10 Facts About Chinese Opera
10-1-15
Chinese Opera was recently named a preserved art form by Unesco in 2014. There's a lot of different styles of Chinese Opera; many of these differences are based on time periods and regions in which the work was created. Here's 10 facts you might not know about Chinese Opera.
1. There are over 360 different types of Chinese Opera. The most famous are Peking, Cantonese, Kunqu, Xiqu and Beijing Opera.
2. The colors on the characters' masks represent feelings. White: sinister, evil, crafty, treacherous, and suspicious. Anyone wearing a white mask is usually the villain. Green: impulsive, violent, no self restraint or self control. Red: brave, loyal. Black: rough, fierce, or impartial. Yellow: ambitious, fierce, intelligent.
3. Characters are stock or archetypes in most plays, much like Comedia or Kabuki. Once you've seen the characters, you'll always know what their reactions are.
4. The acting is based on allusion: gestures, footwork, and other body movements express such actions as riding a horse, rowing a boat or opening a door.
5. Costumes are passed down from teacher to student due to their high cost. Some people are still performing in costumes from the 40's.
6. Shanxi Opera normally includes special effects and tricks like juggling, acrobatics or fire breathing.
7. The makeup process can take up to an hour to apply. It is done in layers. In ancient times performers would use ground bones to set the layers.
8. Performers in Cantonese Opera study one character for their entire career.
9. Men still often play female roles in comedic operas.
10. Chinese Opera is one of the few jobs in China where women are consistently paid more than men.
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