Xiqu

“Niu Gao Snatches Away the Edict”
The vocal style of this excerpt is Huqin qiang and a variety of tempos such as Daoban, Jitou, Meihuaban and Erliu are employed. Through the change of tempos, the richness of Dian Opera singing, whether sonorous, low or deep, is fully displayed. Refined by veteran Dian Opera artists Qi Shaobin, Zhao Yuntao, Li Shaoyu, Chen Rongsheng and Fu Yuyao, this excerpt has become the most iconic piece in the Dian Opera repertoire. After the tragic death of the loyal Yue Fei, Niu Gao became a robber in Mount Taixing. When the Jin armies were at the door, no one from the imperial court dared to defend the country. The emperor made an edict ordering Niu Gao to fight against the Jin troops. Lu Wenliang was sent to read the edict to Niu. After hearing the edict, Niu refused to take the emperor’s order, snatched away the edict and broke it into pieces. Helpless, Lu handed Niu a letter from Yue Fei’s mother. In the letter she asked Niu to put
the interest of the country first and fight against the enemies. Niu agreed to lead the army under one condition: “He was not going to the battle by the order of the emperor”.

“Jingniang Seeing Her Sworn Brother Off”
This is a representative piece created by veteran opera writer Yang Ming. The vocal style of this excerpt is mainly a combination of Sixian qiang and Huqin qiang. The blending of two vocal styles is achieved through complex and repetitive tempos such as Daoban, Jiaqiao, Pingban and Fast Sanyan. Although many different combinations of vocal style and tempo are involved, the transition from one to another is smooth and orderly. Together they create a pleasing effect. In the second half of the opera, there is a sudden change to Huqin ‘Yindiao’, which is slow with long fill-in accompaniments. The use of ‘Yindiao’ does not tune down the emotions of Jingniang; on the contrary, it expresses her grief, anger and pain intensely. After being kidnapped by robbers, poor Jingniang met Zhao Kuangyin who rescued her. Zhao escorted Jingniang back to her hometown; and on their way, they became sworn brother and sister. After arriving at her home, Jingniang revealed to Zhao her love for him. Believing that a man should put his career before everything and fearing that there might be gossips since they were sworn as brother and sister, Zhao refused Jingniang’s love. After being misunderstood and humiliated by Jingniang’s clan members, Zhao left in anger. Full of regrets, Jingniang hung herself and died. Her spirit accompanied Zhao while he was on his way. She transformed herself into a firefly to light up the way for Zhao when he traveled at night.

“Identifying the Dowager”
Huqin qiang and Xiangyang qiang vocal styles. This excerpt draws its materials from the legend Exchanging a Leopard Cat for a Prince, and features the laodan (old female) role. Here, both vocal styles, Huqin qiang and Xiangyang qiang are employed and expressed in different tempos including the distinguishing Meihuaban, Shunshuiyu and Ganqichui. When Lady Li enters the stage,
she sings in Daban yindiao of Huqing qiang, which is subtle and delicate yet sorrowful, fully displaying the misery of this once noble lady of the royal court. Bao Zheng sings in a natural and vigorous voice. The duet between the laodan’s mellow and full voice and the hualian’s strong and sturdy delivery produces pleasing melodies. Southern Song emperor Zhenzong’s two imperial concubines, Li Ruizhen and Liu Fuqing, were pregnant at the same time. Zhenzong decreed that between them whoever gave birth to a son first would be the empress. Liu plotted against Li and exchanged Li’s baby prince for a leopard cat. Believing that Li had given birth to a monstrous creature, Zhenzong punished Li, who was forced to leave the royal palace. When Prince Zhao succeeded as emperor, he ordered Lord Bao to revisit the case. Bao found empress Li and brought the conspiracy of Liu and eunuch Guo Huai into light. Liu and Guo were put to justice, and Li was reinstated as empress dowager after her grievous wrongs for twenty years were righted.

“Zhuge Liang’s Sky Lanterns”
Huqin qiang vocal style. This classic Dian Opera excerpt is also known as Kung Ming Making Obeisance to the Lanterns or The Battle of Wuzhangyuan. Zhuge Liang sings in the Yizi, Erliu and Gunban tempos of Huqin qiang, demonstrating the bitter, intense character of the vocal style. Singing is the key part of this excerpt. The actor who plays the role of Kong Ming, the genius strategist of Liu Bei, sings in a low and heavy tune to express Kong’s determination to serve the country to his last days. During the time of the Three Kingdoms, Kong Ming waged a war against the Kingdom of Wei. After engaging in six expeditions, he was exhausted. Knowing that he is dying, Kong entrusted the arrangement of his funeral to his generals. Jiang Wei suggested
him to change his destiny by a ritualistic prayer. He therefore set up the Sky Lanterns and carried out rituals every day. After observing the stars in the sky, Sima Yi of the Kingdom of Wei knew that Kong Ming was nearing his end. But he was not absolutely sure, so he sent Xiahou Ba and his troops to find out. Mistaking the scouting as an attack after sighting the enemies,
Wei Yan ran to Kong Ming’s tent to report. In a panic, he stepped on the lantern that represented Kong’s life and extinguished its light. Kong threw away his sword and sighed, “Life and death is a matter of destiny. No one can change them.” Jiang Wei wanted to kill Wei Yan for his inadvertence, but was stopped by Kong. He died in the camp after making arrangements for his funeral.

“A Stroll in the Imperial Garden”
Using Xiangyang qiang, Huqin qiang and Sixian qiang vocal styles, a piece emphasizes heavily on singing. The use of three vocal styles in one excerpt is very rare. Together, they demonstrate the richness, colours and variety in the singing of the female roles. Being the beloved imperial concubine of Emperor Xuanzong, Yang Yuhuan indulged in entertainments all day. Under her influence, her brother Yang Guozhong became one of the emperor’s prime ministers, and her three sisters were granted the Lady title. Later, the emperor favored one of her sisters while at the same time kept seeing another imperial concubine Meifei secretly. This came to the knowledge of Yuhuan who became very upset. Eventually, she and the emperor were back on good terms. On the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, they vowed in the Hall of Eternal Life before the stars of the cowherd and the weaver girl that they would never part with each other.