Shanghai opera

Shanghai opera (), formerly known as Shenqu (), is a variety of Chinese opera from Shanghai typically sung in Shanghainese. It is unique in Chinese opera in that virtually all dramas in its repertoire today are set in the modern era (20th and 21st centuries). This arose from Yue opera's dominance in Shanghai in the 1940s.

''Huju'' is particularly popular in Baihe, the oldest town in the Qingpu District of Shanghai. There are eight to ten ''huju'' ensembles in the Baihe, and many local residents hire these ensembles to perform for weddings and funerals.

''Huju'' is accompanied by traditional Chinese instruments, including '' dizi'' (transverse bamboo flute), ''erhu'' (two-stringed fiddle), ''pipa'' (pear-shaped lute), '' yangqin'' (hammered dulcimer), and percussion. The instrumentation and style are closely related to the instrumental genre of '' Jiangnan sizhu''.

The well-known Chinese composition "Purple Bamboo Melody" () has been adapted and used for ''huju''.

History

The Shanghai opera is rooted in the folksongs of the Huangpu River area. According to historical records from 1796, there was more than 200 years of cultural development from the original '' Huaguxi'' operas before the emergence of contemporary Shanghai opera.

During the rule of the Qianlong emperor of the Qing dynasty, ''Huaguxi'' was very popular in Shanghai. Influenced by ''Huaguxi'' and other forms of drama during the reign of the Guangxu emperor of Qing dynasty, these folksongs developed into Tanhuang (滩簧). In order to distinguish them from Sutan and Nibo Tanhuang, Shanghainese people called them "''bentan''" (本滩) or "''shentan''" (申滩). Performance of ''shentan'' began in Shanghai around the 1900s.

Before and after the revolution of 1911, ''shentan'' were performed in various venues across Shanghai. In 1914, Wenbin shao (邵文滨), Lanting Shi (施兰亭), and Shaolan Ding (丁少兰) organized "''zhenxinji'' " to improve ''bentan''. It was then renamed "''shenqu'' " (申曲).

In 1941, Shanghai Huju She was founded in Shanghai. It was an ensemble that consisted of several opera performers. They renamed ''shenqu'' as ''Huju''. During this period, ''Huju'' became a more concrete art form.

During the 1950s and 1960s, ''Huju'' adapted many modern plays. It adopted divisions of acts and recognized the role of the playwright and director at a much earlier time than other similar art forms. Red Lantern and Shajiabang—the most influential ''Jingju'' (Peking opera) plays among the eight model plays created during the Cultural Revolution—were both adapted from ''Huju'' plays.

Characteristics

''Huju'' is performed in Shanghainese, a dialect that is considerably different from Mandarin. Translators are often available at the venues where these are performed.

The pieces tend to reflect certain aspects of real life because they derive from folk songs. Performances of the early ''Huju'' only needed two performers: one played a musical instrument and the other told contemporary stories. ''Huju'' also adopted many elements of movies and dramas in lighting, expression, and stage designs. Through ''Huju'', people can gain a better knowledge of the life and history of Shanghai people.

Future prospects

Like many other regional opera styles, ''Huju'' is in danger of disappearing. Wu dialect, which pertains to Shanghai, is not currently popular with local audiences. Performances of ''Huju'' are decreasing, and few young actors take up this art form when television and film have more popularity and influence. Meanwhile, lack of good ''Huju'' scripts is also a problem for the survival of ''Huju''.

References

*Stock, Jonathan P. J. (2003). ''Huju: Traditional Opera in Modern Shanghai''. OUP/British Academy. . .

External links

Article about ''huju''

See also

*Gu Yuezhen
*Yue opera, opera from the Shaoxing region of northeastern Zhejiang Province

{{Chinese opera

Culture in Shanghai
Chinese opera