Music and performing arts: tradition, reform and political and social relevance

Abstract

Taking a fundamentally chronological approach, the chapter discusses music and the various forms of theatre that have arisen or persisted during the whole of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. It also takes up a few specific themes, such as the role of gender in the performing arts. It balances the forces of Westernization against those of the Chinese tradition, and globalization against indigenization in China's music and performing arts. It sees globalization as more powerful than indigenization, but also does not expect the Chinese tradition to die out. It argues that globalization can even lead to a revival of indigenous traditions, though such traditions will certainly undergo change in the process. If Chinese tradition were to revive, it would be a changed tradition, not a static one.