Ping Opera, local opera of north China, is very popular in Beijing, Tianjin, North and Northeast China. It is the one of operas that people like most, which borrowed the tunes and acting style of Beijing Opera, Hebei Clapper Opera, shadow show and drum melody, and developed its own style.
History of Ping opera – ping opera as a folk say-and-sing art, has a long history which is more than 70 years. Ping Opera originated from the country of Luan County which located in east Hebei, About 1910 year it formed in Tangshan. And the BengBeng Opera rename Pingju when it performed in Shanghai in 1935. Since moving from the rural areas into the cities, it has produced many new programmes under the influence of modern drama and Beijing Opera.
The features of Ping Opera – it features beautiful singing. Songs are enunciated clearly and the librettos are easy to read and understand. Ping opera performances are rich in the flavor of life similar to folk tunes. Its form is lively and free. Besides, it is especially good at reflecting urban people's life as it has accessible text, speech-like tunes, easily understandable articulation and the rich flavour of life, thus gaining great favour of the people in rural and urban areas.
Although Ping opera was influenced by the figures and patterns of Bangzi and Beijing operas, it still preserves its folk origins and ties to everyday life. Ping Opera often depicts contemporary people’s life and is therefore popular in both urban and rural areas. At first, female characters in Ping Opera were dominant and their tune was beautiful and touching whereas the male's tune was quite simple. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the male's tune has been greatly developed and there are many new plays in which male characters play the leading roles.
Some famous plays of ping opera –The following is a list of famous synopses of Ping Opera.
Child Husband(Xiao Nuxu): Set in the early 1950s, this opera tells the story of Yang Xiangcao, a young woman in Yangjia Village, who is engaged to Tian Xi, Yang's father forces her to marry Luo Changfang, the 11-year-old son of Widow Luo, just for Luo's generous betrothal gifts. Yang and Tian sue Yang's father in the county court. The judge awards Yang a divorce and she and Tian finally get married.
Empresses, The(Jiemei Huanghou): This opera is about conflicts within a royal family in the Liang Dynasty (502-557 AD). The Liang Emperor, who is over 70, wants to crown a prince, and Prime Minister Lu Hao recommends that he choose Xiao Xun, the emperor's eldest son. But Empress Bi doesn't agree, since Xiao Xun is the offspring of an imperial concubine. The empress wants her own son Xiao Ying to ascend the throne so that she may hold court from behind a screen. The ensuing clashes make for entertaining opera.
Flowers as the Keepsake(Hua Wei Mei): Wang Junqing meets his cousin Li Yue's at his father's birthday party and is attracted by Li's beauty. But Li's father opposes the consanguous marriage. Zhang Wuke, a pretty young woman, is willing to marry Wang Junqing but Wang refuses. Matchmaker Ruan arranges a meeting between Wang Junqing and Zhang Wuke. Wang asks his brother Junqing to meet Zhang on his behalf. Zhang and Junying fall in love with each other at first sight. The opera has a happy ending as Wang Junqing marries Li Yue's and Junying marries Zhang Wuke.
