Characters in Qinqiang opera

There are 13 kinds of characters in Qinqiang including four kinds of sheng (生, male) (老生、須生、小生、幼生), six kinds of dan (旦, female) (老旦、正旦、小旦、花旦、武旦、媒旦), two kinds of jing (凈, painted face male) (大凈、毛凈) and one kind of chou (丑, clown), also known as "13 tou wangzi" (十三頭網(wǎng)子).

Classification of Qinqiang opera

The different dialects of various areas and types of folk music have contributed to slight differences in the opera itself in terms of pronunciation, aria, music, forming four major genres. In recent years, the major genre in and around Xi'an has played a dominant role in innovating and developing the art form.

Qinqiang opera songs are sonorous, bold and touching; its music is colorful and elegant; and its performances on the whole are plain, exquisite and lively. Furthermore, it boasts such unique performing skills as spitting fire and hat dances by the performers.

There are generally two kinds of arias in Qinqiang opera: huan yin ("joyous tune": 花音) and ku yin ("sad tune": 哭音). Each type was used in accordance with the plots and figures.

Topics involved in the Qinqiang opera

Its repertoires usually feature such themes as anti-aggression wars, the fight between the loyal and the treacherous, and the struggles against oppression, as well as a number of other topics of strong human interest that reflect the honest, diligent, brave and upright characteristics of the local people. The number of the Qinqiang works topped 10,000, ranking first on the list of more than 300 local operas in China. But only about 4,700 works remain today.