Chinese Opera

Chinese culture is amazing to me. I love the ornate extravagance of style mixed with the simplicity in physical gesture and drama. I've always felt I had a chinese woman inside me. I hope one day I get to play one. 

While reading my book on China I read about the colors of chinese opera performers representing their characters. 

Yellow and White: cunning

Red: straightforwardness and loyalty

Black: valor and wisdom

Blue and Green: rebellious heroes

Gold and Silver: mystic or supernatural powers

Roles: young scholar, brave general, righteous official, beautiful lady, mischievous maidservant, clown.

This flyer for "The Peony Pavilion," features Du Liniang, the hero of this famous opera. The author was thought to be a rebel in his time, sort of like an erotic Romeo and Juliet of China. 

Honestly, I can't watch very much of it without having to go into a different headspace where I find the noises they are singing beautiful. You know how at different places in your mind you can find different things beautiful? Yeah, chinese opera is housed in a different, soaring Great Wall of China area of my brain. Anything American hears screeching and whining. Here's some fan choreography. 

Makes me want to take a Chinese class again...maybe I"ll just allot a certain amount of time a day during this period of non-work for studying chinese, french, and something else...

Praying this fulfills me some more.