New life to ancient art

The rehearsal room is on the fourth floor, but you can hear singing as you enter the campus of Xichang Primary School in Hai’an, East China’s Jiangsu Province.

Li Pengshan, the school’s Peking Opera teacher, told the Global Times that microphones are not needed in Peking Opera, and the actors’ singing should be heard by every audience member in the theater. Every day at noon, the students practice vocals for more than one hour.

In the rehearsal room, dozens of pupils wearing traditional costumes and makeup jump around. They are members of the school’s Peking Opera association. Friday afternoon is their time to practice.

Xichang Primary School, with a history since 1905, became a trial school for the “Peking Opera on campus” project, which was initiated by the Ministry of Education in 2008, aiming to promote the traditional art among the young generation.

Peking Opera now has become a feature of Xichang school. During music class, students can enjoy Peking Opera, and during art class they draw opera masks and costumes. Even during physical education class, the activities are related to Peking opera.

However, in the beginning, it was difficult to start Peking Opera courses, as local art institutes and other schools had never have such lessons before, said Li Jianhua, headmaster of Xichang Primary School. “There were not enough teachers, and you will not see results of having such a course in a short time.”

With help from the public, the school also connected with professional teachers of Peking Opera.

In September 2016, a children’s Peking Opera association was founded in Xichang school. Li Pengshan, a director from Nantong Art Theater, and Li Hongxia, an actress from the same theater, became teachers for the courses.

The association has 40 members. The training for Peking Opera includes vocals, movement, makeup and costumes.

After two years of training, the children have gradually grasped the style and spirit of Peking Opera.

Zhang Zhichao, a 5th grade student, is practicing the Peking Opera classic The Taking of Tiger Mountain. He is one of more than 10 boys who have continued with training for two years. Last January, the boy finally performed the play on stage after one-and-a-half years of practice.

During training, teachers put on masks and costumes for the children. As the teachers do this, one little girl begins to cry. Li Pengsheng said that the costumes were tied onto the actors’ head tightly, so that the props would not fall on stage.

“At the beginning, some children may even vomit. But to play a good character, all the sweat and bitterness must be persevered through,” he said.