How were Peking opera performances organized differently from long kunqu dramas?

Peking opera (jingxi) and kunqu differ significantly in their performance organization, largely due to the scale and structure of their respective dramas.

• Narrative Scope: Kunqu dramas are traditionally expansive, often telling long, complex stories that unfold over 40 to 50 consecutive scenes. In contrast, Peking opera typically organizes performances as a bill of several acts or scenes selected from various plays, functioning similarly to a Western concert program.1
• Performance Habits: While kunqu troupes often perform highlights from longer works rather than complete operas, the fundamental distinction lies in the shift from the exhaustive, detailed storytelling of the older kunqu style to the more modular, theatrical, and vigorous presentation of Peking opera.21
• Musical and Theatrical Style: Peking opera is characterized by a northern-style system that utilizes loud clappers, cymbals, and penetrating fiddle music, often repeating a limited number of melodies across different lyrics. Kunqu, the culmination of southern-style drama, is restrained and elegant, relying on the flute as the primary instrument and featuring a much wider melodic range.1

These organizational differences reflect the evolution of Chinese performing arts from the aristocratic, literary-focused traditions of kunqu to the more accessible, popular theatre of Peking opera.21