戏曲名家进校园 梨园雅韵庆六一

With the joy of Children’s Day in full swing, the national treasure of Chinese opera has come to the school. On this festive occasion, the Zhao Lihua of Opera Studio visited BLS, presenting a profound feast of traditional culture to the entire school community through opera lessons and performances, thereby helping traditional opera take root in the hearts of the young.

In Zhao Lihua’s traditional opera class, he broke down opera knowledge for the pupils, starting from the basics and progressing to more advanced concepts. From the origins, development and evolution of Peking Opera, to the classification and character traits of the four major roles—sheng, dan, jing and chou; from the artistic origins and stylistic differences of the Four Great Dan Actresses and the Four Great Sheng Actors, to the ‘Four Skills and Five Methods’ at the core of opera performance—Zhao combined physical demonstrations and historical anecdotes to transform abstruse opera knowledge into accessible and vivid explanations. When the lesson turned to vocal styles, the teacher gave a live demonstration of the ‘beard technique’—stroking his white beard and assuming the initial posture—a vivid display that allowed the pupils to truly grasp the intricacies of singing, recitation, acting and combat. The children listened intently, asked questions enthusiastically, and immersed themselves in the profound depth of Chinese opera.

Taking to the stage were two young pupils of Zhao Lihua: a boy and a girl, both just over ten years old, yet having devoted themselves to opera for more than five years. The boy wore the armoured costume of a martial artist, his long beard hanging to his chest and his movements vigorous and resolute; every gesture exuded the steady demeanour of a veteran actor. The girl, dressed in a short, embroidered red satin jacket, stood gracefully adorned with hairpins and earrings, her eyes and brows full of life. Holding a coloured handkerchief and a wooden fan, she brought the charm and vivacity of a young flower-maiden to life with consummate skill. Every movement, honed over many years, and the richly expressive singing drew waves of applause from the teachers and students in the audience. Their performances, though youthful, were solid and assured, allowing the audience to experience first-hand the unique charm of traditional opera.

Subsequently,BLS formally appointed Ms Zhao Lihua as a visiting professor. This appointment represents not only a significant step by the school in deepening traditional cultural education, but also a fresh beginning for renowned opera artists to join hands with the school in nurturing the next generation.

This ‘Opera in Schools’ event for Children’s Day sparked interest through performances and imparted knowledge through lessons, planting the seeds of this national treasure in the children’s hearts. By bringing traditional opera off the stage and into the classroom, children were able to experience these treasures of intangible cultural heritage at close quarters. In the future, BLS will continue to draw upon the expertise of renowned artists to build platforms for learning about traditional culture, allowing the fresh melodies of the opera world to nurture young hearts and ensuring that the cultural heritage of Chinese opera is passed down through the generations as young students continue to learn and carry the torch forward.