Chinese Opera in Hong Kong
I’ll admit up front that the sound of a Chinese Opera is similar to finger nails on a chalk board and makes me want to run screaming out of the room. However, I would recommend attending the Chinese Opera to anyone in Asia. So the bigger question is why; what does the Chinese Opera have to offer to the western tourist? Here is a short list of why I enjoyed the show:
- Amazing costumes & makeup
- Unique cultural experience
- Cantonese is spoken with nine tones, thinking about singing and getting the nine tones correct is an amazing challenge and something we don’t have in English. It is really quite amazing!
- Often women play the roles of men in Chinese Opera
- Most of the ‘Acts’ are based on historical events in Chinese history
- There was no heat in the theater; everyone was wearing coats and gloves to see the show
- Talking during the show was normal as it is more of a social event like going to a bar to listen to a band
