「主旋律戲曲」之名雖係近二十年才出現，但中共建政之前即已重視戲曲之宣傳與教化功能，有實無名的主旋律戲曲由來實久。本文聚焦於1990年代中期以後，以「國家舞臺藝術精品工程」為主要討論對象，以「建國五十週年獻禮演出」為參照樣本。首先以1999年「建國獻禮演出」論述大陸官方如何收束「新時期戲曲J'而後剖析「精品工程」對大陸戲曲界的意義與影響。希望釐清此二者在主旋律戲曲發展過程中之意義，並彰顯九0年代中期以降大陸戲曲之本質。二十一世紀以後，官方以精品工程展開對表演藝術界的全面收編。在其影響下，絕大多數劇作喪失了新時期的深刻與真誠，只剩下失去靈魂的空殼，殼中迴盪著主旋律的聲音。

Before the Chinese Communist Party established its regime， they already highly valued the propaganda and didactic function of traditional opera. Such was the background when the official-ideologied“main melody theater" emerged. This article discusses mainly the“National Project of Excellent Stage Art" supplemented by references to the“50th State-Founding Anniversary Commemorative Performance."With the'50th State-Founding Anniversary Commemorative Performance" as a prologue， I discuss first how the government gradually reined in the“New Era theater" then I analyze the significance and impact of“National Project of Excellent Stage Art" on the Chinese traditional theater. I wish to clarify their implications in the development of main melody theater， and to demonstrate the nature of Chinese theater since the 1990s. Down to the 21" century， the government uses the "Excellent Stage Art" project to incorporate wholesale the performing arts. Under its influence， most theatrical works lost the poignancy and candor of the New Era. What remains is an empty shell echoing with the main melody.