Lv Opera, one of the foremost local operas in Shandong in particular Jinan, is deeply loved by the great masses because of its simple and vivid language, melodious aria as well as its rich and colorful music. There are several versions about the origin of the appellation of “Lv Opera”. The first play “The Jarvey Wangxiao” was performed with the actor’s make-up, taking a dulcimer and a papered donkey as the tools, so it was called “donkey-opera acting”, or was directly called “donkey opera”. The character “Lv” (donkey) is out of elegance and “Lv” has the partial tone with “Lv”, so the play is gradually called “Lv Opera”. Though there were two many versions about its origin, before liberation, the appellation hadn’t finally been decided. Generally, actors call the opera performed by them as “make-up dulcimer”, while most of the masses call it as “make-up dulcimer” or “dulcimer opera”.
In 1952, after a series of reformation to the make-up dulcimer, “Shandong Lv Opera Troupe” was officially established on basis of the original “Shandong Provincial Opera Troupe”, and “Jinan Municipal Troupe of Shandong Tune Instruments” was also officially named as“Jinan Lv Opera Troupe”. From then on, the appellation of the Lv Opera was officially decided.The establishment of the People’s Republic of China greatly improved living conditions of people who lived in the source region of the Lv Opera. And great attention of the Party and government was attached to the Lv Opera, a true art of stage performance, which was loved by the masses.
The music of Lv Opera gradually develops from folk music on basis of Shandong Musical Story-telling. Its prominent feature is that it is not only “traditional opera” but also “folk opera”. It takes Banqiangti as its main performance accompanied with labeled melody. The melody is simple and plain, exquisite and pleasant, flexible and smooth, and easy to learn and sing. It has three main types “Si Ping” (basic tune of Lv Opera, which is composed of four phrases), “Er Ban” (basic tune of Lv Opera, the libretto of which have seven words) “Wa Wa”(labeled melody usually used in Lu Opera, which is mainly suitable for narrating a story or for dialogues to foil atmosphere). The accompaniment instruments of Lu Opera include string and wind instruments and percussion instruments. The former one takes pendant and dulcimer as its main instruments then Erhu, Sanxian, Pipa, flute and sunray etc., which can be increased or reduced according to the story of opera. And some western orchestras were added after the establishment of new China. The form of “parroting” is mainly adopted in accompaniment. The later one mainly includes leather drum, plate, large gong, small gong, big cymbal, cow leather drum and beating drum etc.. Most of the general tunes of gong and drum are learned from Beijing Opera.
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