Modern Chinese Opera in the formative years: Extrapolation of music and its socio-cultural development

Abstract

Modern opera in China has developed during many important historical periods, such as the Republic of China (1912-1949), founding of the People's Republic of China (1949) and the Reforms and Opening Up (1978). There is a lack of literature specifically introducing how Chinese modern opera matured. The exploration of this period in this paper can help scholars better understand the essential characteristics of modern opera. This study analyzes the sociocultural and historical background of modern Chinese opera during the first half of the 20th century, identifying the representative composers and works of each period. A qualitative research methodology is used in this paper, which mainly analyzes secondary data and scores. The study found that modern Chinese opera emerged from four periods. Modern Chinese opera entails a synthesis of traditional Chinese and Western operatic practices.