Beijing Opera

Being an Beijing opera character is not as easy as you might think. Trust me, I only had to dress up as one and pose for maybe ten minutes, and I could barely handle it. The whole process of getting made up and watching others get their makeup was both amusing and fun. However, one by one, as soon as the headdress came on, each of us would wince a bit, and after ten minutes we were dying for it to come off. The headdresses are there not only for decoration, but to pinch and lift the eyebrows and eyes up at a more angular slant. The result is a sharp headache within minutes. Apparently real opera actors have their headdresses tied on even tighter so that as they move across the stage there is no risk of their head pieces falling off. I can’t imagine wearing something like that for hours at a time while simultaneously acting, fighting, and singing. Simply posing for a camera while wearing the thing was quite a feat. The teacher would think for a moment then gracefully strike a pose, and I would shuffle my feet about awkwardly trying to mimic her position. She has mastered the art of moving with both beauty and strength, and she carries this poise with her on and off the stage. It is a difficult thing to imitate.

Beijing opera actors and actresses are incredibly talented. Unlike their western counterparts, they must not only act, sing and speak, but dance, fight, and move in special opera styles. The Beijing opera is a culmination of many arts in a single performance. In preparation for being an opera actress, our teacher studied from the age of 12. It is easy to see many aspects of what she learned for the stage carry over to the way she carries herself, and the way she speaks. It is almost as if being an opera performer is more than a job for her, but a way of life. Although Beijing opera is certainly strange from the eyes of a westerner, it is difficult not to acknowledge the talent of the performers involved. I’m glad that we had a chance to learn about opera through class and this photoshoot before finally attending one in Beijing. I think after trying to do some of movements the teacher taught us, and after going through the process of dressing up for opera, we’ll be able to better appreciate the skill and effort needed to do even the most simple of movements on stage.