Cantonese opera for the first time

I stepped into the Esplanade to watch my first ever Cantonese opera about a week ago.

I have never watched Cantonese opera, or any other type of opera, before. I am not a Cantonese, I do not speak Cantonese, much less be able to understand it.

My first experience was pretty interesting. An eye-opener I would say.

The performance was called Hua Yue Ying, by a famous opera troupe from China. It was supposed to be an opera with some modern music incorporated in it so as to "keep up with times", as well as to attract a younger crowd. However, I was not exactly impressed with the music (perhaps because I could not appreciate it!). What caught my attention most was the excellent back drop they had, and the realistic performance put up.

There were a number of different scenes, some that showed an opera house, outside the palace, near the beach etc. Each backdrop was so captivating that at one point or another, I felt like I was really in an opera house or by the beach.

Also, at one scene at the seaside, the lead roles and the supporting roles were "on" a boat, rowing out to sea. The way they rocked and moved their bodies along with the "waves", made the audience feel as if we were on the boat with them!

Although I could not understand Cantonese, I could generally catch the flow of the story. All thanks to the Chinese and English translations that were screened on a panel on the left and right corners of the stage.

Nevertheless, it was tiresome switching your eyes from the panel to the centre stage and back to the panel. It took the pleasure out of watching the opera. Sometimes, I would take my eyes off the panel and concentrate on the opera, but I would end up not being unable to understand. But if I were to fix my eyes on the panel, I would not be able to catch what was happening on stage. What a dilemma!

This made me realise how important the language medium was, in understanding and appreciating a form of art. I dare say that I enjoyed the opera, but appreciating it is another different story.