The first thing one notices in Guangdong Chinese Opera is the exaggeration. Like most traditional art forms, everything serves to exaggerate something. Their costumes exaggerate their movements and energize their performance despite the small stage. The long hair and beard. The flowing clothes and the hanging accessories. With skill, they manipulate their long sleeves to convey contempt.
Their makeup also serves to augment their facial expressions. With contrasting colours, they emphasize the eyes and lips. Conveying happiness and sadness as well as anxiety and worry.
Even the simplest and smallest of actions is used to intensify their performance. The shaking of their hands convey anger. And this is expanded by the handkerchief in their hands. No effort is spared.
Even from Chinese Opera, the influence of Confucianism on the many tenets of Chinese life is obvious. Themes such as the strong father-son bond and revenge justified by filial piety keep recurring in most performances. He wonders if people notice these subversive themes. Like how impressionable teenagers are. Or justice being more important than filial piety. Or just the lack of forgiveness.
Or is everything just an exaggeration?
An exaggerated sarcasm perhaps?
Their makeup also serves to augment their facial expressions. With contrasting colours, they emphasize the eyes and lips. Conveying happiness and sadness as well as anxiety and worry.
Even the simplest and smallest of actions is used to intensify their performance. The shaking of their hands convey anger. And this is expanded by the handkerchief in their hands. No effort is spared.
Even from Chinese Opera, the influence of Confucianism on the many tenets of Chinese life is obvious. Themes such as the strong father-son bond and revenge justified by filial piety keep recurring in most performances. He wonders if people notice these subversive themes. Like how impressionable teenagers are. Or justice being more important than filial piety. Or just the lack of forgiveness.
Or is everything just an exaggeration?
An exaggerated sarcasm perhaps?
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