Han Opera:Drunken Imperial Concubine
 

　　Formerly called "Chu melody", or "Er Huang" or "Han melody", Han opera is one of the oldest types of traditional Chinese drama, with a history of near 400 years. Han opera is mainly popular in the regions of Hubei, Guangdong, Hunan, Shanxi, Henan, Fujian etc. During the ruling of Emperors Jiaqing and Daoguang in Qing Dynasty, the Drama of Hui School was introduced to Peking, then capital, the artists were in Hui school but sang Han melody, historically called "combo of Hui and Han", which made a solid basis for the emergence and development of Peking opera, the No.1 drama in China, and had certain impact on the formation and development of other opera of "Xi Pi and Er Huang" schools. Han opera is in important position in Chinese traditional opera history.

　　Han opera features melodious vocals, diverse melodies, main tones of "Xi Pi" and "Er Huang"; "Xi Pi" tone is powerful, vigorous, resounding and unrestrained; "Er Huang" tone is lingering, meticulous, soft and euphemistical; both tones are rich in expressive force.

　　The roles of Han opera are divided into ten types, namely, Mo, Jing, Sheng, Dan, Chou, Wai, Xiao, Tie, Fu and Za; each type of role has its own unique repertoire and vocal, with different splendors and features in performance.

　　Han opera includes a great many traditional episodes, known as "800 dramas", the stage languages are Zhongzhou dialect, Hunan and Hubei accents and Wuhan dialect; The music accompaniments of Han opera consist of string music, plucked stringed instruments, tongues and percussion music, traditionally called "opera with string and wind instruments" and "opera with percussion instruments", of which the former is accompanied with Jinghu, Erhu, Yueqin and Sanxuan, together with Suona, flute etc, while the latter is accompanied with Biangu, big gong, small gong, cymbals, Maluo etc, all of these instruments are unique in features.

　　Melodious Han style of vocals, featured accompaniment of percussion and string instruments, old traditional customers, and singing, speaking, acting and dancing performance, all reveal distinct charm of Han opera art.

　　Introduction of China Wuhan Han Opera Theatre

　　Wuhan Han Opera Theatre is a arts troupe of national influence; it's been listed as national key art theatre; formerly, it was Wuhan Han Opera Troupe; in 1962, Wuhan Han Opera Theatre was officially established with the care of Premier Zhou Enlai, Dong Biwu, then Vice Chairman of China, wrote a poem for congratulation, which said, quote "Peking opera and Kun opera are refined, Shanxi opera and Shaoxing opera are meditative, Wu's and Chen's schools are respectful, Han opera vocals are promotable"; in 2006, Han opera was listed as the first national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council.

　　Chen Bohua, the director of Wuhan Han Opera Theatre, is a master of Han opera art in the art circles; under her leadership, the theatre gathered many famous actors and actresses, with complete "ten types of roles", made excellent contribution in study, consolidation and innovation of traditional art of Han opera, and made great achievements in the training of new generation of artistic talents; due to continuous enterprising and concentrated innovation, uniquely elegant and refreshing artistic style is formed, and highly praised by all circles of the society.

　　Since foundation of the theatre, Chairman Mao Zedong, Chairman Liu Shaoqi, Chairman Zhu De, Premier Zhou Enlai, Vice Premier Chen Yi, Chairman Li Xiannian and many other national leaders have visited the theatre, and its artists have performed for national leaders in Zhongnanhai for many times.

　　In its art construction, the theatre has filed and created many excellent dramas, including Er Du Mei, Zhuang Yuan Mei, San Qing Fan Li Hua, Yu Zhou Feng, Gui Zhong Yuan, Da Hua Gu, Ku Zu Miao, Chuang Wang Qi, Jie Niu, Hu Tan, Pan He Qiao, Da Xue Da Wan, Sao Song, Si Lanf Tan Mu, Wang Zhao Jun etc, all of them have been produced as films and TV plays, with good influence at home and abroad; taking root in Wuhan, and orienting to China market, the theatre keeps developing international market, has performed for many times in many countries and regions, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, Singapore, Australia etc, and very popular among domestic and foreign audiences.

　　In all national art contests, the theatre has shown solid strength of artistic talents; in 2007, the newly adapted historical play Wang Zhao Jun was awarded Excellent Drama Award at the 2nd Chinese Drama Festival; in 2012, excellent adapted drama of Yu Zhou Feng was performed in National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, caused sensation in the circles of literature and art in the capital, and won the 10th Chutian Culture Award of Hubei Province; 3 artists of the theatre have been won Chinese opera Plum Performance Award; 2 artists of the theatre have been won Gold Award and Silver Award for classical national local operas and young opera performers; 4 artists of the theatre have been won the titles of Chinese opera Red Plum & Gold Blossom Award; in provincial and municipal art contests, 10 artists of the theatre have been won Hubei "Peony Cup" award; 8 artists of the theatre have been won 10th Chutian Culture Award of Hubei Province; together with 14 winners of First, Second and Third Prizes in Hubei local opera performing contests; 2 winners of Wuhan "Grand Jianghua Award"; 10 winners of Wuhan "Jianghua Award"; 3 winners of Wuhan "Yilei Award"; and numerous First and Second Prizes in provincial and municipal contents of young and middle-aged performers (Players).

　　Presently, the theatre has 43 national Class-A performers and players, and 43 national Class-B performers and players; it has formed an art theatre of a pool of high-level artistic talents and very high standard, continuously climbing on new artistic peak to promote Chinese culture.

 

　　http://news.cjn.cn/cjht1/201310/t2367668.htm