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Kun Qu Opera developed under the Ming dynasty (fourteenth to seventeenth centuries) in the city of Kunshan, situated in the region of Suzhou in southeast China. With its roots in popular theatre, the repertory of songs developed into a major theatrical form. Kun Qu is one of the oldest forms of Chinese opera still performed today.
Kunqu has gone through several stages of change over the past hundreds of years. It was composed of long and short lines at the beginning, with a singer singing solo and the orchestra coming in at the end of each line. During the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644), it became more mild, and graceful, with performers attaching great importance to how clearly they recited and sang lines. The songs were written in seven-character or ten-character lines. This contrasts greatly from the opera’s emphasis during the Yuan Dynasty(1271—1368), when only percussions(打击乐器) were used in the chorus. In the style that developed during the Ming Dynasty, more musical instruments were used.
It is characterized by its dynamic structure and melody (kunqiang). It combines songs and recitals as well as acrobatics and symbolic gestures. The opera features a young male lead, a female lead, an old man and various comic roles, all dressed in traditional costumes. Kun Qu songs are accompanied by bamboo flute(长笛), small drum, wooden clappers gongs, all used to punctuate actions and emotions on stage. Renowned for the rhythmic patterns, Kun Qu opera has had a considerable influence on more recent forms of Chinese opera, such as the Sichuan or Beijing opera.
The opera has suffered a gradual decrease since the eighteenth century because of the high-level technical knowledge that it requires from both its performers and audience. Of the 400 arias regularly sung in opera performances in the mid-twentieth century, only a few dozen continue to be performed. The Kun Qu opera survived through the efforts of dedicated connoisseurs(行家) and various supporters who seek to attract the interest of a new generation of performers.
1. When and where did Kun Qu Opera develop?2. What are the roles of Kun Qu Opera?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.（请在下面的陈述中判断哪一部分是错误的，然后在下面划线并解释原因。）
Kun Qu has decreased gradually since the 18th century because of the development of technology.
4. What should we do to pass down Kun Qu?
