penultimate opera performance; grand finale
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesverb
to arrange as the penultimate performance
technicalTraditional Peking opera terminology. The final performance is called 大轴子 (dà zhòu zi). This verb is used by theater managers or troupe leaders when scheduling the performance order.
For this performance, they decided to schedule 'The Drunken Concubine' as the penultimate act.
The troupe leader said to schedule the best opera as the penultimate act and the second-best as the finale.
noun
penultimate performance; (by extension) the climactic final act
Originally referred strictly to the penultimate (second-to-last) opera in traditional performances, with 大轴子 being the true finale. However, in modern usage, 压轴子 (often shortened to 压轴) is frequently used colloquially to mean the climactic final act or most exciting performance, despite the etymological inaccuracy.
Today's penultimate performance is the classic Peking opera 'Farewell My Concubine'.
Although strictly speaking this is the finale, everyone habitually calls it the penultimate act.
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The grand finale of the evening party is always the most exciting program, pushing the atmosphere to a climax.
When this star appeared as the final act, the entire audience erupted.