Community Opera

The rural opera is a typical framework of the traditional Chinese culture, with the profound locality and the earthy emotions which allow this traditional quintessence of Chinese opera to take root in the vast countryside, flourishing and eventually becoming awe-inspiring. Nowadays, the culture of rural opera has long been in decline, yet the passed-down customs have continued for thousands of years, and are still deeply rooted. What touched me the most was the obsessions from those earthy villagers immersed in front of the stage, that is the deepest spiritual strength and artistic life. While creating such works, my focus was on expressing the spiritual aspect of the characters, instead of reproducing the stage scenes. The play on the stage was virtual, but the faces off the stage were real. By strengthening the image of earthiness, the long heritage and artistic appeal of the opera culture were thus expressed. The roles on the stage, whether sheng (male), dan (female), jing (painted face), mo (old), or chou (clown), all putting their talents and charms into full play. Those faces under the stage, each different though, but all shared the same deep engagement, the natural radiation, and the blossoming souls, which imbue each face with the same solemnity.