Andrew Killick
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824832902
- eISBN:
- 9780824870065
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824832902.003.0005
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Asian Studies
This chapter focuses on the National Changgeuk Company of Korea (NCCK) and its repeated efforts since the 1960s to establish ch'angguk as a “Korean traditional opera” for domestic and international ...
More
This chapter focuses on the National Changgeuk Company of Korea (NCCK) and its repeated efforts since the 1960s to establish ch'angguk as a “Korean traditional opera” for domestic and international consumption. It argues that the NCCK's pursuit of traditionality through faithfulness to either the letter or the spirit of p'ansori has turned out to be insufficient in itself to accomplish its goal of establishing ch'angguk as Korean traditional opera. Since realizing this, ch'anggugin (a general term for performers and others involved in ch'angguk) have appeared uncertain where else to look. Advances have been made in theatrical technique, and traditionality has been claimed through discourses both in and around ch'angguk, but in terms of performance conventions, ch'angguk has yet to achieve a stable form. It may be invested with a commitment to its continuation, but it is by no means protected from change.Less
This chapter focuses on the National Changgeuk Company of Korea (NCCK) and its repeated efforts since the 1960s to establish ch'angguk as a “Korean traditional opera” for domestic and international consumption. It argues that the NCCK's pursuit of traditionality through faithfulness to either the letter or the spirit of p'ansori has turned out to be insufficient in itself to accomplish its goal of establishing ch'angguk as Korean traditional opera. Since realizing this, ch'anggugin (a general term for performers and others involved in ch'angguk) have appeared uncertain where else to look. Advances have been made in theatrical technique, and traditionality has been claimed through discourses both in and around ch'angguk, but in terms of performance conventions, ch'angguk has yet to achieve a stable form. It may be invested with a commitment to its continuation, but it is by no means protected from change.
Andrew Killick
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824832902
- eISBN:
- 9780824870065
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824832902.001.0001
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Asian Studies
This is the first book on Korean opera in a language other than Korean. Its subject is ch'angguk, a form of musical theater that has developed over the last hundred years from the older narrative ...
More
This is the first book on Korean opera in a language other than Korean. Its subject is ch'angguk, a form of musical theater that has developed over the last hundred years from the older narrative singing tradition ofp'ansori. The book examines the history and current practice of ch'angguk as an ongoing attempt to invent a traditional Korean opera form to compare with those of neighboring China and Japan. The book addresses a growing interest within the fields of ethnomusicology and Asian studies in the adaptation of traditional arts to conditions in the modern world. Ch'angguk presents an intriguing case in that it remains in a marginal position relative to recognized traditional art forms such as South Korea's “Important Intangible Cultural Properties” after more than a century. Performers, writers, directors, and historians have looked for ways to make the genre more traditional, including looking outside Korea for comparisons with traditional theater forms in other countries and for recognition of ch'angguk as a national art form by international audiences. The book begins with a detailed description of a typical performance, illustrated with photographs and musical examples, followed by a history of the genre—from its still disputed origins in the early twentieth century through a major revival under Japanese colonial rule and the flourishing of an all-female version (yosongkukkuk) after Liberation to the efforts of the National Changgeuk Company and others to establish ch'angguk as Korean traditional opera. The book concludes with analyses of the stories and music of ch'angguk and a personal view on developing a Korean national theater form for international audiences.Less
This is the first book on Korean opera in a language other than Korean. Its subject is ch'angguk, a form of musical theater that has developed over the last hundred years from the older narrative singing tradition ofp'ansori. The book examines the history and current practice of ch'angguk as an ongoing attempt to invent a traditional Korean opera form to compare with those of neighboring China and Japan. The book addresses a growing interest within the fields of ethnomusicology and Asian studies in the adaptation of traditional arts to conditions in the modern world. Ch'angguk presents an intriguing case in that it remains in a marginal position relative to recognized traditional art forms such as South Korea's “Important Intangible Cultural Properties” after more than a century. Performers, writers, directors, and historians have looked for ways to make the genre more traditional, including looking outside Korea for comparisons with traditional theater forms in other countries and for recognition of ch'angguk as a national art form by international audiences. The book begins with a detailed description of a typical performance, illustrated with photographs and musical examples, followed by a history of the genre—from its still disputed origins in the early twentieth century through a major revival under Japanese colonial rule and the flourishing of an all-female version (yosongkukkuk) after Liberation to the efforts of the National Changgeuk Company and others to establish ch'angguk as Korean traditional opera. The book concludes with analyses of the stories and music of ch'angguk and a personal view on developing a Korean national theater form for international audiences.
