the exchange program, students visited the traditional opera museum, a circus and went sightseeing to places such as suburban water town Zhujiajiao. They stayed on after the course concluded to explore the city.
The experience was an eye-opener that changed many's perceptions about China.
"Of course, we definitely hope to come back one day," says Andrew McPherson from England.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
