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In
order to portray special characters, Sichuan opera relies on a series
of stunts including: changing faces, spitting fire, and rolling light.
These skills are unique to Sichuan opera.
Musically, the Sichuan Opera combines five different sonic systems which, until the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic, were each still represented by their own independent troupes.
Founded in the capital city of Chengdu in 1912, the Sanqinghui troupe officially combined all five of these systems and fused them into a unique system of acting, singing and instrumental music. All of the librettos are written in the Sichuan dialect of Chinese as it is spoken in the capital city of Chengdu. The best-known style, and the one which is most characteristic of southwestern China, is called gaoqiang. It is distinguished by the aforementioned solo singing, which is usually accompanied by sparse rhythmical accentuation played on wooden clappers. This filigreed, highly ornamented vocal style is particularly distinguished by brilliantly artful glissando links, skillfully implemented vibrato and virtuosic embellishment around a single tone in the form of delicately elegant yet energetic melodic ornamentation. The simplicity of the folk songs' melodic structures is frequently left unstylized, as it is, for example, in the eight-bar accompanying formulae which are played along with the recitative passages. In addition, a chorus from the orchestra either comments upon or repeats what has already been sung. This chorus can also be represented by a solo voice. In the past, members of the chorus also often doubled as percussionists and, like the percussionists, were clad in everyday garments and in full view on stage. Nowadays, they perform in the orchestral area, which is situated along one side of the stage and concealed from the audience's direct view.
Bianlian (changing faces) is a unique skill of the opera, and grasped only by few people.
Bian Nian is the masterpiece and essence of the present Sichuan opera, which has been widely publicized and known. As the essence of the Sichuan opera, even you have a close watch before the actor, you still can not find Know-how.
Bian Nian, Face off or face change in English, is the one of the artistry of the stagecraft, which reflects the minds and sentiments of the stage performers in a romantic way. Generally, the art of Bian Nian has three ways:
The first-Mo Nian (“Mo” is a verb); the actors or actressess first paint the paints on certain parts of their face, when they need to change the upper part of the face, they just need to pain the paints on their forehead or eyebrows, if they want to change the lower part of the face, they paint on their cheek or nose.
The second-Chui Nian (“Chui” is also a verb): this act art is limited to use powder paints, such as golden powder, blank powder, silver powder and so on. when needed, the powder will be put in tiny boxes which will be hid in somewhere on the stage, when stage performing needs to do face chage, the actors or actresses will do lowering action of their body, then blowing into the box which is needed on that time, the powder will sent onto the face, the color of the face changed.
The third-Che Nian (“Che” is a verb): Compared to the first two, this art is much more complicated.they actor or actress need to pain faces (we mean Face masks) on air-thin silk or drocade, and then cut them, tie a tiny strope onto them one by one, at the last step, atach them on their face, hide the tiny ropes on a secret place of their acting robe, with the going on of the performance, they take off the faces one by one or put them back to their face one by one.
In Chengdu, there are several places to enjoy this kind of performance.
One is located in the a park close to Qingyang palace, called Shudu Yayun.
The second is in a tea house close to Chengdu International exhibition Hall, called Shunxing laochaguan.
The third one is located in Daci temple.
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