------Program code: DO-081231-05782 (what's this?)
Source: CCTV.com
12-31-2008 15:03
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People all over the world love the theatre. The actors, through their singing, dancing and dialogue, transport the audience into another world of ancient myths, battles, and dreams, or into the lives, both happy and sad, of ordinary people.
The audience, just as much as the actors, is indispensable to the performing arts.
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“Yi…Ah…”
In the grand theatre surrounded by green, one of China’s national treasures – Peking Opera – is being performed.
The actors vividly portray the characters; and the audience is entranced.
Peking Opera is often known as Chinese opera among foreigners. To lovers of the opera, the unique and beautiful voices are captivating.
The grand theatre is located in Beijing, the capital of China. The Forbidden City is not far away. The people sitting in the auditorium of this Qing Dynasty theatre are amazed not only by the performers’ voices, but also by the wonderful sound effects. There are no loudspeakers, microphones, or any other modern audio equipment. Yet the performers’ voices can be heard quite clearly.
The secret to this audio wonder originates a long way back in history.
The remarkable grand theatre is located in the garden of Prince Gong’s Mansion on Liuyin Street in Beijing.
Prince Gong’s Mansion is the city’s largest Qing Dynasty residence. After the capital was established in Beijing, the Forbidden City was reserved for the emperor and his wives and children. Other nobles had to build their own homes, and so mansions started springing up. In Beijing today, there are some 60 mansions dating from the Qing Dynasty, of which Prince Gong’s Mansion is the best preserved.
Here, it’s not the beautiful garden that attracts us. Far more interesting are the secrets of the grand theatre.
The theatre at Prince Gong’s Mansion was built during the reign of Emperor Tongzhi in the mid-19th century. The stage is a meter high and 10 meters wide. On the stage are a table and two thrones. The curtains are made of embroidered red cloth. Above is a board inscribed with four gold characters with the meaning “joy and pleasure”. 20 lanterns hang from the canopy. The floor is covered with blue bricks. Below the stage are 20 square tables with matching chairs. The grand theatre occupies an area of 685 square meters and can hold an audience of more than 200 people.
For the actors performing on the stage, as well as for the audience below, the experience is highly enjoyable.
Chinese theatre is characterized by closeness. This is seen in the script, performance, dancing and music, as well as in the interaction between performers and audience. The stage is open. The actors and the people watching them are close to each other. During a performance, the audience can chat, drink tea and applaud, as they wish.
