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Non fighting scenes are usually accompanied by wind and stringed instruments.įighting scenes make great use of percussive effects (drum, gong, cymbals & clackers) Musicians, playing wind, stringed and percussion instruments. The music ensemble which accompany the opera usually consists of 6 - 12
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Nonetheless it was quite an intensive training with 3 hours of daily one to one sessions with Liu Fusheng, specialising in the warrior role, weapons work and movement aspects of the art form.Īlthough there is a specialisation of roles, a full training in Peking Opera encompasses more than just the movement and martial aspects of the opera's many facets.Īmongst the elements which it incorporates are: For myself it was merely a 1 month visit. Rachel returned to China to train full time, and it was through her that I arranged my visit to train at the Academy of Chinese Opera in Beijing.įull time students usually attend the Academy for 4 years or more, after many years of prior experience. These had many connections to the Tai Chi and martial arts which I had practised for many years and yet at the same time were so different, having a flavour all of their own which was distinct from anything else that I had come across.
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The more I saw, the more I was fascinated with the movement and weapons skills. I learnt some spearwork from Rachel and then later trained with her teacher Liu Fusheng on a couple of visits which he made to teach and perform in Europe. My first contact with it had been in 1992 when I met Rachel Henson who had just returned from training in China.
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PEKING OPERA TRAINING IN CHINA PEKING OPERA TRAINING IN CHINA John BolwellĪmused surprise was many people's reaction upon hearing that I was going to China to study Peking Opera.
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