Monday, 4 December 2017

Holmes Air Purifiers: Reviewed

Holmes Air Purifiers:  Reviewed

When it comes to buying an air purifier, or any product for that matter, many individuals make the decision to stick to a name or a brand that they know. Although this can work out in some cases, it doesn’t in all. In fact, it may be difficult to do with air purifiers. This is because so many air purifiers have been developed that it is often hard to keep track or familiarize yourself with all of them. This doesn’t mean that an air purifier made by a company that you have never heard of before isn’t good; it just means that you are unfamiliar with it.

When it comes to air purifiers that you may be unfamiliar with, one brand is Holmes.  Although Holmes air purifiers come highly rated, it is a name that most individuals are relatively unaware of. If you are aware of the Holmes product line, which not only includes air purifiers, but fans, heaters, and humidifiers, you are advised to familiarize yourself with these lines of products, before making your next purchase. This will give you the opportunity to possibly find an amazing, yet affordable air purifier, which you may have previously been unaware of. 

Holmes has two main types of air purifiers. These air purifier types are known as Harmony air purifiers, as well as HEPA air purifiers. In addition to these two specific product types, you will find that there are number of different models available for sale.  Despite the difference in models, you will find that many of these Holmes air purifiers offer the same level of protection.

With the Holmes Harmony air purifiers, you will find that you have a number of different models, as mentioned above.  Some of these models come in a shape, such as a tower fan, while others are smaller in size, and others are even a little bit large in size. The smaller, compact air purifiers, including the tower fans, tend to sell for around fifty dollars.  These affordable air purifiers are ideal for smaller sized rooms. If you are looking for an air purifier that is designed to clean the air inside a larger room, you will want to examine another Harmony model.

There are a couple of Holmes Harmony air purifiers that are designed specifically for larger rooms.  If you are looking to clean the air in a large room or multiple rooms, you may want to learn more about these types of air purifiers. As you might already assume, the Holmes Harmony air filters, which are designed for larger rooms, tend to cost more money. With air purifiers, this is quite common.  On average, the Holmes Harmony air purifiers, for larger rooms, tend to sell for around two hundred dollars.

Aside from the Holmes Harmony models, you should also be able to find air purifiers from Holmes that use HEPA air filters and HEPA technology.  Like all other air purifiers, you will find that these purifiers come in a number of different shapes, sizes, and styles.  The Holmes HEPA air purifiers tend to retail for around one hundred dollars, depending the size and style of the air purifier.

With the Holmes Harmony air purifiers, as well as the HEPA air purifiers, you need to know that replacement filters are needed.  The cost of these replacement filters will vary, depending on the type of air purifier you own. As well as the cost of the filters, the number of times that you need to replace the filters will all depend on which type of air purifier you purchase. For additional information on replacement filters, you are advised to select a specific Holmes air purifier and then further research that purifier. 

If you are interested in learning more about the air purifier products available for sale by Holmes, you are advised to examine their online company website. That online website can be found at www.holmesproducts.com.

Hamilton Beach TrueAir: Air Purifiers Reviewed

Hamilton Beach TrueAir:  Air Purifiers Reviewed

Are you interested in purchasing an air purifier for your home or your business?  If so, you are not alone. Over the past few years, air purifiers have rapidly increased in popularity. It seems as if each day, someone makes the decision to buy an air purifier. If you are interested in purchasing an air purifier, have you decided on a product yet?  If not, you are urged to examine the Hamilton Beach TrueAir products.

When it comes to examining Hamilton Beach TrueAir products, you may notice something with the names. TrueAir products are associated with Hamilton Beach.  Online, you will find that some of these products are referred to as Hamilton Beach products, while other are only referred to as TrueAir products. Just for your knowledge, these two are the same thing.  Knowing this important piece of information may make it a little bit easier for you to shop for and research a Hamilton Beach TrueAir product online.

Now that you know how to go about finding an air purifier made by Hamilton Beach, TrueAir, you can begin to examine the products that are available for sale. According the Hamilton Beach online website, which can be found at www.hamiltonbeach.com, there are four different air purifiers that the company has available for sale, at least at the current moment.  These air purifiers include an Ionic Air Purifier, a High-Efficiency Air Purifier, a Compact Air Purifier, as well as an Ultra UV Air Purifier.

With the Hamilton Beach TrueAir Ionic Air Purifier, you do not have to purchase any replacement filters. Instead of purchasing replacement filter, you just need to regularly vacuum the one that you have.  The Hamilton Beach TrueAir Ionic Air Purifier also keeps the air inside a fairly large space clean. It is noted that this air purifier can effectively clean the air in rooms up to 180 square feet. Perhaps, the greatest thing about the Hamilton Beach TrueAir Ionic Air Purifier is that it looks like a modern product. If you are concerned with the appearance of your home, this air purifier may be perfect for you.  This air purifier is available for as low as $140. 

The Hamilton Beach TrueAir High Efficiency Air Purifier is also a popular air purifier.  The only difference is the fact that the air filter needs to be replaced. However, that filter is a HEPA filter. In the air purifier industry, HEPA filters are considered the best performing filters; therefore, you should be able to rest assure knowing that the Hamilton Beach TrueAir High Efficiency Air Purifier is one of the best on the market.  This air purifier sells for around $110 and the replacement filters can be purchased for around $60.

The Hamilton Beach TrueAir Compact Air Purifier is a well performing air purifier that can fit into just about any space. In addition to fitting into just about any space, the small design of these air purifiers makes it easier to move from room to room; therefore, no matter which room you will be in, you should be able to bring your Hamilton Beach TrueAir Compact Air Purifier with you.  Despite the fact that this air purifier is small in size, it covers a lot of ground.  It has been noted, by Hamilton Beach, that this air purifier can clean the air in rooms up to 250 square feet. If you haven’t already noted, that space is a lot larger than the space cleaned by the above mentioned air purifiers.  It is also important to note that this air purifier uses HEPA technology.  It retails for around $70, but replacement filters must also be purchased.

The Hamilton Beach TrueAir Ultra UV Air Purifiers come in a number of different makes and models.  Both these models use HEPA filters, which as mentioned above, come highly rated and recommended.  They are also affordable and easy to clean.  One of the models is able to work in rooms with up to 350 square feet of space, while the other model works in rooms with up to 200 square feet of space. These highly recommended air purifiers retail for around $140 dollars and the replacement filters can be purchased for as low as $14, which is often the price for a pack of filters.

As previously mentioned, the online website for Hamilton Beach can be found at www.hamiltonbeach.com. If you would like more information, you are advised to examine the online website; it is full of valuable information.

Elderly: The Benefits of Owning an Air Purifier

Elderly:  The Benefits of Owning an Air Purifier

Are you considered a senior citizen?  If not, do you know someone who is? Whether you are increasing in age or you are close to someone who is, you may be a little bit worried about health.  It is no secret that most people’s health begins to deteriorate as they age.  Despite being a normal occurrence, there are many individuals who take a number of steps to try and remain as healthy as they can.

When it comes to staying healthy, there are a number of different steps that are taken.  Of course, the elderly, like all other individuals, can benefit from healthy foods, as well as a regular amount of exercise. In addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, elderly individuals could also benefit from the use of an air purifier.

Air purifiers are electronic machines that are used to eliminate, and sometimes even destroy, harmful air particles and bacteria. Essentially, air purifiers make indoor air cleaner and healthier to breathe. This is good for just about anyone, but it is especially good for those who are considered senior citizens. As previously mentioned, senior citizens are more likely to develop health complications, such as the common cold.  An air purifier can help to reduce the chances of that happening.

If you are a senior citizen and you are looking to purchase an air purifier for yourself, you may want to think about speaking to your healthcare provider. While most healthcare providers are not experts on air purifiers, they should be able to let you know what you want or need to get out of an air purifier. For instance, they may recommend that you purchase an air purifier that not only traps, but also destroys harmful bacteria.  This information, as well as any other information that your healthcare provider may give you, will come in handy when choosing the right air purifier, especially one that best fits your needs.

If you are not a senior citizen, but you are interested in purchasing an air purifier for a senior citizen that you know or are related to, you may want to do a little bit of research, before making that purchase.  When doing a little bit of research, it is important to keep a couple of important points in mind. These points should include the size of the room in which the air purifier would be used, the overall cost of the air purifier, including filters, and the overall quality of the air purifier that you are interested in purchasing. As mentioned above, it may be a good idea for you to seek help or tips from a professional healthcare provider.

When it comes to purchasing an air purifier, if you are a senior citizen, you may want to think about shopping at a retail store that offers discounts for senor citizens.  These discounts are not available at all retail locations, but a wide number of stores still offer them. These stores may include home improvement stores or pharmacies. Even if you must pay full price for an air purifier, you will still want to think about purchasing one.  Despite having to pay full price, you will likely find that the purchase is worth it, in more ways than one.

As previously mentioned, if you are concerned with the health of yourself or someone that you know, especially someone who is considered a senior citizen, you may want to get an air purifier. Whether you make that purchase yourself, ask for it as a gift, or give it as a gift, you and anyone else that enters the residence will likely be pleased with the purchase.  

Do You Need An Air Purifier?

Do You Need An Air Purifier?

It is estimated that each year millions of Americans think about purchasing an air purifier for their home or their business. Are you one of those individuals?  If so, have you purchased an air purifier yet?  Unfortunately, a large number of individuals think about purchasing an air purifier, but not everyone ends up making that purchase. One of the reasons for that is because many individuals wonder whether or not they really need one.

When it comes to owning an air purifier, anyone can own one.  You do not necessarily have to meet certain criteria to be able to benefit from the use of an air purifier. Honestly, you could just be someone who is looking to breathe clean air.  If that is the case, you could definitely benefit from the purchase of an air purifier.  Despite the fact that some individuals have no set reason for wanting or needing an air purifier, there are others who do.  If you find yourself one of these individuals, as described below, you may want to seriously think about purchasing an air purifier for your home or your business.

Air purifiers work to clean the air. They do this by preventing harmful particles from passing through their collection grids or filters.  These particles may even include dust particles.  For that reason, if you have allergies associated with dust, you may very well find that an air purifier works to remove or completely eliminate your allergy symptoms.  In turn, this may make your days and nights more pleasant and enjoyable.

In addition to reducing allergies associated with dust, air purifiers can also help those with allergies that are related pets.  You will find that multiple air purifiers not only trap pet hair, but they also trap the air particles created by pet droppings.  These dangerous particles are not only harmful to those who have allergies, but to everyone else who is in the home. In addition to eliminating particles created by pets in the home, you could also use an air purifier if you have a business that is centered on pets. These types of businesses include pet grooming shops and vet offices.

You may also want to think about purchasing an air purifier, especially if you have young children at home.  Children tend to be more susceptible to illness. With cleaner air, your child’s health may improve by a ton.  In addition to being used in traditional homes, you may also want to purchase an air purifier if you run or operate a daycare center.  An air purifier may not only improve your health, but the health of all of your children.  Essentially, this will make for happier and healthier children, which is extremely important when running a daycare business.

An air purifier may also be ideal for those who are smokers. Even if you are not a smoker, there may be someone inside your home who is.  If this is the case, you will want to seriously consider purchasing an air purifier.  Most air purifiers, especially those designed specifically for smoking households, may help to reduce secondhand smoke.  Secondhand smoke is bad for everyone, but it is especially bad for children.  Of course, you will want to try and not smoke around your children, but if you do, you will want to purchase an air purifier, if not for your own benefit then for the sake of your children.

As mentioned above, those operating a business centered on pets or kids could benefit from the use of an air purifier; however, they are not the only types of businesses who could benefit. If you are business owner, whether you run a small retail store or an office, you may want to think about getting an air purifier.  As mentioned above, air purifiers help to keep the air clean. In reality, this means that your employees will be healthier. In addition to better performance, you may also find that an air purifier helps to reduce the illnesses being spread throughout your building.  In turn, this may not only result in better performing employees, but employees who end up requesting less sick time. 

If the above mentioned examples describe you, in any way, you are advised to purchase an air purifier.  Whether that air purifier is for your home or your business, you will reap an unlimited number of benefits to owning and using one.

ClearFlite Air Purifiers: Reviewed

ClearFlite Air Purifiers:  Reviewed

When you think of air purifiers, what comes to mind?  If you are like most individuals you would automatically think of Sharper Image or Oreck.  Shaper Image and Oreck are well-known companies, which is why there is a good chance that you have heard of them before. However, when it comes to air purifiers, you are advised to shop around. This includes examining companies that you may not have heard of before. There is a chance that one of those companies is ClearFlite. 

ClearFlite, although it might not be a well-known company, is the seller and distributor of a number of different air purifiers.  What is nice about the air purifiers they have for sale is that they are not just traditional air purifiers. ClearFlite offers a number of air purifiers that are designed for individuals with special needs. These needs may include those who live inside a household with a smoker or those who live in home with pets.  Essentially, this means that their air purifiers tend to have a focus on treating the dangerous air particles associated with smoking and pets, as well as a number of other common household problems. 

As previously mentioned, ClearFlite is a distributor of air purifiers. Essentially this means that they sell air purifiers, which are made by other companies. When examining ClearFlite, they do not offer all different types of air purifiers; they only offer a limited number of them.  This is because ClearFlite is not just interested in making money, but they are also interested in offering you quality products. That is why most of the air purifiers available for sale with ClearFlite are not only considered top of the line, but they also come highly rated by many customers. 

The air purifiers, currently available for sale by ClearFlite include Blueair Air Purifiers, IQAir Air Purifiers, Allerair Air Purifiers, Austin Air Purifiers, Air-O-Swiss Air Purifers, and Friedrich Air Purifiers.  As previously mentioned, all of these air purifiers come highly rated and recommend.  The cost of these air purifiers will all depend on which make and model you are interested in purchasing. With ClearFlite, you will find that air purifiers begin selling at around $100 and go all the way up to $700. Also, depending on the type of air purifier you purchase, you may also be able to purchase an air purifier which uses HEPA technology or an air purifier that does not need replacement filters. 

Although there is a good chance that you would be interested in purchasing an air purifier for yourself, there is also a chance that you would be interested in purchasing one for someone else.  If this is the case, you may find it difficult or even impossible to make a selection. That is why ClearFlite has gift certificates that are available for sale. These gift certificates are available for one hundred dollars and up. A gift certificate will ensure that your friend, co-worker, neighbor, or family member gets to choose the air purifier that will best fit their needs.

If you are interested in learning more about the air purifiers, which are available for sale through ClearFlite, or if you would like to purchase a ClearFlite gift certificate, you are advised to check out their online website. That online website can be found by visiting www.airpurifiers.com. In addition to familiarizing yourself with the air purifiers that are available for sale, you will also find a number of valuable resource guides. These resources guides may be able to assist you with choosing the air purifier that best fits your needs and the needs of your household.

Air Purifiers: The Benefits of Reading Consumer Reports or Customer Feedback

Air Purifiers:  The Benefits of Reading Consumer Reports or Customer Feedback

Are you looking to purchase a new air purifier for your home? If so, have you purchased one before?  If you have never purchased an air purifier before, you may not know exactly what you should be looking for or which type of air purifier is considered the best.  If this is the case, you are advised to do a little bit of research, before making your final purchase.  This research should involve consumer reports or customer feedback.

We have all heard of consumer reports before.  In fact, these reports are regularly featured on the news, on the radio, and on television. Consumer reports are often generated by a group of trained individuals or traditional consumers, either one or the other. These individuals will test and review a particular product. Many times these products include cars computer equipment, and televisions. But, did you know there are also consumer reports done on air purifiers. If you are able to find these reports, which you should easily be able to do online, you should be able to obtain valuable information on some of the most popular and well-known air purifiers on the market.

In addition to using consumer reports, you can also obtain customer feedback online. Customer feedback is feedback that is left by a customer who recently purchased or used the particular product in question. Many of these reviews or product ratings are done for a number of different popular and well-known air purifier makes and models.  If you are able to find these reviews, you could very well stay up-to-date on the latest products to hit the market. A customer feedback will likely not only include the price of an air purifier, but also the quality of its performance.

As previously mentioned, it is easiest to read consumer reports or view customer feedback online.  When searching for consumer reports, you will likely want to perform a standard internet search. You may want to search using the words consumer reports, air purifiers.  Combining the words air purifiers and consumer reports, will likely provide you with more accurate results.  Consumer reports, as stated above, are performed on a wide variety of different products. Tailoring your search specifically to air purifiers is the best way to do the research, without wasting your time.

If you are looking for customer feedback, from previously air purifier buyers, you will also want to use the internet.  If you know the name of a particular air purifier, you may want to perform a standard internet search with that name.  Your results should include product information, as well as customer feedback or customer ratings.  In addition to a standard internet search, you may also want to visit the website of an online retailer, particularly one that sells air purifiers.  Many online retail stores allow their customers to review the products in which they purchased from their store. 

Although the internet is a great way to learn more about air purifiers, you can also speak to those that you know.  Over the past few years, the use of air purifiers in homes has skyrocketed. This means that there is a good chance that you know someone who has used an air purifier in the past or who still does.  If you do know someone, you are advised to inquire about the product they have or had.  Those that you know are more likely to provide you with honest answers, when compared to strangers over the internet.

As you should be able to see, there are a number of different ways that you can go about searching for customer feedback or consumer reports, for air purifiers.  The benefits to doing so are unlimited. Not only can you be altered to well performing air purifiers, but you can also familiarize yourself with air purifiers that you are advised to stay away from. This valuable piece of information may help you have hundred of dollars, if not thousands, overtime.

Air Purifiers: Are They Worth the Buy?

Air Purifiers:  Are They Worth the Buy?

Do you own an air purifier, if not, there is a good chance that you would be interested in owning one in the future, if you aren’t already interested. That is because air purifiers are rapidly increasing in popularity.  Why you may ask?  Air purifiers are rapidly increasing in popularity because they make indoor air healthier and cleaner.  This means that by owning an air purifier, your home or your office space could become a pleasant place to be, instead of an unhealthy or an unpleasant place.

When it comes to air purifiers, despite the fact that they are popular, there are still many individuals who wonder whether or not they should get one. This is because many individuals wonder whether or not air purifiers are actually worth the buy.  Are you one of those individuals?  If so, you may be in for the surprise of your life.  That is because, in most cases, air purifiers are not only a good buy, but they could also be considered quite a deal.

Quite a deal, you wonder?  When it comes to air purifiers, there are many individuals who feel that they are expensive to purchase.  While air purifiers can be expensive to purchase, you need to remember one thing.  They result in clean air, which is easier to breathe.  Can you put a price tag on that?  That is why, when you think about, air purifiers are a great deal; thus making them definitely worth the buy.  However, as great as air purifiers are, you need to remember that they are not all the same.  That is why it is important that you know what you are buying. 

When buying an air purifier, you need to examine the overall cost of an air purifier.  The overall cost of owning an air purifier isn’t just the price that you pay at the store; it is the price overtime. With many air purifiers, you are required to change the filter every few months.  This ups the cost of an air purifier. For that reason, you are advised to examine the cost of a replacement filter, before making your purchase.  If you are concerned with the cost of a replacement filter, you will want to examine air purifiers that do not use filters, just collection grids. These types of air purifiers may cost more money, upfront, but they could end up saving you money, in the long run.

It is also important to examine what you will be using your air purifier for. A large number of individuals use air purifiers if they have pets or if they have a smoker inside the house. Unfortunately, not all air purifiers are designed to remove these types of particles from the air. Therefore, if you plan on using an air purifier for smoke or for pets, you are advised to thoroughly read the descriptions of each air purifier that you are interested in buying.  Buying the wrong type of air purifier can turn an otherwise good purchase into one that is definitely not worth the buy.

By keeping the above mentioned points in mind, you should be able to find and purchase the air purifier that best fits your needs and the needs of your household. This is, in turn, will make your next air purifier purchase definitely worth the buy.

Air Purifiers: A Buying Guide

Air Purifiers:  A Buying Guide

Are you in the market for an air purifier?  Air purifiers are electric machines that are used to eliminate harmful particles or contaminants from the air.  If used inside your home, air purifiers will help to make the air that you and your family breathes cleaner. For that reason, there is a good chance that you would be in the market for a new air purifier, if not now then in the future. 

When it comes to buying air purifiers, there are many consumers who think they know what to look for.  Many of those consumers end up purchasing the lowest costing machine or the one that looks the best.  Of course, you will not want to pay more than you have to and a good looking machine would be nice, but you are advised against basing your decisions solely on that. Instead, you will want to take the time to understand the product you are interested, namely the price of the purifier, as a whole, and the performance quality.

Perhaps, the first step in buying a purifier is to familiarize yourself with all of your available options.  You can do this two different ways.  The first way involves visiting one of your local retail stores.  You will want to thoroughly examine each product that they have available. This should be done by reading the information which can be found on air purifier boxes. In addition to comparing prices and products at the store, you can also use the internet.  In fact, the internet may be the easiest way. Online, you can not only familiarize yourself with different air cleaning machines, but you can also read product reviews.

If you have the opportunity, you are advised to read online reviews of multiple air purifiers. These reviews should give you inside information on the operation and maintenance of multiple air purifiers.  Although product reviews are nice, you are also advised to do your own research, as well as use your common sense.  This is important, especially when determining the final cost of purchasing an air purifier.

With air purifiers, you will find a number of different make and models.  Some of these makes and models use filers.  With certain types of filters, many just need to be cleaned, but others need to be replaced. If you need to replace the filter in an air purifier, you need to determine when that filter needs to be changed and exactly how much it will cost.  This is extremely important, especially if you are shopping on a budget.  In some cases, you will find that some air purifiers need to have their filters replaced in as little as a couple of months. You may also find that the filter ends up costing more than you originally paid for the air purifier. You are urged to stay away from these types of cleaning machines; many times they are not just considered air cleaners, but financial traps.

When looking for an air purifier, you are advised to look for air purifiers with HEPA filters. HEPA filters, although they are considered expensive, are often the most well performing.  This is because HEPA air filters must meet specific regulations. These regulations, which are imposed by the Department of Energy, are the reason why air purifiers with HEPA filters are considered the most successful at eliminating unwanted or harmful air particles. 

Once you have researched and examined a number of different air purifiers and you have made a final decision, you will find that you have a number of different purchase options.  Air purifiers are sold all across the United States. A large number of retail stores carry these purifiers, including home improvement stores, home stores, and most traditional department stores. In addition to storefront retail locations, air purifiers can also be purchased online from a number of different retailers.  For the largest selection of air purifiers, as well the ability to quickly compare prices, you may want to think about shopping online. 

Honestly, where you shop doesn’t matter as much as which type of air purifier you are purchasing.  If you are looking for an affordable, but well performing air purifier, you should be prepared to spend a little bit of time researching all of your available options.  While this research may seem time consuming, it will almost always be worth it in the long run.

Friday, 24 November 2017

Theater Arts – History of Opera

Theater Arts – History of Opera

In the 1600s Opera started to flourish in Italy. French opera was popular for adding the element of dancing to opera other than the already existing elements such as singing and music. In Italian, opera means works and in Latin it means the plural of labor. This means that there can be duet, trio, and group singing. It also utilizes various aspects of the spoken theater, like costume and backdrop.

Greek were the first known theater artists especially people from Athens. Their theater plays included all the elements like acting, dialogues, singing, scene, dancing, chorus and music. This art was cultivated by different civilizations having few or all the elements. One of them was the opera. The western classical theater arts which involves conveyance through singing and dancing and not through dialogues, is known as Opera. Composition by Jacopo Peri, Dafne, was written in 1597 and was the first known composition specifically meant for opera although it was inspired by Greek theater arts, but it no longer exists. Euridice composition by Peri written in 1600s was the first recorded composition which is available till this date.

The performances are most of the times accompanied by chorus and instrumental music. Libretto is the word in opera and there have been great composers who have written famous libretti like Richard Wagner. Handel was the famous German composer who wrote for theaters in England. Mozart and Lorenzo da Ponte are famous for the great musical works which were played during the opera performances.

There are two types of singing in opera. The first is recitative in which the story is being narrated in a non-melodies style and the second is aria, where the performers were more melodious. Chorus is used as a commentator and sometimes as a narrator. Subcategories of recitative are secco or dry recitative and Accompagnato or Stromentato in which orchestra accompanies the performance.  Opera can be further classified as singspiel, operetta, semi-opera and opera comique. In these types of opera, dialogues are used on the contrary, instead of recitative. Arioso too is replaced by semi-melodic passages.

Opera started with court performances and then shifted to royal theaters. In 1637 this performance was open to public when the idea of opera festival in Venice was brought up by Monteverdi. It was then known as Baroque opera which had a mixture of both the tragic and comic elements along with some education. This started a reform which was promoted by Venice’s Arcadian Academy. Metastasio was a part of this academy and his libertti became famous till the end of the eighteenth century in Italian opera. And this mixed with baroque opera was known as opera buffa.

The characteristic of Opera Seria is that it had a high tone along with secco kind of recitative. It was greatly liked due to it highly stylized form and the singers at that time were very popular and Opera Seria was in great demand all over Europe except France. The hero had the castrato voice such as Farinelli and Senesino and the heroines had the soprano’s voice such as Faustina Bordoni. Alessandro Scarlatti, Porpora and Vivaldi were some of the great Opera Seria composers. 

But Opera Seria had few loopholes. It concentrated more on drama and left music, singing and ballet behind.  It was Francesco Algarotti who brought all this elements back with his composition Essay on the Opera. He was then followed by other great composers such as Niccolo Jommelli, Tommaso Traetta and the most successful, Gluck. He used rich orchestra and vocal lines and brought a reform in Opera Seria.

Theater Art - Kabuki

Kabuki is a traditional Japanese theater art. The word Kabuki is derived from the Japanese word kabuki which means avant-garde or bizarre theater. Kabukimono were youngsters who were rebellious and used to dress strangely. Because the kanji characters sing and dance, kabuki also means the art of singing and dancing.   

This work has been tampered with over a period of time. The kabuki which we witness now isn’t the same what it used to be before. The founder of this art was Okuni, who was a young lady who served a Shinto shrine named Lzumo Taisha. She gained attention by adapting a completely new dance form at the theaters at the dry river beds of Kyoto in the year 1603. Basically it started with only female artist who even did the role of men. The stories were based on the common people with a comedic twist. After the initial success Okuni was invited to show her performance at the royal court. Out of envy other troupes began adopting the same style of dancing and kabuki became a common style. The women involved in kabuki began entering prostitution so they were banned from performing further and men took over their place. The attention shifted from dance to performance. But the performance by the men also became salacious and they too started prostitution as a side profession and worked for both men and women customers. This affected the audiences which attended these performance they became ill-mannered and a fight used to break out over a young and handsome actor. This led to the imposing of ban on young male actors too.

Kabuki then became a field of art for matured men. These men put in more effort to bring up the reputation of kabuki. The men who performed the role of women were known as Oyama or Onnagata. Basically there were two types of role named Aragoto or rough style and Wagoto or Sakata tojuro. Yaro kabuki or men’s kabuki was the stylized version and Kyogen comic theater was a very influential factor as it was very popular then. 

The kabuki artists wore detailed makeup. Aragoto character or the reckless warrior character has a pompous role with bright clothing and loud makeup. The style too is loud and exaggerated and involves more action.  On the contrary Wagoto is a more cultured role with decent dialogue delivery and gestures. 

The Genroku period showed more interest in Kabuki arts. It had started to be performed in formal theaters. Chikamatsu Monzaemon was the first known playwright of kabuki and later on produced many other renowned works. His works revolved around tragic-romances where the lovers used to suicide in the end. Many followed this theme which forced the authorities to put a ban on such kinds of plays known as Shinju Mono. After few years of success kabuki was taken over by Bunraku or Puppetry. This was due to the increase in the number of Bunraku playwrights. 

But after the defeat of Tokugawa Shogunate Empire in 1868 kabuki arts returned to it full form. Initially a kabuki performance was made in front of the king Meiji. It caught his interest at the first instance. Many kabuki theaters were brought up during that era.

During the World War II many theaters were lost during the bombing and a ban was levied on kabuki. But in 1947, the kabuki performances started again with the lift of the ban and once again began to flourish across the country.

German Theater Arts

German Theater Arts


With unique and diverse style German theater arts are comprises of a different blend of drama and music. At first Germany lacked behind while England and Spain were evolving in their own theater styles. The Germans were always involved in war and religious riots which distracted their attention from the field of arts. There was also a lack of proper capital which could become the epicenter of such progress. The old stories had a very medieval look and weren’t polished enough. But once the interest was developed it became more of a cultural interest which later resulted in an academic interest with various universities providing courses in the various field of arts. The theater was one place in Germany where people were free to express and exchange their ideologies.

In 1767 the first German national theater was established and in the year 1890 Deutsches Buhner-Jahrbuch made its first appearance. Presently, the “Three Category House” is the theater structure responsible to encourage performing arts like opera, music, drama and dance. Every season, five thousand and three hundred productions are performed by this board and on a yearly basis, a total of hundred and twenty thousand. New productions are being created as well as age old musical dramas of Shakespeare like “Romeo and Juliet”,” Midsummer Night’s Dream” is also enacted. The storyline of most of the performances are socio-economic, political and reflects the ups and downs of the society. Directors like Max Reinhard, Erwin Piscator and Berthold Brecht have evolved on these subjects and have created a theoretical analysis called “epic theater”.

The seventeenth and the eighteen centuries were the struggling period of German opera. Opera took its full form later on with composers such as Handel and Gluck. Ferruccio Busoni was a renowned composer although originally he was an Italian. In 1678 the Theater an Gansemarkt was brought up in Hamburg specially meant for opera performances. It was inaugurated with the performance of Johann Theile’s Der erschaffene, Gefallene und Aufgerichtete Mensch which had the storyline of Adam and Eve. It was then followed by operas with religious themes. This was encouraged by the Pietist church to maintain the reputation of the theater as moral regulator. Later it was taken over by composer Reinhard Keiser who composed nearly hundred operas over broader themes which included history and mythology. He brought along many other traditions into the original opera which was the beginning of many more changes. 

The country’s fifteen states are controlled by one organization Lander with respect to theater arts by supporting them financially and politically. Every year they spend US $2 billion on opera houses, theaters and orchestra. Every year festivals too are being held to celebrate the spirit of arts. Altogether sixty festivals are the venue for rewarding renowned actors, actresses, writers, plays and encouraging new talent.

But the modern theater of Germany began experimenting with the traditional performances. As times changed so did the society. The writers of today are forcing the audience to come out of the old set mode of linear flow, replacing it with patchworks. The use of contrastive language, impersonalized figuration and destructive illustration has made the audience and critics question about the legitimacy of the post-modern theater and rather refer to the present situation as an artistic crisis. Few directors like Frank Castorf, Thomas Ostermeier, and Falk Richter can be relied upon for good work.

Greek Theater Arts


The Greeks had denizens excelling in all kinds of trade and they had a habit of excelling in their respective fields irrespective of whatever constraints are presented to them. Although the Greeks were known to be great warriors and athletes they were also good in artistic fields such as theater, pottery and philosophy. Athens was the scholastic epicenter of ancient Greece and was named after the goddess of wisdom, Athena.  Theaters of Greece flourished during 500-300 BC which has an effect on theater arts till this date.

Theater was symbolized by two masks which represented the masks worn during comedy and tragedy. They also depicted the dual nature of life. The tragic mask had a painful and mourning expression and the comedy mask had a joyful and smiling expression.

Festivals were held to honor the theater arts. Every year at the Theater of Dionysia named after the Greek god of wine and fertility Dionysus, festival was held for ten days to please the gods. Writers and poets from all over Greek gather to perform. The schedule consisted of plays based on tragedies or comedies which were followed by a short farce. It was from the poetry of Aristotle. He wrote songs, known as dithyrambs, to praise god Dionysus out of which tragic stories began evolved.

In 500 BC, another theater art was discovered by Thespis. It involved a single actor playing various roles by wearing different masks to differentiate between the characters. Other than him there were narrators and commentators on stage with whom the actor used to collaborate. This type of theater arts was recognized as tragedy which meant goat skin in Greek. It was either named after the event of sacrificing goat to gods or after the goad skin worn by the performers. Competitions were being conducted in festival at theater of Dionysia. Thespis was the first known actor of ancient Greek.

Aeshylus, in 471 BC, introduced plays having two actors who interacted with each other using dialogue. A third actor was introduced by Sophocles in 468 BC and thus the plots too became complicated. But each actor was to enact different characters wearing mask accordingly. The masks were so large that it covered the entire face of the actor including his hair. The mask was carved with care because that increased audibility of the actor’s voice. These masks were made out of linen or cork, that’s the reason why the archeologist couldn’t find a trace of them. The sculptured statues and paintings depicted actors wearing mask this was how the information was collected. Props weren’t still were restrained from usage because the size of the theater were so large, it diminished the visibility of the spectators seated on higher levels. To make up for this, Pantomime was used by the actors. This also meant that the actors wore bright dresses and loud makeup to attract the attention of the audience. Along with that the actors wore high heeled boots and large gloves to make them more vividly visible. Stories not only revolved around Dionysus but also were based on other Greek mythological characters.

The structure of the theater at that time was known as Theatron. They were open-aired and were constructed on the slopes as the seating arrangement for the spectators was in the form of ascending circles. The theaters were designed such that the voice of the performers could reach the highest seated audience. In the theater at Epidaurus one can hear the sound of a dropped pin from the highest row. The three essential elements of the theater, in Greece, were orchestra or the platform, on which performance was done, the Skene, was a building which acted as the backstage as well as the background of the play and the last element is the audience.

The audience and performers at all theaters were only men as at that time women were considered to be the downtrodden sect.  The actors as well as the chorus could speak dialogue or even sing as required. Detailed costumes and huge mask were worn while enacting the roles and was the trademark of Greek theater.

Classification of Theater Arts based on different Themes

Classification of Theater Arts based on different Themes

Writers, directors and producers play a vital role in the building of the storyline of a play. The script modeled by them encompasses various kinds of arts to be taken into consideration to bring out the true essence of the story. The various factors considered helps to classify the genre of theater into various subcategories like comedy, tragedy, musical, drama, and action.

In a musical theater the story is narrated by signing, which can be accompanied by dialog delivery or dance or both. This type of conveyance of art was adopted especially during the Greek times. Later on background instrumental music was also added to it.

The word comedy originated from the Greek word “Komos” meaning celebration or merrymaking. Comedy plays may not actually go by the literal meaning of comedy that is the whole play can be funny or there can be plays with some adversities to start with but at the end could have a joyous finishing. Comedy too can be further classified as pantomime, comedy of situation, romantic comedy, black comedy and comedy of manners.

The type of theater dedicated entirely to entertain the children is known as pantomime. Usually a musical drama accompanied with dance and comedy is brought during the holiday season exclusively for the kids.

Comedy of situation as the name suggests begins with a messy situation which leads to a problem which they concentrate to resolve on throughout the rest of the play.

Comedy can also be flavored with romance to give a nice feeling to the spectators and to take them into dreams of fascination. The focus is on the love story between the leading actor and actress which is sparked with canny plots, calculated coincidences which ultimately results in them getting together and living happily ever after.

Although morally acceptable, black comedy has ghastly experiences with some comical elements in contrast with it.

Comedy of manners is dependant on a serious note but with a light outlook. Dramatic comedy is made a part of the play which revolves around the social standards and mannerism which is expected to be respected by the actors during the play.

Commedia dell'arte, native to Italy, includes an array of comical events which are created on the spur of the moment.

Melodrama is the typical stereotype dramas where there is a hero and a heroine who suffer at the hands of a villain and in the end they gain triumph over the evil-doer.

Play comprising of bitter events and which result in sorrowful consequences is know as tragedy. The word tragedy has been derived from the Greek word “Tragos” which means goat. It has been derived from this word because the blood of goat is used as a replacement to bring a real feeling to the bloodshed during the play.

A blend of comedy and tragedy is known as tragicomedy which has elements of tragedy and comedy within it.

Theaters targeting real life social issues play a vital role in opening the eyes of the audience and make them aware of the wrongdoings in the society. By doing so it encourages the spectators to address a change in their way of living or on a large scale a change in the whole society. 

Morality play have theme with more spirituality and morality.

Play that focuses on the nick-nacks of the daily life and relationships between common people is known as domestic drama.

The type of theater having implausible situations, high exaggeration, and violence and with some spice of comedy to relieve the audience of the pressure is known as farce.

In the Indian peninsula, the Natya and Nautanki form of theater arts evolved. The Natya is a sacred classical version of musical theater. Folklores are enacted by dancing to Indian classical music known as nritta and facial expressions or mime known as Natya proper.  The other theater art Nautanki, is usually staged in streets. The storyline of these street plays are usually mythological dramas which also include folk songs and dances.

Opera is a more musical experience with emotions being expressed with songs and music.

Rock opera is more like the usual opera only that the music played along with the songs is rock oriented.

Fantasy is that genre where the hero enacts a fictitious story usually a happy one. Sometimes the characters have proxy supernatural powers.

Plays where the story is being explained using body movement, gestures, dance, mime, and puppetry is known as physical theater.

Theater Arts – French Opera


French opera is the traditional opera of France and was spread from Italy. It was Cardinal Mazarin a reagent of King Louis XIV who presented the first opera named “La Finta Pazza” in the year 1645. This inspired King Louis XIV and he was the one behind the flourishing of opera in France. The father of French opera was Jean-Baptiste Lully; he presented “Cadmus et Hermione” in the king’s court. After seeing that performance, the king’s interest increased even more. This encouraged Lully to make “Tragedie En Musique”, also known as tragedies en musique, along with Philippe Quinault. It was the tragic story of Corneille and Racine and it was a dance musical with choral writing. Lully was famous for composing music for plays meant for court as well as many other theaters. Cadmus et Hermione was the first French opera of Lully in Paris. 

This pair was also known for altering the complex and detailed Baroque plot. They made a five-act structure instead. Before the performance praises were sung for King Louis XIV this was inspired from Italy who sung allegorical prologue instead. It then started with an aria which was followed by recitative and a short aria which was elaborately modeled keeping the French taste in mind and was appreciated many times. It then ended with divertissement. It was the most important factor as it involved lots of singing, dancing, and lots of entertainment which was the main attraction for the audience. In the mid of eighteenth century “opera Comique” another opera genre caught the fancy of the people in which dialogues and arias music were used. Huge efforts were put in to make the performance a success and especially to win the heart of the king. The stage was set with lots of details and special effects known as machinery in which Olivet did the choreography and Quinault wrote the phrases.   

Lully had acquired the whole market by befriending the king. It was only after his death that the other composers got a chance to show their talents. Marc-Antoine Charpentier was one such opera composer who wrote and presented his first “Tragedie en mMusique”, “Medee” in the year 1693. As he had some Italian connection this disappointed Lully’s fans and hence it received a mixed reaction. Andre Campra and Marin Marais also made their attempts at Tragedie en Musique. Campra later created a new type of opera known as opera ballet. It had more dance and musical element in it. A lot of comedy was also included with a light storyline. This was different from what Lully used to compose and it proved to be a good change for the audience with it’s over whelming response. This gave the idea of involving comedy completely into the performance. This was done by Mouret who used this style in his work Les amours de Ragonde. 

Another composer, Jean-Philippe Rameau became a very important part of the history of French opera after Lully. His first work Hippolyte et Aricie was at the age of fifty. He used a lot of experimentation which created a stir in the audience. Although Campra appreciated it most of the fans of Lully were shocked. This created a clear line of separation between the audiences. This made Rameau to follow the existing rules. But this time he was opposed by the Italian counterparts who called him old-fashioned. This was when Rameau created a new opera genre known as opera Comique. Theater De I’Opera-Comique worked on this idea and became very famous in the eighteenth century. Even in the twentieth century composers such as Reynaldo Hahn and Andre Messager wrote many works in opera Comique.

Even to this day the French Opera is alive and popular in many quarters of the country.

Chinese Theater Arts

Chinese Theater Arts

The Chinese theater art dates back to as early as the Shang Dynasty in 1500 BC. Now there are so many subcategories in the Chinese theater such as Beijing Opera, Acrobats, Clowning, Shadow puppetry, etc.  Music and acrobatics evolved in the Shang Dynasty with many plays having these elements. Theater arts further flourished during Yuan Dynasty. The structure began evolving and gaining recognition throughout whole of China. The Yuan style is reflected in Beijing Opera which is alive till this date.

Chinese theater arts involve primarily four skills. They are voice, dance, song and acrobats. Dancing is done along with acting and combat is a part of the acrobats. In all these the basic emphasis is on the beauty of the movement and the actors are supposed to master all four of them as they are the part and parcel of the Chinese theater arts. Certain actions are a code and can be interpreted about some happening. Like when an actor walks in a circular motion, that means he is travelling over a long distance, on other instances if the actors on stage straighten their cloths and head gear means that the leading character is going to say something important.   

The Tang Dynasty witnessed the rise in shadow puppetry. It reached such great heights that an acting school named The Pear Garden was started by Ming Huang which produced musical drama and the actors of this school were known as The Children of the Pear Garden. There two subcategories of shadow puppetry, Cantonese and Pekingese. The difference was in the making of the puppet. The Cantonese puppets were larger with the characters having symbolic colors according to the roles they are depicting. They were made out of thick leather and the rods were attached perpendicular to the head of the puppet. The Pekingese puppets were more delicate and small and brightly colored. They were made out of thin and translucent leather and the rods were attached to the neck of the puppet which were bent at ninety degree and ran parallel to the body of the puppet. The storyline was usually same for both Cantonese and Pekingese. The Chinese puppeteers believed in an age-old superstition that the puppets come alive at night if the head of the puppet was left intact with the body. So the head and the body were detached and stored in two different boxes.

The shows are usually being presented on rectangular platforms with the audience surrounding it from three sides. Shoujiu is an embellished curtain which divides the curtain into two. The stage is sparsely decorated with more emphasis on the actors who wear bright clothes and makeup and thus less number of props are used during the performance.  The attire differs according to the role being played. King and his family wear yellow costumes where as a highly ranked warrior wears a purple outfit. Mang or python robe is the name given to this class of costumes. A character of high rank wears red garment with rich embellishments often in the shape of a dragon and other characters of lower rank wear blue robe. A young character wears white clothes, an older personality wears white, olive or brown and the rest of the supporting actors wear black robes.

The music is played on instruments such as jinghu, a small two strings, high pitched spike fiddle and Ruan, a plucked lute with circular body. The performance begins with the stern beating of drums known as Xiaoluo and Daluo. There are three classifications of the melodies being played. Aria is the first class with two subcategories, Erhuang and Xipi.  Xipi is used to express more loud expressions.  Qupai is the second class which basically consists of instrumental tunes depicting the happening of a big event like a festival or feast or the entree of an important character. Percussion pattern is the third class which includes fixed tune music.     

The theme of most of the plays are illusionistic and nor realistic mostly involving Chinese folk tales. Later on plays were also written on history and the dramas today encompass the Chinese version of international plays such as A Midsummer Nights’ Dream and King Lear.

Theater Arts – Classical Ballet

Classical ballet is a type of ballet. Training in Classical Ballet requires dedication for strenuous workouts and a strong lower body. The styles of classical ballet training can be divided into seven types. The most famous ones are Vaganova or Russian method, Balanchine or American method, Royal or English method, Cecchetti or Italian method, Royal Academy of Dance method.   

Dancers usually wear white, black, pink and flesh colored tights and a leotard. The styles and colors of the leotard can vary according to the storyline. The leotard garment has been named after the French acrobat Jules Leotard who made it famous. The shoes worn by dancers are very important as they will have a direct impact on the feet of the dancer and can also cause harm to them. During the course of time different kinds of shoes have been made for ballet dancers. At first the dancers are made to work on soft technique shoes rather known as flat shoes. Once the bones are no longer fragile and have become strong and mature enough the dancers are made to practice on Pointe shoes. The tutu is not a must though it can be used to bring in royalty with crochet sequenced wrap skirt.  

Pointe shoes, if not worn properly and on proper time can cause intense damage and sometimes disability to the dancer especially if high impact dancing is done. Before starting to wear them, it’s very essential to get a thorough bone structure diagnosis done by the doctors. Although the ballet trainers might be of some help but they cannot outdo the doctors who are more familiar with the anatomy of the body. The hardness of the bones of not only ankles, but also knees, hips, arms and back should be checked along with the check of muscle density. It’s advised that you should start wearing the Pointe shoes after sixteen. After starting their use the dancers should practice vigorously for long hours to build their strength. If compared to all other kinds of sports football is the only game which requires more strength than ballet.     

Nearly eighty percent of ballet dancers get injured at some point of time while performing. Some movements are so out of the natural range that it can lead to unhealthy stress on the body and if not done correctly can result in serious consequences. Many beginners get knee injuries and shin splits if they don’t do the plying, which is deeply bending the knees in a correct way. Warm up exercises should be done before starting the practice or performance. Other surrounding conditions should be taken care of and things like hard floor, cold temperature and uncomfortable clothes should always be avoided. 

Another major issue with the ballet dancers is that they are expected to have a slim figure and should be on the lighter side because some dances require the dancers to create an illusion of floating. So as to maintain a beautiful body, the dancers start dieting and sometimes develop eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia or nervosa. Sometimes to keep away from eating and to control their weight many dancers switch to smoking. They find this method less stressful and that’s the reason why forty percent of the ballet dancers both men as well as women are smoker. This is a serious health issue which has serious consequences later on in life. If the dances control their diets to the farthest extent they are also on the danger of risking the strength required.

But when done correctly and according to the rules, it can act as a great strength training program. Many athletes take ballet part time classes to make their bones and muscles more strong and body more flexible. But the ballet dancers have very tough competition and job security is also very low. This adds to their stress. 

Other dance forms such as modern ballet, contemporary ballet and hip hop dance are basically inspired works from classical ballets. 

Theater Arts - Ballet

Theater Arts - Ballet

The ancient Greeks were known to be great warriors and artists. People were known to be blessed with talents
in fields such as theater, painting, sculpturing, and poetry. Theater itself was one field which included
many other arts such as acting, singing, dancing, writing, and poetry. This art was later on reflected in
other countries such as Indian, China and Indonesia. Ballet is a special dance form basically inspired from
Greek and Roman theaters to take its full form in 1400s in Italy and France. Although dance was suppressed by
the churches this art spread to Russia and America with a version of their own.  Ballet was driven from the Latin
word “Ballere” which meant dance. 

During the renaissance period in Italy, ballet was the product of court pageantry. Domenico da Piacenza was
a well-known artist to have mastered arts. He used to teach the nobles and other people who used to perform in the
 court. These court musicians and dancers used to perform on great occasions like weddings. They were later joined
by the ballet De Cour which consisted of dancers who wore elegant costumes and sang beautiful songs. This art was
 transferred from Italy to France when Catherine de Medici of France married Henry II of Italy. She made great contribution to
help flourish the art in France. 

It was under the rule of Louis XIV, performance art was given great importance as he himself had a liking for it and was responsible to entrench what is known now as Paris Opera Ballet. Jean-Baptiste Lully was the favorite Italian composer of the king. He had a great understanding of the physical movements, musical songs and graceful dance. He made great contribution to ballet which was of utmost importance even after many years.   He along with another French writer Moliere created Comedie-ballet. He was responsible to combine Italian and French ballet. French ballet consisted of instrumental music at first and then vocal music was added to it.

In the late 1800s ballet began to be practiced in Russia, America, Denmark, and Paris. Artists who were responsible for this were Marius Petipa, August Bournonville and Jules Perrot. Stories with Middle Eastern touch were also written. Ballets such as The Talisman and Pharaohs’ Daughter became very famous with the people. Many plays of William Shakespeare like Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet were interpreted through ballets.

The most important feature of ballet is that the thighs rotate in an outward direction from the hips. Performers who are interested in learning this art are expected to undergo very strenuous health workouts. It ends along with getting the high school degree. Some exams are practical and some are theoretical. Ballet incorporates French words which are used to name the movements and steps. The dancers should know French in order to be more familiar. This also means that the terms used for the steps are universal. It’s very important for the artist to have a strong lower body especially the legs and the abs. strong legs are necessary for the en pointe position and strong abs are necessary for turning the body. A dancer can also create an illusion of long or short hands and legs. If the limbs are placed near the back of the body they appear short and when they are brought forward the limbs seem to be longer.

A lot of physics is involved in ballet. The dancer should create an illusion that she or he is opposing gravity. The dancer’s body acts like a parabola or a projectile in the air and gravity works on the center of mass of the body. Like they can act as if they are suspended in air by jumping with their arms and legs suspended and head lowered. But the landing should be carefully done; otherwise the dancer could fall down, hurting one self which would also affect the show. A precaution that can be taken in such cases is to have a shock absorbent floor. Another technique which can be extremely hazardous is the rolling of the foot from toe to heel with knees bend. Such type of training calls for the help of professionals. Despite all these complications involved in performing ballet, it remains one of the most popular performing arts in the world.

Theater Arts – Beijing Opera

During the 18th-19th century Peking opera or more commonly known as Beijing Opera flourished in the Qing Dynasty. It had attained such levels that it was specifically being performed in the royal court and later was made accessible to public. Native to the Anhui and Hubei province this art later became the cultural jewel of Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai. Over the period of time its fame crossed the Great Wall of China and spread to countries like Taiwan, Japan and America. 

The movements of the dancers are very graceful. Dialogues, music, song, dance and combat are used to the fullest extent to depict the storyline which majorly revolves around Chinese age old folklore and history. The Beijing opera performers wear bright colored outfits to be the center of attraction on sparingly decorated stage. The dialect used in dialogue delivery is archaic dialect. Since it has a great historical value the actors really worked hard in order to respect and carry on the tradition. The training was started at a very tender age which lasted for seven years on permission from the parents. The student was expected to pay back to the teacher by the future performances. Daily routine consisted of early rise followed by training in acting, acrobatics, and combat. The senior students perform in the evening theaters. Upon committing a mistake the whole bunch of students were punished with bamboo cane but training became milder during the 1900s. These schools were shut down during the Japanese invasion in 1931 but again reestablished in 1952. The renowned schools popular in this art are the Ma Lianliang school, the Qi Lintong school and the Cheng Yanqiu school.  The repository of this opera includes about one thousand and four hundred works.

The Four Anhui Troupes was responsible for the birth of Beijing opera in the late 1700s. They were joined by the Hubei tropes in the early 1800s and came to its complete form in mid 1800s. This form of art is actually a mixture of various dance forms and music with a unique twist. There are four leading characters in Beijing opera. The Sheng is the male lead role with subtype Laosheng, old and wise version, Xiaosheng, the younger version and Wusheng, the warrior version. This character is gentle and sophisticated and the costumes worn by them are more subtle. The Laosheng character is further categorized as Guan Gong, God of War and Zhao Kuang-yin, the first emperor of the Song Dynasty. Xiaosheng sings in a loud and shrill voice. 

In the later years, the male actors began painting their faces. These characters were known as Jing. They were usually supporting characters and were forceful so they had to have a heavy voice and exaggerated expression. Dan is the female lead and is divided into five types.  Laodan was played by aged ladies, Wudan was played by middle aged women depicting married women, Daomadan were brave female warriors, Qingyi were righteous women and Huadan were young and innocent girls. The role Qingyi and Huadan together is known as Huashan.  

The male clown role was known as Chou. It was a minor role to add some humor to serious scenes. The character of Chou hardly got a chance to sing when compared to the Kunqu opera which was its inspiration. On the whole this art form cut down on the voice and singing .Acrobatics came to its full form in Beijing opera. So actors who couldn’t sing much but knew acrobatics well were easily taken into the performing troupe.

The drama was being accompanied with music. The two different styles of music being played are Xipi, created by the Anhui tropes and Erhuang, created by the Hubei tropes. Based on this music, the earliest name of Beijing opera was Pihuang which changed according to geographical location and time. The melodies can be classified as arias, fixed and percussion. It was known as Guoju in Taiwan.

The Anhui troupe gained name and fame after forming Beijing opera and were invited to various kingdoms to perform. Empress Dowager Cixi encouraged this art and became a great admirer of it. The performing troupes consisted of only males at first as the Qianlong Emperor had banned female actors. But in the 1870s, a former Beijing opera performer, Li Maoer started a female troupe, which persuaded others to take the lead and finally the ban was lifted in 1912.

Thursday, 9 November 2017

Contract Formation

Contract Formation

Contract law is one of the most important area of the law that affects us all in our daily lives.  Although we seldom sign a written document, we go into shops daily, we travel on public transport, we park in parking lots - these are largely all contracts into which we bind ourselves to terms and conditions.  We may not be strictly aware of it, but we all participate in contractual obligations on both sides of the fence every single day.  It is therefore no surprise that the issue of when exactly a contract is formed is of the utmost importance in regulating commerce and life as a consumer.  Furthermore, how can we enforce our contracts, and what rights do we have under these contracts that we agree to almost subliminally day in day out.  In this article, we will look at some of the key issues surrounding contract formation, and general principles of the law on contract, which govern transactions we experience in our daily lives.

In general laymen's terms, we think of a contract as a detailed written document, and we understand that when we sign that dotted line, there's no turning back.  Actually, that's a myth.  Of course, there is definitely the possibility of receiving a written contract to sign, and indeed this would be legally binding.  However there is a very real possibility of being legally bound to a contract that you don't even realise exists.  A contract can be formed by way of simply verbally saying you agree to buy some item.  That is sufficient to bind you in law for most transactions, and on that basis it would be perfectly feasible to found a claim for breach.  Of course, the difficulty then arises in proving what was said, which is why in practical terms more often than not a written document is used for transactions of a substantial nature.  This avoids the problem of frivolous claims as to who said what and when such and such a term was agreed, which can lead to complications and lead to lengthy litigation

Contracts are generally formed at the concurrence of offer and acceptance.  That means when you make an offer to buy something, and it is accepted by the seller, that then forms a contract between the two respective parties to the effect of ownership will be transferred upon receipt of payment in consideration.  Usually all the vital terms of a contract will be stipulated previously, although many are implied in everyday situations, such as buying a newspaper or train ticket.  These terms would also be given practical effect by the court where it would be necessary to found a legal action, which is why they largely go unstipulated.  Additionally, the fact that very little litigation arises from these scenarios is another good reason for the lack of clarity necessary in small time contracts.  However, when it comes to more complex agreements, best practice dictates that writing is always essential to avoid problematic legal action.

Contract formation is critical, perhaps not so much on a small scale but almost certainly on a large scale with commercial property transactions and the like forming a fundamental part of commerce.  It is therefore pivotal that each jurisdiction develops its own considerations of precisely when a contract is made, in order to establish a pragmatic way to resolve disputes.  Naturally it is also important to maintain a cohesive structure to the law to ensure legal certainty, particularly in an area such as contract which is so vital to the success and growth of the economy, and which regulates such a large quantity of money.  By ensuing standard and structure, internally at least, it is possible to give the economy a fighting chance.  It is also in the best interests of everyone to harmonise laws with those of their trading partners, to ensure smoother transactions for the benefit of the economy on a wider scale.

Human Rights vs Civil Liberties in Europe

One of the most defining legal motions of the last hundred years on a worldwide scale is the European Convention on Human Rights, which imposed for the first time a codified standard of behaviour that all signatories must meet.  Although the document is referred to in a specifically European context, it is truly important throughout the world as a clear guideline for reference to matters on human rights.  But what about before the Convention - what were the protections for the citizen against encroachment from the authorities, and what recourse was there for grievances?  In this article we will look at the position of many European countries prior to the Convention and after, to highlight the change in legal position for the average citizen.

The European Convention of Human Rights codified a number of key human rights principles which were required to be satisfied by those that ratified it at law.  For monitoring the behaviour of the signatories, a European Court was established to hear grievances against member states, with the ability to air problems and effectively embarrass nations into compliance.  Since its inception, the court has been exceptionally successful in enforcing the provisions within the convention.  No one member state wants the embarrassment of a public trial, and therefore they bend over backwards to accommodate for the needs of the Convention.  Has it worked?  Well it has certainly massively overhauled the nature of private, criminal and public in almost every regard and this has lead to widespread disruption.  However, it looks almost undoubted that the European Convention on Human Rights is having a positive effect on the rights of the citizens across Europe, including in the wealthier nations.

Take the United Kingdom for example.  Prior to the European Convention on Human Rights, it was quite possible to detain a suspected criminal without judicial involvement - i.e. people could be deprived of their liberty almost indefinitely with no possible legal intervention.  This meant people didn't have to be told why they were being detained, and had no right to put forward a case to an impartial justice, reserved until the prosecutors decided to step in, and had enough evidence to do so.  For a country that boasts one of the world's strongest economies, and with a very high GDP, this is a shocking proposition, and one which has been remedied since the introduction in law of the European Convention.  The Convention has been loved and reviled in equal measures, and although it's had some tough challenges throughout its life span, it is slowly but surely changing the position for the citizen.  For the prospect European Union member state, it is an essential minimum, meaning those on the fringes of European recognition are striving with great result to meet the targets.  The larger, more developed nations are keeping on their toes and learning that they can't do as they please, and the European Court is making sure of that.  

Prior to the Convention, it was up to the people to rely on the provisions within their constitution for the protection of their rights, and this was very much a 'luck of the draw' scenario.  Some countries had excellent provisions, like Germany, where as others like the UK had abysmal records, mainly down to their lack of fundamental freedoms for the citizen.  Since the introduction and ratification of the Convention, these countries have all levelled upwards to create an environment that is ideal for the citizen, and aims to protect his rights whilst also protecting the interests of the state and the public at large.  The European Convention on Human Rights has certainly come along way, and it has brought the entirety of Europe, even those on the margins, together in a bid to improve living conditions and basic human rights for the ordinary citizen in the street.  As the decades come and go, only time will tell how effective it will end up, although from initial projections it is looking to have a positive impact for the people of Europe.

Children and Violence

Children and Violence

How far does violence extend, how do we determine exactly who is responsible for the violence that children are seeing on television and in music.  What about video games, who is taking the responsibility for the violence and awful things that, are occurring right before the eyes of the youth today.  Many politicians are looking to eagerly blame the media and entertainment industry.  Is that the correct place to lay the blame?  Perhaps parents are the people ultimately to blame.

More parents today than ever before are working longer hours just to stay afloat financially.  This alone results in phenomenal numbers of children being left with a television as the babysitter in charge of teaching right from wrong.  How does a child learn the difference between right and wrong, when their parents are nowhere to be found?  Where does the parents' responsibility to parent a child and the governments' right to parent a child merge?

Does the government even have a right to parent children?  Should the government be allowed to determine what is appropriate for all children to watch, or should that be ultimately left up to the parents to decide on their own?  There have been television shows, movies, musical artists, and even books banned because the government does not approve. 

Where is the line drawn in who controls what the children are watching?  Is it really up to the parents, or is it left to the children to decide on their own?  When did parents lose the ability to control what their child watches, and when did the parent become subject to the child's own opinion?  While some advances in technology have been wonderful, there is also much effort by the government to control what a parent does with their own child, and it is this more than anything that has caused controversy on a civil liberties basis. 

There have been several inventions and developments that are able to help parents monitor their children; from the v-chip to programs that log instant messenger programs.
These developments are great for the parents looking to monitor their child themselves, but what about the music industry.  Most parents are constantly told that the violence their child is exposed to is the fault of the music industry.  The blame is placed on the singers and producers for releasing the music. 

Much blame is placed everywhere but the parents for taking responsibility for their own children and determining what is best for them.  With politicians attempting to punish some area of the entertainment industry each time a national tragedy occurs, it puts a major crimp on the ability of parents to decide for themselves what is acceptable for their child and what is not.  Many are left to allow their child to choose from the options that are left, once the government has omitted the choices that are bad. 

Is this censorship, or helping raise children?  Many seem to think it leans heavily towards censorship, a place the governments should not be treading.  Many others tend to feel that it should be a high priority of the government to protect everyone from something that can potentially be bad, without even giving people the option to make their own decisions.

The issue as to what extent the government should intervene with the way in which we live our lives is hotly contested, and it works in a much larger circle than just the control of our children.  Should the government take a step back, and allow society to use its freedoms and powers for self regulation, or is there a need for intervention to ensure the greater good and justice for the welfare of society as a whole?  For the time being, it seems as though the most pragmatic approach relates somewhere in the middle, although it will be interesting to see developments in this area over the coming years.

Conservative vs. Liberal

Many people do not really understand the difference between a conservative and a liberal.  How do you really know which side of the spectrum you fall on?  In this article, we are going to explain some of the differences, so that as political figures are discussing conservative and liberal ideals you know exactly what is going on.  

The first side of the issue is the conservative side.  The conservatives tends to want to preserve things they way they are, for example they dislike change, and do not want things to change in the way the country is run, how people come into power, and how civil rights are handed out.  Conservatives appreciate in real terms the importance of building and maintaining the economy to the benefit of society as a whole.  Many conservatives are also considered to appreciate having an exclusive inner circle that controls the entire country, although in mainstream politics this is rarely a salient feature.

Many conservatives also live by the ideals that institutions that have been successful rather than dwelling on mistakes.  This has the effect of working towards improvement in efficiency, which is another key factor of Conservative thought.  Many conservatives do not think technology is our friend; they feel that technology should not be a part of government standards and ideas based on the inefficiency it brings.  Many conservatives are also very cautious people, which is reflected in the opinions and decisions of their politics.

Liberals on the other hand are very much different.  Most liberals are very open to change, almost to a fault; they do not mind the ideas of change as long as it is for a perceived good cause, even where there is no practical utilitarian upshot.  Liberals tend to be willing to take more risks than most conservatives are in the whimsical pursuit of change.  Most liberals are also very tolerant of behavior different from their own, as well as they are willing to open their minds to new ideas and concepts easier than the conservative counterparts.  Liberals also like to push for change without necessarily having a justification for their actions.

Liberals tend to be very progressively thinking people, whom are quite open to the new ideas of technology in terms of normal daily life, as well as in the role of assisting the government in managing the country to the best of our ability.  However, their emphasis on extreme individual freedom means a more distant form of governance that leaves society to regulate itself without much intervention.  This has led to numerous political and social problems for liberal governments across the world.

While there are some major differences in the two sides, there are also many people who fall somewhere in the middle.  Many people are able to pull their comfort zone from taking pieces of each side.  While some people are hesitant of change, they are able to accept change in order to make things better for everyone.  For example, women's rights were the result of change.  Many conservatives were against the ideals of women being allowed to vote.  On the flip side, some liberals are in favor of the legalization of drugs, and are wholeheartedly against government regulation in the way we live our lives.

While there are many differences in the ideals of the two groups, there is also a bond that forges from each side being determined to make life the best possible for the people in the areas with which they are concerned.  Neither side sets out to hurt the other side, nor the people they are responsible for helping.  There are times when the goals of both sides do come together nicely and result in wonderful progress for our cities, nation, and country as a whole.  Looking to the future, we can expect both sides to continue to change and progress as things change and the future becomes reality. 

Alienation of Assets

Alienation of Assets

In commercial terms, the world revolves around insolvency.  Insolvency is the process whereby one's entire patrimony (i.e. the totality of one's assets) is liquidated in order to satisfy his total debts that have grown beyond his means.  Insolvency procedures are problematic in that they mean liquidation of personal assets such as one's home and one's car.  Unfortunately there are few ways to avoid insolvency, which most normally occurs through poor judgement or 'bad luck'.  Fortunately, there are numerous ways in which the potential implications of insolvency procedures can be minimised to prevent loss of assets.  For the lay-man, this can involve certain minor legal procedures which could ultimately save a fortune.  For creditors, this can be particularly bad news.  In this article we will look at entirely legal ways in which you can potentially avoid losing assets in insolvency procedures.

If you are running a small business, or likely to do so in the next decade, you must act on the following immediately to protect your assets.  Alternatively, if you foresee yourself amassing significant unsecured debt in the coming years, you should also act similarly.  Allowing a ten year margin, which might seem a lot, will prevent any challenges on sequestration and ensure that the assets you have 'alienated' no longer form part of your estate.  The alienation ensures that the assets from which you will still benefit cannot be received by your creditors in consideration for any debts you accrue.

The first thing to consider is incorporating a limited liability company, or indeed several, within which to house your business operations.  Conducting your business through a company may mean more paperwork, but it also removes you personally from any liability.  Of course, your company can still be liquidated, but we will look at ways to avoid losing your business assets shortly.  If you choose not to run through a corporate body, there are still ways in which you can minimise the potential for losing your assets.

The biggest and most valuable asset most of us will own is our home.  It shouldn't come as any surprise that this is the number one target for many creditors.  If you are married or living with a partner, there is no way you should ever lose your house in insolvency proceedings.  Provided you allow sufficient time (i.e. 10 years), you can transfer ownership to your partner, thus the asset no longer belongs to you.  You can then by agreement negotiate with your partner to continue living in the house, which for most will be a mere formality.  At the end of the day, you no longer legally own the house, but functionally nothing has changed.  Alternatively, you could assign your property by creating a trust in which you and your partner are the beneficiaries.  All you need is to involve a third party (potentially even your partner) as trustee, before you will have alienated the asset.  Again, functionally, you still live in the house, and it is still your home.  The only difference is creditors can't touch it should the worst happen.

If you choose to run a through a limited company, your first step should be to establish at least one other company, which will act as a holding company.  The holding company should then be made owner of all business assets, before effectively leasing back to the other company.  The effect of this is theoretical.  You own both companies, you own the assets, but should creditors attempt to attack your primary trading company, there will be no chance of losing your business assets.  The leasing agreement between the two companies will also be theoretical, and will only require minor accounting procedures to grant legal validity.  Provided you ensure your holding company avoids debt, there should be no problem in alienating your entire business patrimony.

There are a number of ways in which you can avoid potentially losing your assets in insolvency.  Why not consult a specialist legal adviser for further information specific to your jurisdiction to help ensure total protection of your entire means.

Animal Control

In America today, there are states that are actively pushing pet owners to be controlled by law.  States such as California are enacting laws in which pet owners are forced to spay or neuter their pets.  This is something that many are talking about as the answer to the pet over population problems.  Is this truly the answer?  Many prominent breeders are upset by this attempt to control the rights of individual pet lovers.  

What is the correct answer?  Should the states be allowed to force individual pet owners to do this?  What about the puppy mills that are operated in states all across the country, why is something not done to shut them down, rather than force individual breeders to have their breeding stock spayed and neutered.  Many do not realize that the sport of dog showing requires a dog in the show ring to still be intact; any sexually altered dogs are immediately disqualified from competition  

This essentially means, the sport of dog showing in California and other states following in their path is stopped.  The dogs in the state would be required to be fixed, with residents in the state either fixing their dogs, or a flux of residents would be moving from California and other cities with the same philosophy.  Is this really the solution to the over population problem?  Most cities have many unwanted animals in the pet shelters, yet there is always a fresh batch of animals coming in daily, therefore it is evident that some remedial action is required to solve the problem. However, as a nation of animal lovers, this seems hard to reconcile with the general opinion of society.  

How do we solve this problem?  Perhaps the answer is more low cost spay and neuter programs, offer this at a greatly reduced rate, or even free to residents of towns so that animals can be easily fixed that are not intended for breeding.  While this would be an expensive venture, it could easily cost less and do more good for the over population problem than requiring all pets be neutered and spayed.  

Some states are even looking to limit the number of pets that are allowed to be housed.  The limit is typically two dogs, with all other dogs forced to be rehomed to other homes.  This leaves the problem of owners being forced to give away dogs to homes that may not be able to handle, care, or ensure proper medical care.  Is this too far for the states to interfere in the rights of pet owners?  To what extent should the government intervene in the way in which we treat our animals?

When did the issue of pets become the business of the government and states?  While there are leash laws, they are intended for the safety of the pets, as well as the protection of society in general.  This is a law that was enacted by the states, which while it does limit the movements of pets it has good intentions that are actually plausible and rectifiable.  The required neuter and spay is something that can cause harm to a person's livelihood, as well as disqualify a dog from the show ring that could have otherwise been a champion dog. 

Is this the state's place to do so?  How far is too far before determining that the states have no right to tamper and meddle with the animals that are owned and properly cared for.  Should individuals who seek proper medical care for their pets be penalized?  Is this something that should have ever been brought up in the states as a requirement for all pet owners?  The issue of pet control is certainly hot at the moment, and it will be interesting to see the development of these issues in the coming months, years and decades as implemented measures are observed and their results monitored.  

Sunday, 29 October 2017

Advergaming: Advertising through video games

Advergaming: Advertising through video games

The practice of using video games to promote a particular product or an organization is known as “Advergaming”. Wired magazine first used this term in a column to describe the commissioning of free online games by large companies, in 2001. There are three categories of Advergaming: ATL Advergaming, BTL Advergaming and TTL Advergaming.

ATL Advergaming can be vaguely explained as a promotional video game. The business incorporates interactive video games on their website so as to create more awareness about their product among the website visitors. This method is also used to attract more visitors to the site and to increase the traffic flow on the website. If the games are made for product advertising, the product is highlighted in the game.

Before the invention of the internet, floppy disks and later compact disks were used as a medium to promote games and in turn a particular product. It started with floppy disk basically to create awareness as well as product promotion. The first Advergame was distributed by American Home Food, which was developed by Chef Boyardee. Taco Bell and Coca Cola followed it by giving customers floppy disks containing promotional games. The first Advergame to be distributed on compact disk was by Chex and General Mill. The graphics of these games have matured from arcade style flash to three-dimensional.

BTL Advergaming comprises of recruitment tools like In-game advertising, militiamen and edutainment. Usually the mascot of the particular company is depicted as the hero in such games. Pepsi man and Burger man were the mascots used in promotional games designed by Pepsi and Burger King respectively. The storyline of these games can be commercial, educational or political like the game American Army created to attract more youth towards devoting their life to army and also games meant to promote sports like Formula One racing are also a part of this technique.

In-game advertising is more commercial type and is purely targeted for promotion of the product via the game. This is really picking up and even movies are promoted by this method. Like on the website of the movie, The Mummy, there are games which have a storyline similar to the movie and the player is given knowledge of the facts about the movie and its subject, Egyptian Mummy. Educational Advergaming refers to games that portray a moral message to the players.

These games can also act as a medium of advertisement themselves like in the video game of EA Sports; banners of Pepsi line the frame of the game. By using this strategy the companies are able to provide low price or free games to the consumers.  This is also effective in reducing the price of games that have a monthly fee.

TTL Advergaming or through the line Advergaming is the most rare form of Advergaming. URL links are embedded into a game that takes the players to the web pages, which has BTL Advergaming. Different methods are used to attract the player to a particular webpage. In the game ” Enter the Matrix” URL hyperlinks are depicted in the background, which the player is forced to click to learn about the facts relating to the plot of the next level and at the same time advertises about the product. The curiosity to learn about the theme of the game attracts the player, although it might not be necessary to click to finish the game.  Such kinds of games are usually known as link-chases as one link will lead to another. Website visitors are sometimes tempted with a prize to prompt them to click the URL.

This technique of advertising is really beneficial as it not only creates awareness among the player but also among his friends who lands the website upon friend’s suggestion. The success of Advergaming is dependant on word of mouth and thus is also known as viral marketing. In the year 2004, this industry generated around $83.6 million and involved 105 million players.

Advertising using Power Words

Word cannot only influence the minds of people but can completely change their perception abut a particular thing. Words have the persuasion power to entice and motivate. They are used by the politicians, public relations personals, and even by parents to pass on their message. These words are known as power words and they can do wonders when used in advertisement. 

New or improved words create a sense of curiosity. The customers get an impression that the product is something that is different from others and he tries to get it before anyone else does so as to have edge over others. The laundry products have always been advertised as new and improved, from years. Although it can be either new improved version of the existing product, but the power of both the words and the product reinforces each other’s strength. 

Take for instance the line ‘Money back guarantee’, these power words helps gain the trust of the customer. It is a must to print these words at the closing line of an advertisement. After this sentence, the methods of payment and how money will be returned if the customer is not satisfied should be stated.

Most of the successful advertisements have a little known secret that surely generated curiosity within the reader. People are knowledge thirsty, they want to know what others do not know. They think that there is some vital information they are missing because of which they haven’t gained success in something particular. 

Words ‘Insider say that’, is similar to ‘secret’. It gives out information from some expertise that is still unknown to the outside world and only if the customer gives money, information will be divulged to him.       

Free word in the headline of the message simply does wonders. The reader easily absorbs the message, unless and until something free is given to the customer in reality. By any change, if the company tricks the customer into paying money for something, which was supposed to be free, the trust of the customer is lost instantly. Usually the word FREE is spelled as FR~E on websites as ISP filters blocks messages having the actual word, considering it to be some kind of spam. 

You is a very important word to be used in an advertisement. It directly points out the advantages to the customer, if he buys a particular product or service. Step into the shoes of the customer and try to note down the points which will be of benefit and what points will decrease the interest. The advantages then should be referred to the customer by addressing them with ‘you’. The customer feels that he is being directly talked to. 

The word ‘Immediately’ rings in the emergency. It can be interpreted as ‘Don’t wait any longer, get it now!’ This motivates the customer to take some necessary and quick action. 

Power in itself is a powerful word. Give that power to the consumer and see the magic. This gives the consumer a feeling that he can get possession of something that he lacked till now and this could make him achieve the impossible. 

The basis of a successful advertisement is to understand the consumer’s needs and then design the advertisement accordingly. Just stating the advantages of using the product or service of the company isn’t enough. Sentence should be so designed that the customer should see his advantage in the product. For example, when advertising for a digital camera, just stating that the in-built memory of the camera is of 1 GB, won’t do the trick. Instead, the sentence should be changed to ‘enough memory to store 350 pictures or 50 videos’. The solution to the problem of the customer is reflected in this sentence. Ideas can be taken from advertisements of other similar brands like how the sentences are written and placed in an advertisement. After the sentence framing, adding power words to spice up the advertisement will definitely make a winning ad campaign.