Abstract

This study aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a soprano singing technique practice manual designed for master’s degree students at Peking University Academy of Opera in the People’s Republic of China. The research employed a qualitative approach that combined a literature review with in-depth interviews involving fifteen Bel Canto teachers and soprano master’s degree students in order to systematically examine the current teaching and learning state of soprano singing techniques in Chinese original opera. Based on these findings, a practice manual entitled Soprano Singing Technique in the Chinese Original Opera Practice Manual was developed and subsequently revised according to expert feedback. A fourteen-week pilot implementation was conducted with ten soprano students, and additional insights were collected through student interviews. The final stage involved evaluation by five experts across five dimensions to further refine the manual. The results indicate that the manual is systematically structured and includes components such as background analysis and singing guidance for the opera “The Song of Youth”, forming an integrated learning pathway that combines theoretical knowledge, technical training, and practical application. The evaluation results further demonstrate that the manual fills an important academic gap and significantly improves students’ singing ability and stage performance. The findings contribute to the advancement of vocal pedagogy by offering a systematic and transferable training model for soprano performance in Chinese Original Opera, with implications for cross cultural vocal education.

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