Wenzhou was the birthplace of nanxi, a Chinese opera form of the 12th century. The earliest form of Ou opera, however, emerged only after the end of the
Ming dynasty in the 17th century, when the
singing styles of gaoqiang (高腔) and kunqiang gained popularity in southern
Zhejiang.[1] The luantan style arrived later and was co-opted by locals in their performances along with gaoqiang and kunqiang. In the beginning, performances took place on temple stages only during special occasions such as the one-month
Nuo religious festival,
temple fairs,
dragon boat racing in
Ou River, weddings, harvests, or other celebrations. As demand increased throughout the region, several farmer-performers in
Yongjia County became full-time performers. In the mid-
Qing dynasty, they also performed
Hui opera, tanhuang (灘簧, a precursor of
Xi opera), and shidiao (時調).[4] Because luantan proved the most popular vocal style, it dominated the form which gradually became known as Yongjia luantan or Wenzhou luantan.[1]
References
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abcMa Fenghong (马凤红) (2014). 钱塘戏话——浙江戏曲种类与艺术 [Drama from the Land of Qiantang: Chinese Opera Varieties and Arts from Zhejiang] (in Chinese). Modern Press (现代出版社). pp. 101–118.
ISBN978-7-5143-2597-3.