| Would I want to be a Cantonese opera singer? I | | | | as they go along. The tradition of female |
| attended a workshop at the Hong Kong Heritage | | | | characters using a falsetto voice is an ancient |
| Museum and found the answer to that question. I | | | | tradition stemming from a time when only male |
| learned there are 350 kinds of Chinese opera- | | | | performers were allowed on the stage. They |
| each based on a different Chinese dialect. | | | | used a falsetto voice to sound feminine. A |
| Cantonese opera is the genre most common in | | | | Chinese opera is apparently performed as a |
| Hong Kong. The young woman who was our | | | | tribute to the gods. Since the deities are the |
| opera workshop instructor had been studying | | | | intended audience, the human audience can talk |
| opera for five years. She told us she was only a | | | | and even eat or play games like mahjong or |
| beginner. It takes more than twenty years to | | | | chess while the opera is going on without insulting |
| become a really good performer. This explains | | | | the performers. |
| why many 'opera stars' are over the age of fifty. | | | | The second part of our tour took us through a |
| Our guide taught us how to distinguish between | | | | museum exhibit where we saw opera costumes. |
| male and female, and comic and tragic opera | | | | They are extremely ornate and very expensive |
| characters by their dress, make-up, voices and | | | | to create. Our guide explained the thick face paint |
| body movements. | | | | worn by characters. Evil villains wear mostly white |
| After she had introduced us to the plot line of an | | | | make-up, while good heroes have predominantly |
| opera we tip toed into a theatre where an opera | | | | red faces. The museum had a computer program |
| was in progress and watched it for about twenty | | | | set up that allowed you to put on the make-up |
| minutes. The female character sang in a falsetto | | | | and costume of a classic opera character. You |
| voice all the time. The singers didn't always seem | | | | chose a character, positioned your face on the |
| to know where the tune of their song was | | | | computer screen and then waited for your face |
| leading them and the audience was talking | | | | to appear in the costume and make-up of that |
| throughout the performance. Later our guide told | | | | character. I chose a Warrior Woman. I thought I |
| us there are no written or designated notes in | | | | looked quite stunning in my Cantonese opera |
| Chinese opera scripts. Actors are provided with | | | | persona and even took a photo of myself. |
| only a set of lyrics. The singers make up the tune | | | | |