A Dream in the Girl's Room

the artist names zhang huo ding who is the best actress of chinese opera in china today

[@david1234lee]

Understanding and appreciation of Beijing opera takes years to cultivate. If you don't, it is normally not your fault. I used to go with my dad to see Chinese opera as a child and was bored to death. Now, I love it and am glad we have this superior art.

[@akinderreality]

Just because you are Chinese by genes doesn't immediately endear you to Chinese culture, I am an American of Jewish descent and I find this incredibly beautiful. As far as you not being able to grasp the beauty of this, that is too bad, perhaps someday you will be able to appreciate this art form

[@gavodf]

Art is the universal language, so, you may be any race and enjoy this performance...

[@david1234lee]

Glad I come back and listen to her again. Delightful as ever !

[@polarisDC123]

The lady is so shy at the beginning, while slowly as she reveals her feeling and desire, she ultimately decides to wake up her husband to have a good night. But whether she did it or not, well, you may need to watch the whole performance. I dont have answer to that either.

[@MpLMx]

This is magnificent and exquisite piece of art... Even with the extra makeup (a distinctive feature if I recall correctly), her singing is also beautiful.

[@gnehzeey]

How beautiful! Everything!

[@Sonychan2046]

I am a pop singer. I would love to work with Zhang Huoding. REAL ARTIST!

[@r3v3rs3tWiLiT3]

beauty transcends cultural divisions- the story is told in movement, facial expressions and song which are all universal- even if you don't speak Chinese it is still lovely, just set aside for a moment your cultural bias and enjoy

[@moni2415]

I fully agree with akinderreality. I'm Polish and I like it better than Western opera. In my humble opinion :) it's a superior form of art. It's so beautiful I want to learn Chinese. I spend hours watching Chinese opera clips on KZbin and I'd like to thank all good people who are kind enough to provide a translation. :) Many thanks!!! I hope I'll be able to see Chinese opera live one day. *sighs*

[@mariexiaotiqin]

this is my favorite! I can sing it by heart, and I'm not chinese. It's soooo good!

[@Kilaulani]

there is always a meaning towards the sleeves... the sleeves could sometimes play an expression and stuff like that... it'd kinda hard for me to explain... it can also be used as a prop as well... for example... it can be as a towel to dry her eyes... it can show emotions, like her heart could be exploding or something. plus without the sleeves they would have been bored looking...lol =whee= i hope that kinda got something from this... i suck at explaining things... lol...

[@corc1130]

My heart is entangled I suddenly remember the time when we married, The love we had. I have to Arrange the blankets and pillows. I do not want you to be disappointed on our first night. However You are impatient and fall asleep already. Let’s make our promise next time.

[@lilamagritte]

Gracias Philozi por este bello video.

[@akinderreality]

Thank you so much for your translation, I watched the video, then read your posts then watched it again and it added a lot. Now I think the aria is kind of sexy :) All the best!

[@1324390]

Oh she IS a woman. Zhang Huoding is in her mid-30s and surely among the most popular Beijing opera actors of our time. In her earlier days she did over-imitate Master Cheng, who was a male actor and whose style she was faithfully following, but now she has developed a style of her own, which is appropriately more feminine.

[@stephjuhler999]

@mchelo18 Yes, Western operas struggle to achieve such notes because they don't use them as they sound too coarse. We use softer notes. Plus our tones melodies are smoother.

[@taopanda98]

I am Mexican and I found this entirely beautiful

[@ethericalzen]

Oh I think I'm responsible for like 100+ views of this ^_^ I love just about every video of this particular actress. She's so so talented. I'm a fan of Shan Wen as well.

[@david1234lee]

This is the world's most sophisticated opera in which the sound and movement are extremely disciplined and symbols, metaphors and similes guide each expresson to a higher meaning. Please do not use vulgar langage in the temple of arts!

[@maturimiya]

日本と同じく、細かい表情を重んじる極東共通の文化を感じます。ただ、京劇の音楽は、全体に高音に重心が寄っていて、低音が足りない。したがって、とても神経質な音楽に聞こえます。しかし、そこが京劇の華やかな衣装と組み合わせが、あっており魅力だと、思いました。彼女の衣装や演技と歌は素晴らしいと思います。

[@notsurebutwehere]

This is so nice :] And this is my music homework xD I really like this I thought it would be silly but I think it's very nice.

[@akinderreality]

I don't understand it either (although I read polaris's translation). Just a side note, classical Indian music is some of my favorite music in the world and I don't speak any Indic language :)

[@david1234lee]

Agitated, I thought of scene of the wedding night, Speculating on some intimacy, Therefore, I had prepared dress and pillows in luxurious silk--- So that precious moments would not be wasted. Alas, I found him fast asleep. I wish we could repeat the wedding night!

[@giorich]

she doesn't blink!

[@MpLMx]

Magnificent...

[@BeatriceLap]

Thank you with all my heart, david! I love it when I can create a proper link between image, sound and words and I am grateful for your help!

[@thisrainykitten]

so beautiful

[@richestrich95]

@akinderreality i agree completey, i am a white high schooler who finds chinese opera beautiful...it amazes how closed people can be...if they listened, they would hear stunning melodies

[@tmwc2003]

看到這樣一個古典美人兒，真的想和她天長地久。這又令人想到封建社會是怎樣的社會...。

[@AbhishekRoyscis]

stephjuhler999 Peking opera is like sushi, you need to develop a taste for it.

[@JubileeMarcus123]

the actress s a good actress and these kind of play!

[@meghanomalley8774]

Can anyone identify what opera this is part of? It's such a beautiful piece in so many ways!

[@strawburst12]

for the 18 people who dont like this needs a life. they dont grasp the beauty in this at all.

[@Measuring0Cups]

A good way to get to understand this kind of art, watch the movie "Forever Enthralled". It is very beautiful, funny, and the performances are entrancing. I highly recommend it and it is what got me to like Peking Opera. :)

[@david1234lee]

Exactly! Chnese opera deal with extreme discipline.

[@tania0353]

this is absolutely mind blowing... love it!

[@JubileeMarcus123]

I need translation please anyway beautiful opera !

[@silverbatwing]

Now i'm totally a newb when it comes to this, but i'm guessing from what i read/reaserched that this actress is a qinyi style. this style keeps thier hands covered for modesty, and her moves are slow and dignified.

[@tarnicles]

how very elegant!

[@CHF2003e]

One has to know what she is singing. The caption is in Chinese. It is the problem for most friends who don't know those characters at all. The Chinese opera is more subtle than the western one ....... 文字的隔閡是個大問題。

[@natmingmcf1]

Beautiful

[@yvanlaw13]

she tells about how homesick and lonely in china, explaint about she would like husband and miss his father's ho chi ming in the battle with her dearest men,

[@lilamagritte]

Bellísimo.

[@alexldl]

great

[@lightronger]

This is Peking Opera...there are different types of operas all across the country. This is probably the most famous one. Personally, though, I prefer yue ju (Cantonese Opera). It's a lot softer and more soothing.

[@titatus08]

Qué maravilla!

[@StrukovaNata]

@fukumimisohoni Do not compare oranges and apples! Both Italian and Chinese are beautiful just in a different way...

[@MadameDeces]

I am Sorry, but Hangzhou is not a province, is a city in the province of Zhejiang (for reference is near Shanghai and Ningbo). But I agree I prefer the opera from the south, and also the food... hehe!

[@Ulrichlairdy]

Oh God! Artificial beings!

[@polarisDC123]

This is a very interesting piece about a lady who is troubled by her own desire. My translation is straightforward to reveal the underlined meaning of the original Chinese lyrics. So, kind of gross compared to the Chinese version. Please do pay attention to the performance, to the singing. It tells much more than the words in some sense.

[@david1234lee]

@laprosta Yes! Only for the highly cultivated audiences. This is not a girl's dream but her recollection of her wedding night in which her sexual impulses were thwarted by groom who fell asleep while she was making the bed and pillow more comfortable for the rare night! Beijing now has special channels daily to air operas and opera education for the citizens. So does Shanghai!

[@Davccelion]

@CoreMusicOperaClips , thanks for the explanation. I won't deny that I am glad to know that the rule has changed.

[@AaronLacyJr]

shur. shur lao shi. wo zhao sheng ke. Ge You... lao shi zie zie. Gong Li.

[@jameslo2009]

@chengshuleung 我還以這套戲在海外出名， 引致很多外國人都來再次欣賞這段戲！ 原來是這個原因啊！

[@user-kq9by1pf6v]

什么原因呀

[@MoonLitBunny]

any more videos of this actor?

[@georgieonmymind]

nice, very interesting, but I do wish I undestood what she was singing... a little help please?

[@david1234lee]

Taiwanese girls used to wrap up faces and arms and hands. This has nothing to do with religion denominations. Roman ladies did the same.If you open your mind, you can learn a couple of things here.

[@BeatriceLap]

I find this extraordinary, but I'm wondering what the lyrics are about...could anyone help, please? thank you!

[@MoonLitBunny]

So what opera is this from? What's the story behind it? I would love to see more! :)

[@konzwambii]

We had tickets for the Chinese Opera, but my wife forgot the sandwiches.

[@JeromeLeong]

i heard Fly flying..... JK JK =.="

[@hollow30]

Is this the Peony Pavilion? Anyway it is fabulus

[@david1234lee]

You are welcome! Anty time!

[@MoonLitBunny]

What opera is this from?

[@noria.a4098]

Quiero la traduccion :(

[@LaCarusiella]

Can anyone explain what chinese opera is?I am a "western" opera singer and I have never heard of it.Why do they call it like that?

[@akinderreality]

@fukumimisohoni It is very interesting that you use the word "atonal" ...atonal compared to what? I assume you mean that it is atonal when compared with the western classical tradition (from your post). This is a very Eurocentric mindset and quite a sad one at that, we are all welcome to our opinions, you don't HAVE to like Chinese opera, but I would caution you to remember that subjects such as "tonality" are relative to the musical system you are describing.

[@Davccelion]

I understood that all actors, even the ones performing femenine roles in Chinese opera, where men. Has this changed? Could someone confirm me? Many thanks!

[@Nahmee143.]

The Language is Chinese Manderine. :D

[@david1234lee]

Your "tangled" could also mean that she was highly "agitated" by by the apparently unfulfilled sex ceremony which she described as precious as "moment of gold". Her regret was that while doing all to make the night a success, her attempt and perhaps also her desire were frustrated by an impatient bridegroom who fell asleep.

[@david1234lee]

overall, this is a drama of unfulfilled sexual impulse and desire.

[@gnehzeey]

并非人人都有中文軟件啦．

[@akinderreality]

@fukumimisohoni I would also remind you that your German compositions of which you speak so highly often did not gravitate towards a tonic tone.

[@MrsHippy]

#McVilly2013

[@Garother]

do we even have to mention and talk about this? :/

[@thevizier]

Chinese

[@akinderreality]

@fukumimisohoni OK, now you are being figurative, which I appreciate... the problem I have is that words have meaning - by writing "atonal" you are saying that the piece doesn't gravitate towards a tonic note the way a western cadence system does. In this respect you are correct - but you are using it as a negative - which bugs me. If you were to say "this is dissonant to my ears" - I think we could all accept that.

[@tiejingang]

Zhang Huo ding is the best dan in China today? Disagree!

[@polarisDC123]

Spring Chamber Dream Dream or Illusion Tangled (means sexually aroused) Suddenly, I remember the scenes of wedding night In the honey moon, we had some pretty intimate times. Now I cant refrain from arranging silk bedding, broidered pillows so [we] wont waste an intimate time worthy thousand gold alas, [He is so] impatient [to wait], and already very sleepy Wait! I must repeat the wedding night with you.

[@unclealand]

Callas should have stuck to Puccini and Verdi.

[@ytati]

No she's not.

[@tiejingang]

@CoreMusicOperaClips In my taste Li Hai Yan is much better in sound, look, and shen duan for tragic qin yi roles. Zhang's movement is less refined and too 俗. Zhang does a great job in following the Chen style like Li Shi Ji does, but Li Hai Yan, in my opinion has improved Chen style.

[@david1234lee]

perhaps in Cheng School she is highly ranked but certainly NOT the most well-known or well-like opera singer in Chinese opera today.

[@hippolyte90]

Is this a man or a woman? I thought that in chinese opera all the roles are played by men?

[@jameslo2009]

真的好奇怪，看這個的都好像不是中國人！ 他們都是用英語的！

[@SoloWing808]

What are you talking about? Muslims?

[@zzhawww]

what is wrong with you?

[@stephjuhler999]

I don't like the sound of the Peking Opera. The costumes are beautiful, but as for the music, well, I've heard better music with someone running their nails down a blackboard! It does my head in. The French and Italian operas are much more beautiful. Those are actually real music. I don't see what is so disciplined or wonderful about the Peking Opera. It's just annoying. The singing is awful.