Research On Performing Art Of Puzhou Clapper Opera

Clapper opera is an important part of Chinese opera.Puzhou clapper opera is not only one of the oldest traditional ones,but also closely related to the emergence and development of many other clapper operas,and also ranks first among the four clapper operas of Shanxi Province.Puzhou clapper opera is widely spread all over Shanxi,Shaanxi,Henan and other regions and occupies an unique position in the history of Chinese opera.Puzhou clapper art involves performance,stage design,script,director,audience reaction,etc.Performing art is the dominate element,while others are all for its service.In the course of puzhou clapper opera’s development,the program of performing art is characterized by its most exquisite posture,skill and rhythm pattern.The musical program of puzhou clapper opera has an impassioned singing style.It is mainly composed of Ban Qiang and interspersed with Qu Pai,which has flexible rhythms conversion with strong local characteristics.The core elements of puzhou clapper opera’s program are “Si Gong Wu Fa”(four basic skills and five basic practices).This program helps actors to shape image with four kinds of body language which express specific life,words,mood and emotion.So it forms a strongly direct style with outstanding action performance.In its hundreds of years of history,puzhou clapper opera has emerged some distinctive artistic schools,such as “yan school” and "wu school".The most distinctive characteristic of puzhou clapper opera performance is stunt performance.By using costumes,props and certain parts of body,artists created the performances of whiskers,cap,horsewhip,handkerchief,both hands calligraphy and so on.It has a wide variety of special performing stunts,which increase the means of characterization and highlight the features of this opera.The puzhou clapper opera music can be divided into singing,literary scene and martial scene.Puzhou clapper opera has various musical rhythms and types of embellish tones.By adding a soft touch to its high-pitched and passionate tune,it forms a style of delicacy and force.In puzhou clapper opera music,the percussion music functions as the "skeleton" while the string music as the "flesh",both of which run through the whole process of the performance and act essentially important.The choreography of puzhou clapper opera is not only contributes to the performance art,but also forms its own unique characteristic;The script is the initial basis for actors to perform;The director is the general leader of the whole play,and more the biggest help for actors to shape images;The audience is the last part of the whole performing.After a long period of appreciating this opera,the audience has formed a "tacit understanding" between them and performers.They has mastered the key points of "watching the opera" and "appreciating the art".