Peking opera is a traditional form of Chinese theater that combines music, singing, mime, and acrobatics. It utilizes various musical instruments in the orchestra including flutes, trumpets, string instruments like the hu-ch'in and bu-ch'in. Percussion instruments like gongs and drums are also used to mark the beginning and set the tempo of performances. Peking opera features distinct vocal styles and roles for males and females that involve both speaking and limited singing compared to other Chinese opera styles.

1. CHINESE
THEATER

2. PEKING OPERA
• Chinese theater traditionally was considered
as the highest form of arts in chine/ Peking
opera theater.
• Chinese form of opera dating from the late
18th century, in which speech, singing, mime,
and acrobatics are performed to an
instrumental accompaniment.

3. PEKING OPERA TWO MAIN
STYLES OF MUSIC
•ERH – HUANG AND HISP’L
•THEY ARE SIMILAR IN STYLES
BUT ERH-HUANG HAS LOWER
SOUND.
•THEY UTILIZE THE

4. PEKING OPERA TWO MAIN
STYLES OF MUSIC
•ERH – HUANG AND HISP’L
•THEY ARE SIMILAR IN STYLES
BUT ERH-HUANG HAS LOWER
SOUND.
•THEY UTILIZE THE

5. ORCHESTRA OF PEKING
OPERA
•It comprises about eight musicians sitting
on stools in the far-corner of the stage.
Each performance in a Peking opera
begins with the ta-o and slag-lo, a small
and large gong and cymbals. In some
performances they also start with a single
skin drum or kettle drum.

6. AEROPHONE
•TI-ts - Cross flutes - usually played along
with singing.
•Siao - usually played along with singing.
•Sona- Trumpet announces prosperous
occasions.

7. AEROPHONE
TITS SIAO SONA

8. CHORDOPHONE
•Hu-ch'in
•Bu-ch'in

9. CHORDOPHONE
YUE- CH’IN SAN SIEN
PIP’A

10. IDIOPHONES
•TA-LO - GONGS SIGNIFY THE
BEGINNING OF THE PERFORMANCE
•SIAO-LO
•TANPINKU – KETTLE DRUM – USED
TO CREATE THE TEMPO OF THE
PERFORMANCE.

11. IDIOPHONES
TA-LO SIAO-LO TAN-PI KU

12. VOCAL FEATURES
•The vocal requirements for all of the
major roles were greatly reduced for
Peking opera. The CHOU, in
particular, rarely has a singing part in
Peking opera, unlike the equivalent
role in KUNGU style.

13. MALE PEKING

14. FEMALE PEKING

15. PEKING OPERA

16. KABUKI THEATER