Studie zum Kunqu in Geschichte und Gegenwart (Volume 121) (English shop)

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Kunqu opera is regarded in China as “the ancestor of the hundred operas” and “the living fossil.” It preserves information about Chinese culture, local conditions and customs, society, politics and the economy. The development of Kunqu opera thus becomes a window onto Chinese culture.

What is Kunqu opera like, in history and in the present? This book presents Chinese Kunqu opera in detail and clarity in four parts: first, the history of Kunqu opera is summarised in four phases (its origins, the period of flourishing, the period of decline and the phase of revival). Next, the design of the stage as well as the performance techniques, the costumes and the masks of Kunqu opera are described. Following this, the musical instruments are introduced and explained in terms of their function. This is followed by the use of the various forms of notation as well as the use of key and modes. Subsequently, the structural mode and the characteristics of the Kunqu qupai of Nanqu and Beiqu are compared and the composition of the qupai melodic models is explained. Finally, the development and dissemination of Kunqu opera are presented.