Han Opera as a Public Institution in Modern Wuhan Item Type text; Electronic Thesis Authors Long, Lingqian Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 26/09/2021 04:56:24 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/625348 HAN OPERA AS A PUBLIC INSTITUTION IN MODERN WUHAN By Lingqian Long ____________________________ Copyright © Lingqian Long 2017 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the FRED FOX SCHOOL OF MUSIC In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF MUSIC In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2017 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR The thesis titled Han Opera as a Public Institution in Modern Wuhan prepared by Lingqian Long has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for a master’s degree at the Univer- sity of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quo- tation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copy- right holder. SIGNED: Lingqian Long APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: April 26, 2017 Jennifer C. Post Date Instructor of Music 3 Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES.......................................................................................................4 ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................................5 PREFACE: Terminology and Politics of Romanization.........................................................................6 CHAPTER1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................8 1. Traditional Han Opera..............................................................................................................8 2. Han Opera Institution..............................................................................................................12 3. Literature Review....................................................................................................................17 4. Methodology..........................................................................................................................21 5. Significant Findings of Fieldwork Research...........................................................................23 6. Questions and Structure..........................................................................................................26 CHAPTER 2. TRADITIONAL HAN OPERA.....................................................................................29 1. Han Opera and Its geographical influences............................................................................29 1.1 Relationship between Han Opera and Wuhan.................................................................28 1.2 Formation of Han Opera and Four Riverside Factions within Hubei Province..............31 2. The Music of Han Opera.........................................................................................................35 2.1 Background.......................................................................................................................35 2.2 Accompanying Instruments..............................................................................................36 2.3 Han Opera’s Music Systems............................................................................................39 2.4 Zhongzhou Rhymes Schemes and Huguang Accents......................................................44 3. Role Types.............................................................................................................................50 4. Summary................................................................................................................................57 CHAPTER 3. HAN OPERA IN SOCIAL CONTEXTS......................................................................59 1. The Macro Change in Neoliberal China.................................................................................60 2. Han Opera and Its Micro Environment..................................................................................61 3. Historical Interaction between Han Opera and Social Context..............................................64 4. Summary.................................................................................................................................70 CHAPTER 4. INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF HAN OPERA AND CREATIVE ECONOMY INI- TIATIVE IN MODERN WUHAN................................................................................................72 1. Government-owned Musical Institutions in Chinese History................................................73 2. Institutionalization of Han Opera in PRC: Wuhan Han Opera Theatre (WHOT)..................78 3. Opera into Campuses Program in WHOT and Schools.........................................................84 4. Chinese National Arts Fund Program in WHOT....................................................................95 5. Observation of Story of Losing a Son in the Summer Camp ................................................97 6. Summary ............................................................................................................................103 CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................105 BIBLIOGRAPHY..............................................................................................................................110 4 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figures 2.1.2 Distribution of Four Factions of Han Opera.......................................................................32 2.2.4.1 Old version of “想上前欲退后叫了一声天” ………………………………………….48 2.2.4.2 Chen Bohua’s version of “想上前欲退后叫了一声天” ……………………………….48 2.2.4.3 Li Jinzhao’s published CDs..…………………………………………………………....49 4.2 Wuhan Han Opera Theater Structure.....................................................................................79 4.3.1 Ye Qing, the guide, was illustrating the “facial mask” for the students. …………………88 4.3.2 Instrumentalists were introducing wenchang and wuchang instruments to students..........88 4.3.3 Students were touring backstage to watch how performers’ dress up and make up............89 4.3.4 One Xiao player was showing students how to use the horsewhip to symbolize a scene where the character is riding a horse. …………………………………………………………...89 4.3.5 National Culture bearer, Yuan Zhongyu, a Tie player, was introducing ten role types to students..…………………………....……………………………………………………………90 4.3.6 Three students who came from Wuhan Han Opera Specialist School were giving a demon- stration..……….........……………………………………………………………...……............91 4.3.7. Girls following a Dan player to learn some basic gestures of a female character in Han Opera............................................................................................................................................92 Tables 2.2.1 Accompanying Instruments of Han Opera ………………………………………………37 2.2.2 Xipi and Erhuang Melodic Systems ……………………………………………..………41 5 Abstract Wuhan Han Opera Theater (WHOT, formerly Han Opera) is a 400-year old regional opera based in Wuhan, in Hubei Province, in China. WHOT’s recent designation as a public institution under China’s neoliberal creative economy initiative to enter the global market has necessitated its transformation from a cultural institution (wenhua jigou) into a creative industry (wehua chanye). As such, WHOT must now create adaptive strategies, alter traditional conventions of performance, infrastructure, edu- cation and community presence, reconstitute traditional social functions at the national level, and most importantly, manage a relationship with the government that is entirely novel for both. In the summer of 2016, WHOT participated in two government-led projects: Opera into Campuses and the Chinese National Arts Fund. These programs were the focus of my ethnographic fieldwork, to identify possible effects of the creative economy initiative on a traditional musical institution. Specifically, inquiry was made as to whether and how creative musical and organizational adaptations were being decided, im- plemented and executed, and as to how the outcomes of these adaptations were being evaluated. De- spite using an ethnographic approach, findings from the preliminary study were found to be much more broadly generalizable and applicable across disciplines than expected. As a result, this thesis makes the following arguments: for modernization of an institution of traditional music to be effective, a relationship must exist whereby the transitioning institution is given creative license to generate continued socio-cultural productivity through its creative class (“talent”) in joint cooperation with, rather than dependence on, government agencies. The goal must be to revitalize rather than simply preserve such an institution, and to avoid cultural attrition of unique musical