|
There
are marked transformations of the Chinese opera in Thailand,
in the aspects of performers, language, stories, musical
interments, make-up, costumes, settings, audience, and the
occasions on which is performed. There are five main factors
of these transformations:
The
Values, Traditions and Beliefs of Chinese People
The replacement of Chinese performers by northeastern of Thailand
(I-san) performers, and lack of Chinese opera musicians, were caused by the transformation of attitudes towords Chinese opera. It was thought that the performers and the musicians were not respected in society.
Most
Chinese people did not like to go out and have entertainment
in the nighttime. That resulted in the decreased number of
Chinese audience.
For the special, festive occasions,
dates changed due to the changed beliefs and value of Chinese
culture.
The
Thai Laws
There are now laws that prohibited the selling, contracting, punishment, and incarceration of children. Therefore’ Chinese opera troupes cannot do as the past, find young people to undertake the lengthy, arduous training years. The chain of tradition has weakened. Moreover; the dramatic scenes secondary about slaves, torture, abuse and opium have been abandoned, because of the law.
The
Audience
Modern Chinese audience realize that their time is money. They would not spend 7-10 night at the Chinese opera. Therefore there is the shortened dimension of time for performing the lengthy Chinese operas.
For Thai-Chinese or Thai audiences who cannot understand Teachew dialect, there is the Thai narration, and sometimes there are Thai dialogue and lyrics. This is the reason of transformation of language of Chinese opera. And these is techniques for marketing Chinese opera in Thailand. Moreover; the new generation audiences cannot accept scenes, this is the transformation of stories.
More Options for Entertainments
New technology decreased both the numbers of audiences and the stories of the Chinese opera. There are many media entertainments competing with Chinese opera, and most of them are more convenient. For example; videos, Chinese theaters, televisions and so forth.
The
Demands for the Chinese Opera Troupes
There are two main components
of the Chinese opera that put burdens on performers make-up
and costumes. Simplified materials and techniques save time
and money. Moreover, the fewer number of musicians relative
to the past, also saves moneys, but may further have advanced
the dying of the art of playing the less common instruments.
In the future, there will be Chinese opera in Thailand as long as the Chinese community believes in the holy gods in the Chinese shrines. Even then, there will be transformations in Chinese operas, because there are no patrons of opera as in the past. And despite the law that fixed Chinese opera to the same patterns as the original Chinese operas. The Chinese opera was treated the same as ‘Thai Kon’ (Thai drama enacting scenes from the Ramayana, ‘Li Kay’ (a kind of Thai song-and –dance) and traditional shadow play. These are out-of-date styles that do not accord well with the lack of historical and theatrical knowledge of the young. These arts have lost their audience, and there was no government support for Chinese opera.
|
|
