Distinguishing features of Kunqu opera
0 
Staging of Kunqu opera
As in all traditional Chinese theater, Kunqu uses a minimum of props and scenery, which permits the performers to more easily express their stage movements in the form of dance. There is no curtain, and few props: sometimes a table and a chair. The performers appeal to the audience's imagination and conjure up a scene or a setting (such as a door, a horse, a river, a boot) with words, gestures, and music.
Costumes of Kunqu opera
The costumes are elaborate exaggerated versions of the style of dress during the Ming Dynasty and make no attempt to fit the time or place of the action. For instance, in many roles, the performers wear robes with extremely long white sleeves call "water sleeves", which essentially serve as props to accent their dance movements.
The costumes and simple decorations often convey additional information about the characteristic of the character. For instance, peonies on a young man's robe might indicate a playboy, or carrying a magnifying glass might indicate social blindness. A Buddhist nun always carries duster to ward off evil spirits.
Go to Forum >>0 Comments