Page 55 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Beijing

Beijing Opera ❮❮ 53

Patches of different shape and
size mean roles of different TOP 10 BEIJING OPERA VENUES
character. It is the chou who
keep the audience laughing.
Repertoire
7
The traditional repertoire
includes more than 1,000 works,
mostly based on popular tales.
Modern productions aimed at
tourists often include English-
language displays of the text.
Show at Huguang Guild Hall
1 National Center of Performing Arts
Beijing’s temple to the arts offers large-
scale performances (see p70).
2 Chang’an Grand Theater
MAP G4 • 7 Jianguo Men Nei Dajie
• 6510 1308
Regular two-hour performances of
mostly complete operas.
3 Mei Lanfang Grand Theater
32 Ping’Anli Xi Dajie • 400 876 0505
A large steel-and-glass theater.
4 Tianqiao Performing Arts Center
MAP E6 • Building 9, Tianqiao
Women playing the erhu violin Nandajie, Xicheng District • 400
635 3355 • www.tartscenter.com
Musical instruments
8 A massive arts venue specializing in
musical theater and traditional opera.
Despite the dramatic visual
elements of Beijing Opera, the 5 Huguang Guild Hall
Chinese say that they go to “listen” MAP D5 • 6304 5396 • 3 Hufang Lu
to opera, not to see it. Typically six Daily one-hour highlights shows.
or seven musicians accompany the 6 Lao She Teahouse
dramatics. The stringed instruments MAP L6 • 6303 6830 • 3 Qian Men
usually include the erhu, or Chinese Xi Dajie
two-stringed violin, while percussion Daily 90-minute variety shows.
includes clappers, gongs, and drums. 7 Li Yuan Theater
MAP D6 • 6301 6688 • Qian Men
Acrobatics
9 Jianguo Hotel, 175 Yong’an Lu
Daily 80-minute highlights shows.
Beijing Opera is a form of
“total theater” with singing, speech, 8 Mansion of Prince Gong
mime, and acrobatics that combine MAP D2 • 8328 8149 • 17 Qianhai
graceful gymnastics and martial arts Xi Jie
movements. Training is notoriously Summer performances only (see p27).
hard. Costumes are designed to make 9 Forbidden City Concert Hall
the jumps seem more spectacular by MAP L4 • 6559 8285 • West
billowing out as they spin. Chang’an Avenue, Zhong Shan Park
Concert venue holding occasional
Sheng
0 opera performances.
10 Zheng Yi Temple Theater
Sheng are divided into
laosheng, who wear beards and MAP K6 • 8315 1650 • 220 Xiheyan
Qian Men
represent old men, xiaosheng who Weekend performances and 90-minute
are young men, and wusheng, highlights shows.
who are the acrobats.

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