The opera integrates poetry, comedy, vocal music, etc., and creates perfect characters by expressing the storyline. Since the premiere of "The White-Haired Girl" in 1945, Chinese national opera has experienced a glorious history of more than 60 years. Although Chinese national opera has a short history of development, in its development, it has created a unique new pattern and form by drawing on the creative techniques of Western opera on the basis of Chinese national music. Its emergence and development mainly try to use the carrier of opera to reflect my country's social dynamics, the reality of mass life, and human emotions and thoughts through foreign artistic forms. In the course of more than 60 years of development, the main representative works include: "The Tempest on the Yangtze River" in the 1930s; "The White-Haired Girl" in the 1940s; "Xiao Erhei Gets Married" and "Liu Hulan" in the 1960s; "Liu Sanjie" and "Jiangjie"; and later "Flower Goddess", "Qu Yuan", "Yuanye", "Party's Daughter" and so on. This article mainly analyzes the compositional characteristics of Chinese national operas from the perspective of opera themes, opera music styles and the characteristics and expressions shown in the singing process of national operas.

1. Characteristics of the creative elements of Chinese national operas

Chinese national operas were born under specific historical conditions, from "The White-Haired Girl" to "The Party's Daughter". The operas all have their own characteristics in the selection of themes, but most of the themes come from life, and they all show the characteristics of the struggle life and realistic portrayal of the children of the Chinese nation. The specific manifestations are: [This article is reproduced from: lunwen.1kejian.com]

(1) Reflecting the revolutionary war in modern history

Chinese national operas, especially in the early and middle stages of development, have mostly themes The focus on ethnic war reflects the people's striving for liberation and freedom under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and their demand for the overthrow of the "three mountains." This type of opera has a strong revolutionary color, is intended to inspire the national fighting spirit, commend the spirit of the times of hardship, excellence, diligence and bravery, and has left many heroic images and touching deeds to the people.

(2) Adapting historical figures and traditional folk tales

Most of these operas are based on heroic and patriotic historical figures recorded in historical materials or widely circulated folk tales as creative elements, depicting them from the front. The Chinese nation’s traditional virtues of simplicity, diligence, bravery, and patriotism are used to promote traditional culture and inspire the people’s national integrity. [This article is reproduced from: lunwen.1kejian.com]

(3) Reflecting the inner life and spiritual outlook of the people

Many contents of Chinese national operas describe the people’s opposition to feudal rule. The act of fighting for the freedom of marriage and pursuing good happiness. For example, "Xiao Erhei's Marriage" has mostly rural themes and positive content, which deeply reflect the inner spiritual world of the people under the background of the times.

2. The style composition of Chinese national opera music

Chinese national opera has very typical musical and artistic characteristics.

(1) The combination of China and the West

From the beginning to the present, the music creation of Chinese national operas has always been at the intersection of China and the West

1 On the one hand, it is due to artificial pursuit, and on the other hand, it is the inevitable result of fully respecting the ontological characteristics of national opera. This result is always based on the principle of "focusing on China and using foreign materials for China", which fully demonstrates the unique national characteristics of each national music.

(2) Integration and connection of ancient and modern times

All cultures have historical heritage. Chinese national music is a long historical river. From the "Fifteen Kingdoms Style" of the Pre-Qin Dynasty, the "Yuefu" of the Han Dynasty to the "Xiaoqu" of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, national music has formed a dazzling artistic chain. The music of Chinese national operas fully inherits the excellent materials of historical music culture. On the one hand, it must have the artistic style of ancient national music to reflect the historical background and historical style of the drama; on the other hand, it must integrate the new elements of the new era. The creative concepts and new musical elements truly integrate ancient and modern times. For example, "Wang Gui and Li Xiangxiang" absorbs the musical material of the Shaanxi folk song "Xintianyou".

(3) The intersection of the old and the new

The intersection of the old and the new is one of the more distinctive features of the creation of modern Chinese national opera music. On the one hand, it "takes the essence and discards the dross" of old national music; on the other hand, it boldly innovates and introduces modern thinking and diversified essences, including bel canto, popular and classical music. The music creation of "Cang Yuan" can be described as an example in this regard. On the basis of fully absorbing traditional national music, it boldly innovates and extensively uses various musical methods such as bel canto and popular music, thus fully displaying the new style and new connotation of Chinese national opera music in the new era.

3. Singing style and performance characteristics of Chinese national operas

In terms of musical performance, Chinese operas are different from Western ones that focus on individual superb singing. Chinese operas have surpassed Through the performers' singing, the characters are shaped, the storyline is developed, and the audience's vision is attracted. This requires that in addition to solid singing skills, opera performers must also have certain acting skills and use body movements to match the singing effect.

In the singing of national operas, emphasis is placed on singing skills, that is, singing, performance, music, etc. are subordinate to the plot.

Due to the diversity of opera plots, the singing styles are also rich and colorful. Because each singer can learn from others' strengths, inherit and innovate, and give the principles of the times a sense of the times, a national opera singing style with unique Chinese characteristics has been formed. This style is mainly reflected in lyrical arias, which usually use pure and bright timbre, clear enunciation, and graceful rhymes to express the emotions and inner world of the characters based on real emotions.

IV. Conclusion

In just a few decades of development, Chinese national opera has gradually become an important part of our country's music culture. Chinese opera has always been advancing along the path of "creating to promote singing, singing to promote creation, and creation and singing to go hand in hand". Since the 1980s, the diverse aspects of opera theme creation, the diversified integration of emotional expression in the words during the singing process, and the operatic singing techniques have profoundly affected people's aesthetic taste.

Facing today in the 21st century, national opera, like many national arts, is facing new challenges. National opera should also adapt to the development trend of society, learn from past successful experiences, and achieve transformation in line with society by "reviewing the past and learning the new". Development is based on breakthroughs. Therefore, we must summarize the development history and experience of Chinese national opera music and analyze its structural characteristics. By analyzing the diverse characteristics of Chinese national opera, we can further discover new breakthroughs and guide how to bring national opera to a new peak now and in the future.

References:

[1] Ma Yue "The Current Situation and Development of Chinese Opera", "Opera Art", 1987.1

[2] Chen Zi " The form of opera and the drama of opera music", "People's Music", 1992. 1

[3] Shi Fu "Discussing the Creation of Opera Music", "People's Music", Issue 2, 1996

[4] Zhang Wenwen. A brief exploration of the singing style of national operas [J]. Science and Education Wenhui, 2009.7

[5] Li Yanhui. The aesthetic character of "dramatic singing" in Chinese operas[J] .Chinese Teacher, 2009.4

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