A Ópera Chinesa no período da Revolução Cultural

The Kwok On Collection (Fundação Oriente, Portugal) holds objects that enable the analysis of the Cultural Revolution from the very particular facets of opera creation and symphonic operas and ballets (model works or yangbanxi). We refer here to the vinyl records, the puzzles, paper silhouettes, posters and other means of publicity that help us put together historical fragments from a period that still requires a lot of study and reflection. Having been subject to study by a broad range of scientific articles dating to the 1960s and 1970s, there have been either very few or no significant new approaches to this period in recent years. Thus, departing from the Kwok On Collection, this seeks to present these objects while bringing new contributions to this subject field, conveying the reality of the propaganda support tools that instrumentally placed the Chinese people in the service of the political power. This therefore presents the ways in which these yangbanxi underwent their construction alongside a summary of their main characteristics (libretto, characters, music, wardrobe, acrobatics and gestures). Some of these model works are furthermore placed under more detailed discussion as is the case with the opera The red lantern or the ballet The girl with the white hair. The present article results from a year of research enable by a study grant from the Fundação Oriente.