Lesson 2

Beijing Opera

Peking opera , the best-known

Chinese Opera, was developed

during the Qing dynasty (164

4-1911) . It is a dramatic form

that includes dance, theater,

music, and

Peking Opera

skilled performance. Character

types

depend on vocal styles.

Performers wear dramatic

makeup or masks.

Who is she?

Mei Lanfang

What role do they play

in Beijing Opera?

Sheng

Dan

Jing

Chou

mask

What do you know about Beijing

Opera? Work in pairs and choose

the right answers.

1. When did Beijing Opera start?

a) the late 18th century

b) the late 19th century

c) the late 20th century

a) the late 18th century

2. How many main roles are there

in Beijing Opera?

a) 4 b) 8 c) 12

3. What are eh main instruments

played in Beijing Opera?

a) violin b) jinghu c) drum

d) piano e) sanxian f) guitar

a) 4

b) jinghu

4. Match the main roles with their na

mes.

sheng male roles with brightly

painted face

dan female roles

jing clown roles

chou male roles

Beijing Opera

history

Late 18th century

main roles

Four roles

skills needed

Singing,dancing

acrobatics

Acting,talking

costumes

Bright colours sharp

singing styles

Late 18th century Four roles Acting,talking

Bright colours

singing styles

Match the meanings with the pictures

on P24:

Pic.1 They are in the city.

Pic.2 She is in a carriage.

Pic.3 They are in their new

bedroom.

Pic.4 She is on a horse.

Symbols in Beijing Opera

Match the following words with their

meanings. Then use the words

complete the sentences below.

combine, treasure, mask,

acrobatics, costume

a) the clothes worn in a play or

film

b) mix two or more things

c) something with special

value

d) movements of one’s body in a

skilful way

e) something that covers one’s face

costume

acrobatics

mask

treasure

combine

1.This golden ring is a real

________.

2.My mother sewed my _______ for

the school play.

3.I love watching __________ but it

looks very difficult!

treasure

acrobatics

costume

4. The first step in making a cake

is to _______ the milk and

butter.

5. The singer wore a _______ that

was made of wood.

combine

mask

Listen to the first and second part

of a TV programme. Use the Strat

egies to answer the questions.

1. What skills do Beijing Opera

actors need to have ?

Acting, talking, singing,

music dancing and

acrobatics.

On open-air stages, in markets,

streets, teahouses or temple

courtyards.

2. Where was Beijing Opera

performed at the beginning ?

3.Why does it have very loud music

and a piercing singing style ?

Because at the beginning, Beijing

Opera was performed mostly on

open-air stages.

4. Why do performers wear

brightly coloured costumes?

With bright colour, their costumes are more impressive and the crowd can see them more clearly.

Read and listen to the last part of

the programme. Then answer the

questions.

Read and listen to the last part of

the programme. Then answer the

questions.

1. What does the stage look like

in Beijing Opera?

Very simple.

Because symbolism plays a very

important role in Beijing Opera.

2. How do symbols play an

important role in Beijing Opera?

holding a tassel

walking with a

flag on each side

four generals

and four soldiers

an army of

thousands

riding a

horse

riding in a

carriage

Various body movements can represent

actions.

Listen to two dialogues. What do the

students Li Ming and Zhu Meiling g

et permission for? What do they not

get permission for?

Li Ming –permission to go to Puf

ang’s birthday party/ not permiss

ion to go to the cinema.

Zhu Meiling –permission to hand in

her project next week /not permissi

on to write up the project in Chines

e.

Listen again and fill in the blanks.

would, can’t, let, could, OK, know, excuse me, must, everyone’s going, can

You (1)______ my classmate Yang

Pufang.

Well, Pufang’s going to have a birt

hday party this Saturday afternoon.

Is it(2) _____ if I go? The party’s a

special occasion and (3)__________.

know

OK

everyone’s

Informal

Oh, all right…I’ll (4) ____ you go,

but I need you to be back by 8 o’cl

ock the latest. Thanks, Mum. And

I was thinking…(5)_____I go to the

cinema with Pufang on Sunday?

let

can

What about your grandpa and grandm

a? Who ‘s going to help me look after t

hem if you go ?

Oh, Mum. Please let me go to the cine

ma.

You can go to Pufang’s birthday Party

but you (6)____ go to the cinema.can’t

(7) __________, Miss Wang?(8)

_______it be all right if I handed in

my project next week?

OK, you (9) _____give me your

project first thing on Monday

morning.

Would

can

Excuse me

Formal

(10) ______I write up the project in

Chinese? No, I’m afraid you can’t .

You (11) ______use English like all

the other students.

must

Could