Будь-ласка ть скоротити текст. Дуже треба. If you want to watch a musical performance that combines song, dance and impressive design, just forget about the latest pop video. Take a look at a truly original style of musical performance: Chinese opera. Last month I was on a trip to Shanghai. I stopped at my Chinese friend Mai-Li. She insisted that we go to the Chinese Opera, and I must admit that the experience was amazing from beginning to end, because the opera has a long history in China. In ancient times. actors performed operas in the streets on 1 temporary stage only with hanging lanterns for lighting. It's ridiculous to think that such grand art started that way!
We arrived at the theater just before the lights went out. As the curtain rose, the actors came on stage in their beautiful costumes; fiery red and gold and silver ribbons looked like a colored kaleidoscope! The costumes go back to the days of street shows, when actors used to wear bright colors to stand out in the dark. The singing was quite strange - very sharp and high, as well as the costumes, the style of singing was really ancient. Street performers sang so that their voices could carry the crowd that was going to watch.
We saw the opera "Lady White Snake"; classical Chinese folk tale. The white snake turns into a beautiful girl and then falls in love with a man. But the actors told the story not only through song; dancing and acrobatics were also fantastic. The actors used not only their faces but also their whole bodies to act out the story and show their emotions. These actors have a hard time training in opera schools for years, from about 7 to 8 years old. There were no scenes of props or scenery, as the actors use many characters to help tell the story. For example, an actor jumping with a whip means that they are riding a horse. Doing somersaults from a table or a pile of chairs means that they are running down a mountain.
The actors' make-up was incredible. Each color has a special meaning and reveals something about their character; red means loyalty and courage, black - a warrior or a savage character, blue - cruelty, and gold and silver - mystery. In the finale, it was breathtaking to see them all on stage in bright costumes and makeup. I didn't think opera was for me, but I can't believe how much I liked it. One day you should all see a Chinese opera!